United States • Regional Dish • Dessert

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Build a flaky double crust, fill with strawberries and sliced rhubarb thickened with cornstarch, then bake until bubbling for a sweet-tart, sliceable pie.

Servings8

Prep Time35 min

Cook Time60 min

DifficultyModerate

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Ingredients

US Metric

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp fine salt

3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/4 cup ice water (about, as needed)

2 lb rhubarb, sliced 1/2 inch

1 lb strawberries, hulled and halved

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp fine salt

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1 tbsp milk (or water)

2 tsp coarse sugar (optional)

250 g all-purpose flour

10 g sugar

5 g fine salt

170 g cold unsalted butter, cubed

60 ml ice water (about, as needed)

900 g rhubarb, sliced 10 mm

450 g strawberries, hulled and halved

200 g sugar

35 g cornstarch

2 g fine salt

10 ml lemon juice

5 ml vanilla extract

1 egg

15 ml milk (or water)

10 g coarse sugar (optional)

Instructions

Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
Cut in the butter until most pieces are pea-sized with a few larger flakes.
Drizzle in ice water, tossing until the dough just holds when squeezed; add 5–10 ml more only if it stays powdery.
Divide into two discs, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 220°C and set a rack in the lower third.
Toss the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla in a bowl until evenly coated; rest 10 minutes.
Roll one dough disc to about 3 mm thick, fit into a 23 cm pie plate, and leave a 15 mm overhang.
Spoon in the filling and scrape in the juices; dot any dry patches with the pooled liquid so the thickener disperses.
Roll the second disc, lay it over, and trim to a 15 mm overhang; crimp to seal and cut 5–6 vents.
Whisk the egg with milk, brush lightly over the top, and sprinkle coarse sugar if using.
Bake 20 minutes, then reduce to 190°C and bake 35–40 minutes until the crust is deep golden and the filling bubbles through the vents.
Cool at least 3 hours until the filling sets and slices cleanly.

Cultural Context

In Washington, strawberry rhubarb pie arrives when spring and early summer decide to share the stage. Rhubarb likes the Pacific Northwest’s cool, wet shoulder seasons and often shows up in gardens before other fruit gets moving. Strawberries follow as the weather warms, balancing rhubarb’s sharp bite with natural sweetness. A sturdy double crust makes sense here because the filling can get juicy fast. Some bakers use lattice, but a vented top crust helps control steam and protect the filling as it thickens. Letting the pie cool isn’t optional. It’s how you avoid strawberry-rhubarb soup in a crust costume.

Fun Fact

In Washington State, rhubarb often ripens weeks before most berries, which is why cooks historically paired it with early strawberries from small farms and backyard plots. The mix solved a practical problem: rhubarb provided volume and tartness, while strawberries softened the acidity and added natural sweetness.

Cook’s Tip

Use frozen strawberries if needed; thaw and drain, then add 10 g more cornstarch to handle extra moisture.
If rhubarb is very thick, slice it thinner so it softens by the time the crust browns.
Avoid underbaking; the filling must bubble to activate the thickener.

Trivia

Sumner, Washington calls itself the “Rhubarb Pie Capital of the World.” The small Pierce County city has hosted the annual Rhubarb Days festival since 1990, celebrating the crop that once grew widely in nearby Puyallup Valley farms.

About This Recipe

Strawberry rhubarb pie works because the fruit does two jobs at once. Strawberries bring sweetness and aroma, while rhubarb adds sharpness and body. When the filling bubbles, cornstarch thickens the juices into a clean slice instead of a puddle.
A double crust fits the style found across Washington home kitchens, where spring rhubarb and early berries overlap at farm stands and backyard gardens. Keep the dough cold, bake hot to set the crust, then lower the heat so the filling finishes without scorching.
The hardest part is waiting. Let it cool fully so the thickener sets.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Instructions

Cultural Context

Fun Fact

Cook’s Tip

Trivia

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