Rhubarb Pie with a Secret Ginger Kick!

Growing up, pie was one of those items that just almost seemed normal. We had pie so often, but we always knew all the time and effort it really took to make. We were always so excited when mom had a fresh pie for us in the evening, and we never got tired of it, no matter how often we had it!

Why You’ll Love This

Rhubarb was always one of my favorite pies, but this rhubarb recipe is boosted with crystallized ginger. It really adds such a depth of flavor and makes it totally unique. You can, of course, leave it out if you don’t like it, but I think once you try it, you’re going to see why this rhubarb pie is one of the best.

It’s tart, a little spicy‑sweet, has a super crunchy hazelnut streusel on top, and once you slice into it, it looks like something straight out of a bakery. It’s soon going to become one of your favorites, too!

What You’ll Need

Special Equipment

• 9-inch pie plate
• Food processor (for the hazelnuts)
• Baking sheet or pie drip catcher
• Parchment paper
• Mixing bowls

For the Rhubarb Filling

• 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell (store-bought or homemade)
• 5 cups fresh rhubarb, washed, dried, and chopped finely (approx. ¼ to ½ inch pieces, about 600 g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup crystallized ginger, chopped very finely (about 40 g)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, diced (for dotting the filling)

For the Hazelnut Streusel Topping

• ½ cup hazelnuts, toasted (about 70 g)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup old-fashioned oats
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into cubes (113 g)

Let’s Get Baking!

1. Preheat & Prep

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

I bake my pie on a special drip pan to keep it from skidding around and to catch drippings. But do not feel bad if you don’t have one! Just line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and place your pie on that. It works just as well.

2. Prep the Rhubarb

Depending on where you buy your rhubarb, you never know where it’s been, so make sure to wash it thoroughly! Let it dry, and then chop it really fine (approx. ¼ to ½ inch pieces). Smaller pieces help it cook evenly and set up nicely.

3. The Secret Ingredient

Now for the secret ingredient: crystallized ginger.

I know this might seem like an odd ingredient, and maybe you’re not used to using it, but it’s one of those things that’s really fun to play around with in the kitchen—especially in baking! It’s kind of gummy, so it can be hard to chop, but chop it up as finely as you can so you don’t get big chewy chunks.

4. Mix the Filling

In a large bowl, combine the finely chopped rhubarb and the crystallized ginger.

Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and of course, a little bit of salt (which always brings out the other flavors better!). Stir everything together until the fruit is well coated and the sugar and cornstarch are evenly distributed.

If your rhubarb looks extra juicy, just know you might need closer to the full 60 minutes of bake time to get those bubbles going.

5. Fill the Shell

Pour the rhubarb mixture into your pre‑formed pie shell and spread it out evenly.

Dot the top of the fruit filling with the 2 tablespoons of diced butter.

6. Toast the Hazelnuts

We are making a really unique hazelnut streusel. You may not be used to buying hazelnuts, but they are a fun nut to use. They have a different flavor than normal almonds or walnuts, and they really are delicious.

If yours aren’t toasted yet, place them on a baking sheet in the oven for about 8–10 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Watch them closely so they don’t burn! Let them cool completely.

7. Blitz the Nuts

Once cooled, place hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse lightly until they are somewhat chopped. You want texture, not nut flour.

8. Make the Streusel

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and the chopped hazelnuts. Stir to incorporate.

Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut the butter in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea‑sized pieces. A little bit of texture goes a long way here!

9. Top the Pie

Pile that wonderful streusel topping generously over the rhubarb filling. I like to make my pies extra thick, so I really pile it on because rhubarb really does cook down.

10. Bake

Place the pie plate onto your prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. You know it’s done when the streusel is golden brown and the filling is bubbling vigorously around the edges.

Tip: You have to see those bubbles. That’s when you know the cornstarch has really activated all the way through and it’s going to thicken those juices perfectly.

11. The Hard Part: Waiting!

Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. Let the pie cool for at least 4 hours.

I know it’s hard, but you just have to let it cool down! If you ate it right now, it would be way too hot, and the filling would be way too thin. As it cools, the filling sets and becomes a lot thicker and easier to slice.

12. Serve

Use a serrated knife to slice through the crunchy topping and serve a big thick piece!

It’s a little bit tart, a little bit unique with that crystallized ginger, but absolutely amazing. Serve it as‑is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream. Enjoy!

FAQs

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Rhubarb Pie with Crystallized Ginger and Hazelnut Streusel

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Moderate

Servings

8

Slices

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Calories

450

kcal

Chill Time

4

hours 

Total time

5

hours 

30

minutes

A unique twist on a classic fruit pie! This recipe features a tart rhubarb filling boosted by the warmth of crystallized ginger, all topped with a crunchy, buttery hazelnut and oat streusel.

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed

• 9-inch pie plate

• Food processor

• Baking sheet

• Parchment paper

• Mixing bowls

• Ingredients

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

• 5 cups rhubarb, chopped fine (approx. 600 g)

• ¼ cup crystallized ginger, minced (approx. 40 g)

• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)

• 2 tbsp cornstarch

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 tbsp butter, diced (for filling)

• ½ cup hazelnuts, toasted (approx. 70 g)

• ½ cup all-purpose flour (60 g)

• ½ cup old-fashioned oats (45 g)

• ½ cup brown sugar, packed (100 g)

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ cup cold butter, cubed (113 g)

Directions

• Preheat over to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place your pie plate on top.
• In a large bowl, mix chopped rhubarb, crystallized ginger, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt until the rhubarb is well coated.
• Pour filling into the pie crust and dot the top with 2 tablespoons of diced butter.
• Pulse cooled, toasted hazelnuts in a food processor until roughly chopped (not too fine).
• In a separate bowl, mix flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped hazelnuts.
• Cut in the ½ cup cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea‑sized pieces.
• Sprinkle streusel evenly and generously over the pie.
• Place pie on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 50–60 minutes, or until the streusel is golden brown and the filling bubbles around the edges.
• Cool on a wire rack for at least 4 hours before slicing with a serrated knife.

Notes

• The Bubbles Matter: Do not pull the pie out until you see the filling bubbling around the edges. That heat is what activates the cornstarch; if you take it out too early, the pie will be runny.
• Frozen Rhubarb: You can use frozen rhubarb. Don’t fully thaw it and add 1 extra teaspoon of cornstarch if it’s very watery. You may need a few extra minutes of bake time.
• Slicing Tip: Because of the nuts and oats, the topping gets nice and crunchy. A serrated knife (like a bread knife) works best to saw through the crust without squishing the filling.
• Ginger: If you can’t find crystallized ginger, you can omit it, but you’ll miss that “secret kick” of flavor!