This strawberry rhubarb pie combines juicy strawberries, tart rhubarb, and a homemade flaky all-butter pie crust for a classic spring and summer dessert. The filling bakes up thick and jammy, so every slice holds its shape beautifully. As always, letting the pie cool completely before slicing is non-negotiable for a thick, set filling.
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips, including an optional stovetop step that helps guarantee a thick pie filling.
Sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb are the ultimate spring pie duo, and this updated strawberry rhubarb pie recipe gets the balance just right. With a flaky all-butter pie crust and a thick, jammy filling that slices beautifully, this is the kind of classic fruit pie that’s worth the wait.
The filling uses strawberries, rhubarb, a touch of orange juice, and just enough cornstarch to keep the pie from turning soupy, which is a common issue with strawberry rhubarb pie. If you’ve ever had a strawberry rhubarb pie turn into a runny mess when you slice it, follow this recipe to prevent that from ever happening again.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Perfectly balanced sweet-tart flavor from fresh strawberries and rhubarb
- Thick, jammy filling that slices easily
- Flaky, buttery homemade pie crust
- A wonderful make-ahead spring or summer dessert
Start With the Pie Crust
A sturdy, flaky pie crust is essential for holding the juicy filling. I like to use my all-butter pie crust, which makes enough for both a bottom and a top crust. You could also use this flaky pie crust instead, which uses a mix of butter and shortening.
Start the dough ahead of time because it needs to chill for at least 2 hours before rolling out.
Don’t want to mess with pie crust? If you have a copy of Sally’s Baking 101, see page 164 for a Simple Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble!
Ingredients That Make This Pie Work
- Fresh Rhubarb: Look for firm, crisp stalks with a deep pink or red color. Slice the rhubarb into uniform 1/2-inch pieces so it softens evenly while baking.
- Fresh Strawberries: Use ripe, flavorful strawberries and chop them into small chunks. Since strawberries release more liquid than rhubarb, I use slightly more rhubarb than strawberries for the best filling consistency.
- Sugar: I use both white and brown sugar here, for some flavor depth as well as sweetening that tart rhubarb.
- Cornstarch: Our thickening agent—absolutely essential.
- Salt: To enhance and balance all the flavors.
- Orange Juice: A splash of orange juice brightens everything up and makes the flavors pop.
- Vanilla: Vanilla adds warmth and depth. It’s a great pairing in this strawberry vanilla crisp, too.
- Butter: Dot the pie filling with small cubes of cold butter before applying the top crust. Why? It adds buttery richness and actually helps prevent the formation of bubbles on the filling’s surface.
How to Prevent a Runny Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling
One of the biggest challenges with homemade strawberry rhubarb pie is excess liquid. Strawberries release a lot of juice while baking, which can lead to a runny filling. This recipe uses cornstarch to help thicken the liquid as the pie bakes, creating a filling that’s juicy but sliceable.
After you combine the filling ingredients together, set it aside and roll out the pie dough for your pie dish. During this time, your filling is already working as the sugar pulls juices from the fruit.
When you’re ready to assemble your pie, if you notice a lot of juice has pooled at the bottom of the bowl with the filling, it could be that your berries were extra ripe or you prepped the filling in advance and it sat for a while. If that happens, use a slotted spoon to transfer the fruit to the pie crust, but don’t discard the juice—it’s where a lot of the cornstarch ends up, and we need it!
Instead, pour the juice from the bowl into a small saucepan. You may only have a few Tablespoons, but that juice is packed with flavor and cornstarch, so don’t waste it. Reduce the juices in a saucepan over medium-low heat, just for a few minutes until it thickens into a syrupy consistency, then let it slightly cool for about 5 minutes before pouring over the filling in the pie. Gently stir it into the filling as best you can.
This optional pre-cooking step helps activate the cornstarch before the pie goes into the oven, giving you extra insurance that the filling will thicken properly. I use this same method in my cherry pie and blueberry peach pie, and it ensures those juicy fruit fillings set up nicely.
After a few minutes on the stove, the juices will thicken quickly into a jammy, syrup-like consistency. Pour the thickened juices over the pie filling, then gently stir and toss to distribute them throughout the filling:
Lattice Pie Crust
Now it’s time to add the top crust. A lattice topping not only looks beautiful, it also allows steam to escape so the filling can thicken properly. If you’re new to working with pie dough or need a little refresher, check out my tutorial on how to lattice pie crust.
