The best of spring and summer collide in this homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler! A super simple dessert consisting of tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries with hints of lavender and vanilla baked in a crisp yet soft pillowy cake. Serves 8 to 10 depending.
Every spring I patiently wait to harvest my Rhubarb plant.
And last week was that week! I was planting flowers nearby and decided it was time to pull most of the ruby red stalks. By most I mean I ended up having roughly 8 pounds of rhubarb. I gave some away to friends but kept majority of it because I had plans.
The first thing I made was this strawberry rhubarb cobbler.
Most might think of a cobbler as a dessert consisting of a fruit bottom with a drop biscuit type top. However I have always made my cobbler desserts differently. I start by adding melted butter to a baking dish, top that with a simple cake batter, spoon desired fruit mixture over top and while in the oven, the cake bakes up through the fruit creating a perfectly imperfect dessert.
And I don’t plan to make it any other way.
To Make This Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler You Will Need:
- unsalted butter – Adds richness and flavor.
- unbleached all-purpose flour – The base for the cobbler batter.
- granulated (white) sugar – Used for sweetening and drawing out the fruits natural juices.
- baking powder – Will create lightness in the cobbler batter, which makes it rise.
- fine salt – You can use sea salt or pink himalayan.
- half & half – Which is simply equal parts heavy cream and whole milk. However whole milk can be substituted.
- rhubarb – A springtime vegetable commonly used in fruit dessert recipes. It has a strong tart flavor.
- strawberries – Try to use locally grown or organic for the best flavor.
- fresh lemon juice – Increases the acidity of the mixture.This plus sugar thins cell membranes so the juices can flow more easily, while the fruit still remains solid.
- lavender (culinary safe) – Adds incredible floral notes that pair really well with strawberries and rhubarb.
- vanilla extract – Adds warmth and enhances all of the other flavors in this recipe.
- whipped cream or ice cream – For serving.
Preheat your oven to 375°.
Pour 1/2 cup (1 stick or 8 tablespoons) melted butter into a 9×13 oven safe baking dish.
Tip the pan slightly to coat the bottom.
In a mixing bowl, measure and add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon fine salt.
Whisk to combine and pour in 1 cup half & half or use whole milk.
Whisk until incorporated.
Pour batter into the baking dish with the butter.
Do not spread the batter or mix it into the butter.
Set this off to the side.
In a large sauce pan add 1 pound (or roughly 3 cups) chopped rhubarb and 1 cup sugar.
Squeeze in the juice from 1 lemon (about 4 tablespoons).
Mix and bring to a boil on high heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar and bring out the rhubarbs natural juices.
Once boiling, remove the pan off of the heat.
Add in 1 pound trimmed and halved strawberries, 1/2 teaspoon (culinary safe) lavender and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla.
Gently toss to combine
Spoon this fruit mixture over top of the batter and melted butter.
Bake this as is on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 40 minutes, rotate the pan halfway through to ensure even baking and browning.
Remove and let cool 10 to 15 minutes or until just warm.
Serve straight out of the pan with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top!
The perfect balance of sweet and tart, tender fruit with slightly crisp cobbler. I personally love the subtle floral notes and vanilla though – SO GOOD! And I think you’re going to love this one as well!
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Enjoy! And if you give this Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
