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Blueberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping Recipe (Bluebarb Pie)
Rhubarb is often called “pie plant,” and rhubarb pie is a classic fruit pie, particularly in the Northern US. This blueberry rhubarb pie recipe (also called bluebarb pie) is a delicious twist on rhubarb pie, similar to popular strawberry rhubarb pie. Sweet blueberries and tart rhubarb meld together beautifully in the filling, and this homemade bluebarb pie is the perfect summer dessert. Whether you’re baking for Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, or just because the farmers market rhubarb is too good to pass up, this is a pie worth making.
What is Blueberry Rhubarb Pie?
Blueberry rhubarb pie, sometimes called bluebarb pie, is a fruit pie baked with a mix of blueberries and rhubarb. Although strawberry rhubarb pie is the most popular and ubiquitous of the berry and rhubarb pies, blueberry rhubarb pie has a delicious and unique flavor. Like with other berry rhubarb pies, the sweetness of the blueberries balances the tartness of the rhubarb well. I prefer to make blueberry rhubarb pie with crumb topping, because the sweet, buttery crumble balances the tartness of the filling even further. That said, blueberry rhubarb pie can also be baked as a classic double-crusted pie with a top crust which can be just as delicious.
History of Blueberry Rhubarb Pie
Considering the popularity of strawberry rhubarb pie, it might seem that pairing any berry with rhubarb would’ve happened naturally around the same time. However, there is actually a reason why strawberry rhubarb pie, and even cherry rhubarb pie, would have a longer and deeper historical footprint than blueberry rhubarb pie (or bluebarb pie). The reason for that is that while rhubarb’s growing season overlaps with both strawberries and cherries in the Northern states where rhubarb grows, blueberries are harvested later. Rhubarb is best in late Spring (April through June) while blueberries are best during the peak summer time (late June through August). This means that bluebarb pie wouldn’t have picked up in popularity until after refrigeration became easily accessible.
While strawberry rhubarb pie and cherry rhubarb pie both began appearing in newspapers and cookbooks from the 1930s, the first mention I can find of a blueberry rhubarb pie is in Betty Crocker’s Picture Cook Book published in 1956 for “Strawberry OR Blueberry-Rhubarb Pie.” The other early mention I can find for blueberry rhubarb pie is in a Stop & Shop advertisement published in The Day, a Connecticut newspaper, in 1969. “Bluebarb” is not a new term either. A cookbook published in 1959 has a recipe for bluebarb jam. However, all of these mentions for blueberry and rhubarb recipes come after the 1950s, and therefore after home refrigeration became the norm.
In terms of the internet footprint of blueberry rhubarb or bluebarb pies, the internet was fairly empty of any recipes for the pie, until 2011, when suddenly there was an explosion of blueberry rhubarb pie and bluebarb pie recipes. Today, you can find a whole slew of recipes for blueberry and rhubarb pie.
Step-by-Step Bluebarb Pie Recipe
Crust:
You’ll want a light-baked pie shell for this recipe. See my guide to blind baking here. For most baked fruit pies, an all-butter pie crust or another similar pastry crust is your best bet, since these crusts hold up to the long baking times that fruit pies require. This recipe makes a blueberry rhubarb pie with crumb topping, but if you prefer a more classic look, this pie can also be made as a double-crust pie.
Blueberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1¼lb Rhubarb, chopped and frozen
- ¾lb Blueberries, frozen
- ⅔c Granulated Sugar (135g)
- 1t Lemon Juice (5mL)
- 1½T Corn Starch (12g)
- 3T All-Purpose Flour (25g)
- ¼t Salt
Pro Tip: Making fruit pie filling is a little easier when at least some of the fruit is frozen. It gives you more control as you mix, since frozen fruit releases less juice right away. This is an optional step, and you can make this pie with just the blueberries or the rhubarb frozen, or neither fruit frozen.
1.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the blueberry rhubarb pie filling: rhubarb, blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, flour, and salt.
2.
Set the filling aside until you’re ready to assemble the pie.
Crumb Topping for Bluebarb Pie
I prefer to make blueberry rhubarb pie with crumb topping. The sweetness of the crumble balances the tartness of the filling. If you prefer a more traditional rustic look, this pie works great as a double-crust too. I’ve included the crumb topping recipe below, but if you want more detail, tips, and troubleshooting, check out my full post on crumb topping here.
Ingredients
- 1 Stick of cold Unsalted Butter, cubed (4oz)
- ½c of Granulated Sugar (100g)
- ½c of Brown Sugar (100g)
- 1c All-Purpose Flour (125g)
- ¼t of Salt
1.
In a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Mix until fully combined.
2.
Add the cubed butter. On low speed, cut the butter into the dries until no large chunks remain and the mixture resembles wet sand.
Assembling and Baking a Blueberry Rhubarb Pie:
Once your crust, crumble topping, and bluebarb pie filling are ready, it’s time to put it all together and bake.
1.
Give the blueberry rhubarb pie filling another good mix to make sure all of the juices and dry ingredients are fully combined with the fruit.
2.