You could even skip the top crust and use the crumble topping from our blueberry crumble pie. Lots of options!
Don’t Forget the Finishing Touches
These are quick and easy steps that make a world of difference, believe me!
- Butter: Dot the filling with small cubes of butter before adding the top crust. This adds richness, helps create a more cohesive jammy filling, and even helps prevent bubbles from forming on the filling’s surface. We do the same thing when we make peach pie.
- Crimp or flute the edges: Once your lattice is assembled, you’ll want to crimp or flute the pie crust to finish it off. I fluted the pie crust in these photos.
- Egg wash: An egg wash is simply an egg mixed with milk (or water) and you use it pretty much whenever you’re baking pie dough… as well as other shaped dough, such as stromboli, homemade bagels, brioche, choux pastry, croissants, etc. Egg wash helps develop that beautiful golden sheen. Without it, the baked dough looks dull and lackluster.
- Coarse sugar: This is optional, but I love finishing sweet pies with coarse sugar because it adds a little crunch and sparkle. I usually use Sugar in the Raw or these coarse sugar sprinkles, both of which can be found in the baking aisle of major grocery stores or online.
Now your pie is ready to bake! I recommend placing a baking sheet (lined with parchment for easy cleanup) on the rack below the pie, to catch any juices that may bubble over.
Start the Pie at a High Oven Temperature
Why do some pie recipes call for an initially hot oven temperature that you eventually lower? Baking this pie at 400°F (204°C) for 20 minutes helps set the pie crust shape, and activates the cornstarch in the filling (as does heating it on the stove). After that, reduce the oven temperature down to 350°F (177°C) to continue baking the pie. We use this same trick when we make blueberry pie and triple berry pie.
How to Tell When Your Pie Is Done
The pie is done when the filling is bubbling up through the lattice and around the edges of the pie. For a more accurate test of doneness, check the pie with an instant-read thermometer; the internal temperature should reach at least 200–212°F (just about 100°C).
This might be the hardest part: you have to let it cool for several hours. During this time, the filling thickens and fully sets. If you cut into it too soon, it will be runny—no matter how well you baked it.
Success Tips for the Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Pre-cook the filling juices on the stove to activate the cornstarch and reduce the liquid.
- Don’t shorten the long cooling time because the filling needs several hours to fully set.
- Bake the pie over a baking sheet to catch any bubbling-over juices.
- Start baking at a high temperature, then reduce the oven temperature and add a pie crust shield.
If you’re lucky enough to snag a slice of this pie during rhubarb’s short season, you’ll know why it tastes extra special. Rhubarb’s entire life goal is to end up in this dessert. Bake it while you can get it!
Print
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: 1 pie
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This strawberry rhubarb pie combines sweet strawberries, tart rhubarb, and a flaky buttery pie crust with a thick, jammy filling that slices beautifully. Includes plenty of success tips to help prevent a runny pie filling.
Ingredients
- All Butter Pie Crust or Homemade Pie Crust (both recipes make 2 crusts, 1 for bottom and 1 for top)
- 3 cups (about 300g) sliced rhubarb (1/2-inch pieces)
- 2 and 1/2 cups (about 380g) chopped fresh strawberries
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (32g) cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon (15g/ml) orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15g/ml) milk
- optional: coarse sparkling sugar, for topping
Instructions
- The crust: Prepare either pie crust recipe through step 5. The pie dough needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before using.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, stir the rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, orange juice, and vanilla together until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out 1 disc of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the filling into the crust. If you have leftover juices in the bottom of the bowl, reserve them for the next step. Refrigerate the pie, uncovered, as you reduce the juice in the next step.
- Optional—reduce the juices: If your pie filling sat for awhile or if your strawberries are particularly juicy, a lot of liquid may pool at the bottom of the bowl. Pour the leftover liquid into a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the juice has slightly reduced and thickened, about 3–4 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then pour over the filling in the pie crust. Do your best to gently toss together with the fruit. Dot the pieces of cold butter on top of the filling. Place the pie in the refrigerator while you roll out the top crust.
