These rhubarb bars are classically creamy, tangy, and sweet. The crumble crust beautifully caramelizes as it bakes, adding sweetness to the creamy rhubarb cheesecake layer. Let’s go through how to make these easy rhubarb crumble cream cheese bars together!

close up photo of unbakedRhubarb Crumble Cream Cheese Bars in purple pan set on a yellow and purple floral square quilt.

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After a long winter, I love using garden fresh produce as early as I can. Rhubarb is one of the first vegetables of spring! Over the years I have created many recipes to enjoy this tart treat. As a lover of cheesecake, these delicious cream cheese crumble bars are one of my favorites!

pinterest photo for Easy Rhubarb Crumble Cream Cheese Bars

Why You Will Love This Recipe:

Easy to make– If you’re looking for a simple and quick spring dessert recipe this is it! These bars can be mixed together and baked in about an hour.
Elevated Yet Simple- These bars feel like you’re eating a special treat that took awhile to put together. But by only using simple pantry staples this recipe allows you to enjoy a treat that feels elevated on a small budget
Versatile- This recipe uses just rhubarb. But you can easily substitute some of the rhubarb for other classic spring flavors like strawberry, or raspberry.
Nutritious- by using einkorn grains to make the crumble you pack more nutrient density into this recipe and also make it gluten intolerance friendly! ( caution, there are still oats used for true GF people). We enjoy these bars for breakfast or dessert!

woman spreading oat crumble crust in 13x9"baking dish using a blue silicone spatula

Why Is Einkorn So Healthy?

Einkorn (an ancient grain) has never been modified from its original form. Because of this, it contains a different gluten structure making it easier to digest. People who are sensitive to gluten can often eat this grain because of its superior unmodified gluten structure. We love an easily digestible grain!

woman pouring cup of fresh einkorn flour into white bowl with other crumble ingredients

Can This Recipe Be Gluten Free?

You can easily substitute gluten free flour to make this recipe. King Arthur’s 1:1 baking blend works well in this recipe, as well as oat and einkorn flours. Although people who are celiac or have severe gluten intolerance should usually avoid oatmeal as well. (I used einkorn in this recipe!)

large glass liquid measuring bowl full of fresh chopped rhubarb

How To Store These Bars:

These rhubarb bars should be stored in the refrigerator just like a cheesecake dessert due to the cream cheese in the recipe. They hold up well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Tools You’ll Need:

Large bowl

13″x9″ baking pan

Whisk

Hand mixer or standing mixer

Teaspoons

Measuring Cups

Cutting Board

Knife

Spatula

Ingredients:

For crust and crumble top:

Einkorn flour – All purpose flour will also work as well as gluten free flour

Old fashioned oats – to give the bars that classic chewy texture of a crumble

Brown sugar – I used light brown sugar but dark brown sugar would be yummy as well!

Salt – I used pink salt but you can use any salt in this recipe

Butter – I used salted butter but you can use unsalted butter as well!

For the rhubarb cream cheese filling:

Cream Cheese – the creamy base for these bars

Brown sugar – You can also use granulated sugar although I like the flavor brown sugar adds to the recipe. You can also make this a bit healthier by adding coconut sugar in equal amounts

Egg – to bind the ingredients together

Vanilla – to add flavor

Rhubarb – best using fresh chopped although frozen can be substituted but it will need to be thawed and drained before adding to the bars or they will become soggy

How To Make These Easy Einkorn Rhubarb Crumble Cream Cheese Bars:

Preheat oven to 350° F

For the crust & crumble topping:

ingredients for crumble topping mixture, brown sugar, einkorn flour, salt, butter and oats.

Combine flour, oats, sugar, and salt in a large bowl

woman measuring oats into white bowl of crust ingredients for rhubarb bars recipe

Melt butter.

glass liquid measuring cup of melted butter on kitchen table

Pour the butter into the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated and pea-sized crumbles form.

woman pouring melted butter into dry ingredient mixture for crust

woman mixing dry ingredients into crust for bars

crust mixture completely combined in pea sized crumbled for crust and topping

Press half of the mixture into an un-greased 13” x 9” pan. Set aside the remaining 1/2 mixture.

For the rhubarb & cream cheese filling:

ingredients for the cream cheese filling eggs, brown sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, and rhubarb

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla until very smooth, about 1 minute.

woman adding vanilla to cream cheese mixture

eggs, cream cheese, sugar, combined in liquid glass measuring cup for cream cheese filling of bars

woman blending cream cheese ingredients with hand mixer until smooth

Fold in the chopped rhubarb.

woman folding in chopped rhubarb to cream cheese mixture

Spread cream cheese/rhubarb filling over the crust.

woman spreading cream cheese mixture over crust with spatula

Then sprinkle the remaining crust crumbles over the top of the filling evenly.

woman spreading crumble topping over cream cheese mixture evenly

Bake for 45 minutes or until crumble topping is lightly browned.

fully baked rhubarb cream cheese bars cooling on kitchen table

Let cool completely.

freshly sliced rhubarb cream cheese bar on white plate

Once cooled, eat right away for the crispiest crumble topping texture.

Store in the refrigerator.