Classic Rhubarb Custard Pie (With Crust Recipe)

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 09/02/19
Classic rhubarb custard pie recipe

The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska
  • Total: 80 mins
  • Prep: 30 mins
  • Cook: 50 mins
  • Servings: 8 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
445 Calories
20g Fat
60g Carbs
7g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 445
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 147mg 49%
Sodium 579mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 60g 22%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Protein 7g
Calcium 124mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This fabulous rhubarb custard pie is adapted from a vintage recipe leaflet from Washington State Rhubarb Growers. It's such a simple recipe, and if you use a frozen or ready-made pie crust, it takes no more than 15 minutes to prepare. A small amount of nutmeg adds flavor to the pie but feel free to use ground cinnamon instead.

The all-butter pie crust is easy to fix with a food processor, but you can cut prep time by about half if you make the pie with a frozen pie crust. Feel free to use frozen or homemade pastry, or use refrigerated pie pastry sheets.

Serve this pie at your next cookout or take it along to a potluck dinner. This is a fantastic way to use fresh rhubarb, and your family and friends will love it. It's no wonder rhubarb was once called "the pie plant!"

Ingredients

  • For the Pie Crust
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon sugar (scant)
  • 8 tablespoons butter (chilled, cut into small pieces)
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons water (with ice)
  • For the Rhubarb Custard Filling
  • 3 cups rhubarb (diced)
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for rhubarb custard pie
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska 

  2. To make the pie crust, combine the 1 1/4 cups of flour with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a large bowl. Whisk to combine thoroughly.

    Flour in bowl
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska

  3. Add the 8 tablespoons of cut-up butter and work it into the flour mixture with fingers or a pastry blender. You should have some pea-size pieces of butter still intact. 

    Add butter
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska

  4. Stir in 4 tablespoons of ice water. Add more ice water, about 1 teaspoon at a time, just until the mixture begins to hold together.

    Stir in ice water
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska

  5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and press until you have a smooth dough. Do not overwork or the crust will be tough.

    Turn the dough out
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska

  6. Shape it into a flattened disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

    Saran wrap dough
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska

  7. Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C/Gas 6).

  8. Roll the dough out into a circle about 11 inches in diameter.

    Roll out dough
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska

  9. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough and crimp the edge as desired.

    Line a pie plate
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska

  10. In a large bowl, combine the diced rhubarb with the sugar, flour, salt, and nutmeg; blend thoroughly.

    Combine ingredients
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska

  11. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk.

    Whisk eggs with milk
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska

  12. Add the egg mixture to the rhubarb and stir until blended.

    Add eggs
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska

  13. Turn the rhubarb mixture into the prepared pie crust. Dot with butter.

    Rhubarb in pie crust
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska

  14. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until set. 

    Bake
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska

  15. Remove the pie to a rack to cool completely before slicing.

  16. Serve rhubarb custard pie with a big dollop of freshly whipped cream or ready-made whipped topping.

    Serve with whipped cream
    The Spruce Eats/Ulyana Verbytska