- Arrange the lattice: Remove the other disc of pie dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough into a circle 12 inches in diameter. Using a pastry wheel, sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut the dough into strips about 1-inch wide. Carefully thread the strips over and under one another, pulling back strips as necessary to weave. See this post on How to Lattice Pie Crust for help with this step. Press the edges of the strips into the bottom pie crust edges to seal. Use kitchen shears or a small paring knife to trim off excess dough. Flute or crimp the pie crust edges.
- Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top and edges of the pie crust with egg wash. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar, if using. Place the pie in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes while your oven preheats.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Place the pie on the center oven rack, and place a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup) on the rack beneath it, to catch any bubbling-over juices. Bake for 20 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C), add a pie crust shield, and bake for an additional 50 minutes or until the top crust is golden brown and the filling juices are bubbling around the edges and/or through the lattice. For a more accurate test of doneness, check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer; it should reach at least 200–212°F (around 100°C).
- Remove pie from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool for at least 5-6 hours before slicing and serving. The filling will be too juicy if the pie is still warm when you slice it.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: There are a couple ways to make this pie ahead of time. Prepare the pie in full 1 day in advance. After the pie cools, cover tightly and keep at room temperature. The pie crust dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Baked pie also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Rolling Pin | 9-inch Pie Dish | Small Saucepan | Pastry Wheel or Pizza Cutter | Pastry Brush | Coarse Sparkling Sugar | Baking Sheet | Pie Crust Shield | Instant-Read Thermometer | Cooling Rack
- DIY Pie Crust Shield: You can make your own disposable pie crust shield from a piece of aluminum foil. Fold a 12-inch square of foil in half, and cut a half-circle in the center of the folded edge. When unfolded, you’ll have a foil square with a circle cut out of the center. Place it over the pie and carefully tuck the edges down around the crust.
- Pie Dish: I strongly recommend baking this pie in a glass pie dish so you can easily monitor the bottom crust’s browning. Glass pie dishes also bake pie crusts more evenly than ceramic dishes.
- Use Fresh, Not Frozen: I strongly recommend fresh strawberries and fresh rhubarb in this pie. Frozen fruit releases too much excess liquid and can lead to a soupy filling.
- Why Are We Reducing the Liquid on the Stove? If your fruit is especially ripe or juicy, don’t skip the optional stovetop reduction step (step 4). It helps activate the cornstarch and guarantees a thicker filling.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Sally’s well-tested recipes always result in success! I baked this pie for Mother’s Day and it turned out beautifully. Sally’s pie crust, done exactly a she describes, remains delicious after even three days with a fruit filling. It also rolls out pliably enough to do a lattice top without having the strips break up. I didn’t reduce the fruit on the stove, but drained well with a slotted spoon when adding to the shell and it worked as needed. I baked my pie on a dark cookie sheet, and left it at the higher temp for 30 minutes instead of 20, then covered in foil with an air vent, afterward it only took an additional 30 minutes when the temp was reduced. The egg wash created a wonderful golden finish. It was baked just before dinner, cooled overnight at room temp and eaten over the next 3 days. Best blend of flavors and texture for these two favorite ingredients!
Would frozen (now thawed) rhubarb work in this?
Hi Lela, this is a great question and I should add it to our recipe Notes. While frozen fruit will not work, I expect frozen, thawed rhubarb to work nicely here. I recommend thawing it completely and blotting away some excess moisture before using (since frozen rhubarb tends to release more liquid than fresh). The filling may still be a little juicier, but the pie should bake up nicely.
This pie looks delicious and Make I’m anxious to make this pie I can only hope it turns out as wonderful as yours. I will let you know as soon as I can fetch all the ingredients .
What happens if I leave the OJ out? It’s only 1tbs.
Hi Jonathan, a splash of orange juice brightens everything up and makes the flavors pop. We highly recommend using it, or you can use lemon juice instead. The pie may taste a bit flat without it.
I made this yesterday after I saw some rhubarb at the farmer’s market. It was DELICIOUS and so easy. Definitely will make again!
Chose this recipe for my hubby’s favorite because it has less sugar than others. I didn’t have granulated sugar so substituted with superfine and also used a frozen store bought GF shell and a half sheet of GF puff pastry cut into strips for the lattice. Turned out great, thank you!