Pour the filling into your prepared, lightly baked pie shell, pressing down gently to remove any air pockets.
3.
(Optional) Lightly brush the edges of the pie crust with cream. This ensures a beautiful golden brown color after baking.
4.
Top the pie with the crumble topping. There should be no gaps where you can see the filling, but you don’t want more than a single layer of crumble either.
5.
Freeze your assembled pie before baking (this helps the pie bake evenly). Allow it to freeze for at least 2 hours.
6.
Once the pie is frozen, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
7.
Remove the pie from the freezer and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
8.
Bake for at least 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the crumble is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling up slowly like syrup.
9.
Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool at room temperature until ready to serve.
Other Rhubarb Pie Recipes
- Classic Rhubarb Pie: The tried and true, old-fashioned classic for “the pie plant.” A classic fruit pie, usually baked in a double crust, with a simple rhubarb filling.
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie: A classic rhubarb-based pie. Strawberry rhubarb pie pairs sweet strawberries with tart rhubarb for a long-time favorite.
- Cherry Rhubarb Pie: Tart rhubarb pairs beautifully with many sweet fruits, and sweet cherries are no exception. Classic cherry pie works best with sour cherries, but cherry rhubarb pie is a great opportunity to bake with sweet cherries.
- Rhubarb Custard Pie: An old-fashioned recipe, but a delicious one. Old-fashioned fruit custard pies bake chopped fruit directly into a rich custard base.
- Rhubarb Impossible Pie (Crustless Rhubarb Pie): Impossible pies had a brief heyday popularized by Bisquick. The biscuit mix naturally separates into layers as it bakes, creating a “crust” and a “filling” without any extra work. The most famous versions are probably impossible cheeseburger pie and impossible coconut pie, but impossible rhubarb pie is a fun variation too.
- Apple Rhubarb Pie: Apple and rhubarb don’t have overlapping growing seasons, but apple rhubarb pie has grown in popularity in recent years. It’s a great mashup of two classic pie fillings.
- Classic Rhubarb Crisp: Rhubarb is a classic flavor for a crisp, a crustless dessert topped with a crumb topping and baked in a casserole dish. A little easier than pie and just as satisfying.
- Rhubarb Meringue Pie: A more unusual variation, but one that has been around for quite a while. A classic rhubarb pie topped with a toasted meringue.
How to Store Blueberry Rhubarb Pie
Short-term storage: Blueberry rhubarb pie can be kept at room temperature for about 1 day. After that, transfer it to the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to 1 week. Re-crisp the pie before serving if refrigerated.
Re-crisp before serving: Refrigerating a baked pie softens both the crust and the crumble topping. To bring back that fresh-baked texture, reheat the pie before serving. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 15–20 minutes, until warmed through and the topping is crisp again.
Freezing for later: You can assemble this pie ahead of time and freeze it (unbaked) for up to 3 months. Once assembled, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then put it in a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. When you’re ready to enjoy it, bake straight from frozen until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden. Frozen pies are especially handy around the holidays, since you can prep ahead and simply bake on the day you want to serve.
We’d love to see your bluebarb pie creations! If you give this recipe a try, tag @doggone_baking on social media so we can share in the baking fun.
Blueberry Rhubarb Pie (Bluebarb Pie)
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 Light, Blind-Baked Pie Shell
- 2 tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream optional
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling
- 1¼ lb Rhubarb, chopped and frozen (570g)
- ¾ lb Blueberries, frozen (340g)
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar (100g)
- 3 tbsp Brown Sugar (38g)
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice (5mL)
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch (8g)
- 3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour (25g)
- ¼ tsp Salt
Crumble Topping
- 4 oz Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed (1 stick; 113g)
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar (100g)
- ½ cup Brown Sugar (100g)
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour (125g)
- ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
Make the Bluebarb Pie Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the blueberry rhubarb pie filling: rhubarb, blueberries, sugars, lemon juice, cornstarch, flour, and salt.
- Set the filling aside until you're ready to assemble the pie.
Make the Crumble Topping
- In a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Mix until fully combined.
- Add the cubed butter. On low speed, cut the butter into the dries until no large chunks remain and the mixture resembles wet sand.
Assemble and Bake the Blueberry Rhubarb Pie
- Give the bluebarb pie filling another good mix to make sure all of the juices and dry ingredients are fully combined with the fruit.
- Pour the filling into your prepared, lightly baked pie shell, pressing down gently to remove any air pockets.
- (Optional) Lightly brush the edges of the pie crust with cream. This ensures a beautiful golden brown color after baking.
- Top the pie with the crumble topping. There should be no gaps where you can see the filling, but you don't want more than a single layer of crumble either.
- Freeze your assembled pie before baking (this helps the pie bake evenly). Allow it to freeze for at least 2 hours.
- Once the pie is frozen, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Remove the pie from the freezer and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for at least 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the crumble is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling up slowly like syrup.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool at room temperature until ready to serve.
About Me
In 2016, I left my office job and became a professional baker. These days I spend my days testing recipes and baking pies while my two dogs snooze happily nearby.
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