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 375°F (190°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!
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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 375°F (190°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 4 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
Can you use frozen strawberries? Thaw and then cut or leave whole and add in frozen? Suggestions?
Hi Sandy, For best results, we strongly recommend using fresh strawberries and rhubarb in this pie. Frozen will add too much moisture to the filling.
I made this yesterday and it is excellent! what would I do if i only wanted to make just a rhubarb pie? same ingredients except strawberries? how much rhubarb?
Hi Ann, 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.
Love your recipes, and trying this one today! I do a lot of pies, but have never done strawberry rhubarb! I have a hack for lattice work: I actually roll out the top layer FIRST, arrange the lattice on a sheet or tray, and put it in the freezer while I roll out the bottom and put the filling in. The little bit of freezer time firms the lattice arrangement together, and then I use a pizza peel to move it onto the pie. It holds up intricate designs without too much fuss!
Love that tip! Thanks, MJ!
Great recipe just can’t believe that you toss the liquid! Agree 100% with commenter who suggested the advice from the peerless Rose Levy Birenbaum who suggested cooking that liquid. It takes seconds and you add to the drained fruit. I’ve done that for years and always have compliments on my s/r pies. I also start mine at 425 for fifteen minutes then turn the heat down never burned a pie yet!
This is the perfect recipe for s-r pie! My husband has to have his with a scoop of full fat cottage cheese! Old family tradition!
AMAZING – Whenever I need a recipe this is the site I search. This is one of the best pies I’ve ever made!
I’ve made this a couple times now.
I used fresh squeezed orange juice each time, since I’ve had em in hand, just before juicing I zested about tbsp & tossed in the rhubarb while prep’ing.
Fantastic!!
Made the pie and the filling had the BEST flavor if any pie I ever made. Made filling night before but next time will make it as soon as I make the crust. Next time ill try a crumble topping instead of a crust. Like all your recipes. Your blueberry pie is next & when peach season comes your peach pie is on my list
Someone gave me rhubarb from their garden and I made this recipe with your crumble topping with some pecans instead of walnuts because that’s what I had on hand. I also used a Pillsbury crust. It was excellent.
Looking forward to trying this recipe! Do you have ingredient measurements for a 10” pie? Thank you
Hi Barbara, If your pie dish is a little larger than 9 inches, you can use more than half of of the pie crust recipe for the bottom crust instead of dividing it exactly in half. We do this if our pie dishes are larger than 9 inches and we need extra pie dough.
I made this to go into a GF pie crust I made. This is a delicious strawberry rhubarb pie – not too sweet. I took this with us on a camping trip to share with friends and they raved about it – Jim, who loves his pies, said it was seriously one of the best pies he’s had. Super fresh rhubarb right out of our garden. I also brushed with the egg/milk mix, but no sugar on top. YUM!!!
I’d like to make this pie in the coming weeks but I’m new to pie baking. What internal temperature should the filling reach to know it is done?
Hi Kelly! The internal temperature of the filling taken with an instant read thermometer should be around 200°F (93°C) when done. And make sure the filling is bubbling!
Question: I let the rhubarb strawberry mixture set overnight and ended up with a large quantity of juice. You said leave juice in bowl not in pie or its will make a soggy pie. DO I USE SOME OF THE JUICE IN PIE OR NONE AT ALL. The juice is so good….what do I do wirh the excess? Seems juice is so good and hate to waste it.
So happy with your rhubarb strawberry recipe. Thank you.
Looking for a good rhubarb pie recipe… can I omit the strawberries here do you think and just use rhubarb?
Hi KB, without the sweetness and flavor of the strawberries, this pie would be quite tart. Plus, strawberries let off more moisture so it may take a bit of testing to get the filling ratios right. Let us know if you give it a try!
Made this recipe today and followed the it to a T. Filling didn’t thicken and bottom crust was like glue and soggy. Not sore what i did wrong if any thing. I take my baking seriously and was so disappointed in the end result.
She loved this recipes.
Great recipe! Flavor is like ol’ time favorites! Consistency turned out just right even though I missed the note about leaving the excess liquid in the bowl and not the pie. I just cooked it an additional 5 minutes. Family is totally enjoying it : )
I use orange zest in my pies. (Rhubarb). Love this pie recipe. The blueberry swirl with the different swirls is definitely a keeper. Corn starch has made a big difference in my pies, cobblers, etc.
Thanks
Just made this recipe crust and all for my niece who is missing her Mom on Mothers Day. Looks and smells great. I tasted a little of the filling that ran over. Tastes just like the last strawberry rhubarb pie I had. Love strawberries. Love rhubarb. But they just don’t mix well for me. Hope it makes my niece smile.
Hope your niece loves this pie, Deb!
Good Morning, Can I use frozen strawberriess for this recipe?
Good Morning, Can I use frozen strawberries for this recipe?
Hi Bella! For best results, we strongly recommend using fresh strawberries and rhubarb in this pie. Frozen will add too much moisture to the filling.
I have been baking strawberry rhubarb pies for 50 years and this is the best recipe yet! The only change was I used 1/3 cup of instant tapioca, maybe more than I need it. Letting the fruit sit for 15 minutes was definitely a a brilliant step. Thank you so much for the recipe.
When you bake the pie do you use the convection oven or just regular? I didn’t turn on the convection because I thought it may bake the crust too quickly. Thoughts?
Hi Judy, We always recommend conventional settings for baking (not convection/fan). The flow of air from convection heat can cause baked goods to rise and bake unevenly and it also pulls moisture out of the oven. If you do use convection/fan settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake.
A friend who had surgery asked if I would make her a strawberry rhubarb pie. Not only was this my first SR pie, but it was also the first time I made the crust myself. It was a huge success and my friend said it tasted just like the pie her grandmother used to make. Thank you for the very detailed instructions and success tips!
I wonder how I should adjust the bake times to make 4″ individual pies?
Hi Marianne, We haven’t tested mini pies so are unsure of the exact bake time. Pies will be done when the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Let us know how they go!
I was wondering If I’d be able to substitute the orange juice for lemon juice?
Absolutely.
Can I substitute rhubarb with raspberry ?
Hi Alejandra, you can make that sub, but the bake time may be a few minutes longer since raspberries can be quite wet. Let us know how it goes!
Good afternoon,
I’m about to make thi Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and was wondering on the tab spoon of oj, “can you use Grand M. Liquor instead “?
Sounds delicious, Tracy! Can’t see why that would be an issue.
I have a bag of frozen strawberries and rhubarb in the freezer. I was gung-ho to try your strawberry rhubarb pie recipe. Once the fruit has thawed, can I use tapioca to thicken the liquid from these fruits. I do enjoy your basic pie crust recipe.
Hi Joyce, For best results, we strongly recommend using fresh strawberries and rhubarb in this pie. If you decide to try this, we recommend 1/3 cup instant tapioca instead of cornstarch.
Hi! I plan on making this pie in the coming days but wanted to clarify – this recipe can be done without parbaking the pie crust?
Hi Maggie, that’s correct!
Would this recipe also work with frozen strawberries and rhubarb?
Hi Rebecca, For best results, we strongly recommend using fresh strawberries and rhubarb in this pie. Frozen will add too much moisture to the filling.