Great pie recipe
I used this filling recipe and it came out great. I did one thing differently. I macerated the strawberries and rhubarb a day ahead with the sugars and salt, strained that liquid and added the cornstarch to that liquid and thickened it on the stove. Once thickened I poured it back over the solids before baking.
Hello, I’d love to make this pie. If l bought a store bought pie crust(s) would that work and would the recipe directions, especially for the pie crusts change and if so, how? Thanks very much.
Hi Jo, you can use a store bough pie crust – the baking instructions will stay the same.
Cooking the juice ahead of time is genius. I made this with frozen strawberries because for some reason fresh ones aren’t here yet? Anyways left it for ages while we had dinner and it made lots of juice and so I cooked that up, then threw it all in the oven and it was delicious. Not soggy at all.
Used frozen pie crust – def inferior but I suck at crust lol. Might use slightly less sugar next time as I like it sharp.
I made this today and followed the recipe but the bottom of the pastry was completely raw. It had too much liquid but I don’t know how. What did I do wrong? I’m so disappointed.
Hi Lauren, What type of pie dish are you using? If possible, use a glass pan so you can see the bottom if it’s baked enough before removing it from the oven.
Sally & Team,
I’ve never used Rhubarb before. Your recipe didn’t mention it, but do you peel the Rhubarb before slicing? Making my first ever Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and finding the rhubarb is difficult to cut, and the peel is sort of shredding. Any tips?
Hi Sandy, we do not peel ours!
Hi, Team Sally! My Mom (86) loves strawberry rhubarb pie. The rhubarb is up, but my Mom can’t have strawberry seeds at all. I’ve tried with seedless jelly/jam, not great. Cherry pie filling kindof works, but it’s not really close in flavor. Do you have any suggestions? I’m making her a pie for Mom’s day. I’m also making my favorite chocolate cake (yours!) for my birthday as I write. Love y’all!
Hi Jenny, thank you so much for your kind note! Is your mom able to have raspberries/raspberry seeds? The taste will be a bit different than strawberry, of course, but you can make a 1:1 swap with the strawberries (bake time may be a few minutes longer). We haven’t tested any versions with seedless strawberry flavor and it could definitely be tricky with a jelly/jam. Let us know if you decide to give the raspberry rhubarb version a try!
Peach and rhubarb is a delicious combo.
Love this recipe! Very easy to follow the steps. I’m still working on my pie edge skills.
Made this for the first time in 6 years, and it was a much better attempt on my end. Six years ago, trying to impress my new boyfriend with my baking, I wanted to make him his favorite dessert for his birthday. He said it was strawberry rhubarb pie. Never having made or even eaten it, I ran to your site. Rhubarb wasn’t in season, so I made it with frozen rhubarb. It was tasty but fresh is DEFINITELY better.
When I asked my boyfriend how the pie compared to previous pies he’d had, he said “oh I’d never had it before – just thought it sounded good!” ♀️ Six years later, we’re married and it’s still his “favorite.”
Sally – I have a small farm stand where we sell fresh baked pies. I have used your recipes for all of them and have a pretty strong following! I have had several customers asking for a rhubarb only pie. I can find other recipes online, but again, I can’t fail with your recipes. Thoughts on how to change this recipe for only rhubarb?
Hi Cristin! We haven’t tested an all-rhubarb pie, but it would need some adjustments to the amount of sugar to account for more rhubarb and no berries, because rhubarb is so tart. This recipe on allrecipes, for example, uses 4 cups of rhubarb and 1 and 1/3 cups of sugar. Let us know if you try anything!
It’s strawberry rhubarb pie time & I have a question. I do plan to follow your excellent recipe for the pie; I appreciate you providing weights as well as quantities & adjusting the temp as the pie bakes.
I saw a recipe which added fresh grated ginger to the pie crust & I’m intrigued. I think that the ginger would pair well with the rhubarb, strawberry & oj. What are your thoughts on this addition? I appreciate your expert advice. Thank you.
Hi Jacki, that sounds delicious! It might make more sense to try adding it to the filling rather than the pie dough, however. Let us know if you try it!
Hi! I was hoping to sub out the strawberries for cherries. I was thinking about making half the filling from the cherry pie recipe and adding it to the rhubarb filling here, do you think this would work? I was also thinking about making them minis in a cupcake pan. Thanks for your help! 🙂
Hi Christina, you can certainly make these into mini pies. We haven’t tried substituting the strawberries for cherries here, but let us know how it turns out if you give it a try!
Hello Sally. Is it necessary to use the lattice pie crust or is a regular top crust fine?
Hi Lanita, a regular full top crust works just fine, but I do recommend cutting a few vents across the surface of the pie, not just one in the center, so more steam can escape as the pie bakes.
Hi Sally,
I have your all butter pie crust in my freezer, but only one. Is there a crumble that you would suggest that would work well with your Strawberry Rhubarb pie? BTW, I have been following you for quite a while and love every recipe that I have tried. You are my go-to for baking!
Hi Melissa, the crumble topping from this blueberry crumble pie should work well here. Thank you so much for making and trusting our recipes!
Could I use frozen rhubarb if I can’t get fresh?
For best results, we strongly recommend using fresh strawberries and rhubarb in this pie. Frozen will add too much moisture to the filling.
Hi Shyla, you can make the sub for fresh raspberries, but we don’t recommend using frozen here. Fresh fruit is best for this pie since frozen will add too much additional moisture. If you do use fresh raspberries, the bake time still may be a few minutes longer. Let us know if you give it a try.
Excellent recipe! Pie was delicious! Thank you
This is the best strawberry rhubarb pie recipe I have ever used!
I have re-made this pie so many times; it’s a keeper. The fresh orange juice really brightens the flavour and just gives this pie a special something.
For anyone wondering – I have used frozen rhubarb to make this recipe. I thaw the rhubarb overnight, in a strainer over a bowl, then I pat it dry with paper towel to get as much water as possible out. I adjust the recipe only slightly by adding in 1/2-1 tbsp flour. I’ve done this a few times now and it has worked great. Rhubarb is in season for a short time, so I often freeze extra so that I can make this pie all summer long (I wouldn’t attempt it with frozen strawberries)
How would I adjust this to make smaller, individual pies?
Hi Lisa! The bake time depends on the size of the mini pie dishes. The pies are done when the filling’s juices are bubbling all around the edges.
I have never made strawberry rhubarb pie before, so I gave this recipe a try, since someone was giving away rhubarb at church. I will say I was a little skeptical about not putting the liquid in with the pie filling, because I figured that was where all the sugar and cornstarch was, but it turned out perfect! Not too sweet or too tart and it was not a bit runny. I did use a roll out crust from the store, because I’m lazy like that, but it was still wonderful!
Sally, I love your recipes! My friend and I were on a moms’ get-a-way. We ended up discovering we BOTH love your recipes and are our “go-to” for all things baked. A true testament to your talent.
Dear Sally –
I made this pie for my mom’s birthday. She loved it, and we all GOBBLED it down. It was the best strawberry rhubarb pie ever (and we are serious pie people)! This will be going in my permanent collection. Thank you for a fantastic recipe. 🙂
This is the best strawberry rhubarb pie recipe ever! I have made quite a few pies and I can unequivocally say this is the best recipe!
I made this and followed your recipe to the tea it turned out perfect.Thank you.First time I ve made a strawberry/rhubarb pie. Delicious.
This pie was outstanding, one of the best strawberry-rhubarb pies I’ve ever had. You need to ensure that the rhubarb is sliced thinly so that it cooks properly. I used a Cuisinart for the crust, and it came out perfectly. This is a keeper
If using frozen strawberries should i thaw them beforehand or bake frozen and increase the cornstarch?
Hi Mary-jane, For best results, we strongly recommend using fresh strawberries and rhubarb in this pie. Frozen will add too much moisture to the filling.
I’ve made this recipe with fresh picked strawberries that I froze then thawed. Is was soggier than using fresh, but still delicious. I thawed and drained and filled all other instructions including not adding the juices when spooning filling into the shells after letting it sit .
Can you make this pie into mini pies? How long would they need to cook?
Hi Carrie, yes, absolutely. The bake time depends on the size of the mini pie dishes. The pies are done when the filling’s juices are bubbling all around the edges.
A great recipe. Probably the best pie I’ve ever baked. Never a miss with Sally’s recipes. And definitely trust the process.
Hi! If I’m baking the pie a day in advance, should I refrigerate overnight or is it okay to leave out? I’m worried about the crust getting soggy in the fridge.
I recommend leaving it at room temperature.