Easy Rhubarb Bread Pudding

You’ll absolutely love the ease and simplicity of this five ingredient Easy Rhubarb Bread Pudding where sweet and tart rhubarb combines with bread, butter, sugar, and vanilla to create an easy old-fashioned dessert.

As it bakes, the bread absorbs the rhubarb juices, creating a soft, custardy texture with lightly crisped edges. This simple rhubarb dessert comes together in minutes, making it perfect for spring and early summer when fresh rhubarb is in season. Or, it’s a great way to use rhubarb that you’ve frozen from the harvest. Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream for a decadent treat.

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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

Grandma’s Rhubarb Crisp (Bread Pudding)

This recipe comes from my neighbor, Mary, the same lady who shares rhubarb with me. Check out my Raspberry Rhubarb Bars for neighborly rhubarb stories and pictures.

This Vintage Rhubarb Bread Pudding or simple Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Bread Pudding is a rustic kind of dessert. And it was one Mary’s mom made. She even shared the recipe card with me.

Because this recipe is more of a baked rhubarb dessert than a traditional crisp (which typically has a streusel topping made with oats, flour, butter, and sugar), I avoided calling it a “crisp”, as people searching for “rhubarb crisp” will expect a crunchy topping and may be disappointed. It may not even really be a traditional “bread pudding”.

No egg or milk

Traditional bread pudding contains eggs and milk with bread baked in a custard. This recipe relies entirely on the rhubarb juices and melted butter, resulting in a softer baked fruit dessert than a classic custard bread pudding. If you’re looking for a more traditional bread pudding, check out my chocolate bread pudding.

What bread works best?

The recipe card just suggests “bread”. Mary says she uses sourdough, which would have a nice texture. But some people may not care for the sour flavor in a dessert. So, I recommend day-old French bread, as it has a nice texture and neutral flavor. Sandwich bread, brioche, or challah will all work well. I think a nice seed bread would be lovely, adding some more flavors and textures.

Using sandwich bread makes this a super budget friendly rhubarb dessert.

Different breads absorb moisture differently and affect the final texture. Slightly stale bread absorbs the juices better without becoming mushy.

Fresh or frozen rhubarb

Fresh rhubarb is ideal, but frozen rhubarb works too. If using frozen rhubarb, thaw and drain excess liquid before mixing with the other ingredients to avoid a watery dessert.

Be sure the leaves are removed. The leaves of rhubarb are poisonous and should never be eaten.

And, cut it into uniform pieces.

Cooking Tips

This recipe is really quick and easy to prep. Simply chop the rhubarb and the bread up, then mix gently with the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla. Then, bake it up until the rhubarb is tender, juices are bubbling, and the bread is lightly browned.

Sweetness

I’ve cut back on the amount of sugar from the original recipe. Mary said it was quite sweet. However, depending on the tartness of the rhubarb, you may prefer increasing the sugar to ⅔ cup. Or even go back to that 1 cup from the original recipe.

Can I make it vegan?

Yes, this dessert is easily made vegan with vegan butter or coconut oil instead of dairy butter.

For that matter, you could easily make this gluten free as well. Simply use your favorite gf bread. Because the bread pudding is very loose, the bread isn’t really providing any structure, the only thing you need to think about is if the bread gets too soggy too quickly.

Serving ideas

This old-fashioned rhubarb recipe is delicious served:

• Dusted with powdered sugar
• Warm with vanilla ice cream
• With freshly whipped cream
• Drizzle with heavy cream or milk
• With crème fraîche
• Cold for breakfast alongside yogurt

Storage

Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or warm the baking dish in a 300° F oven. The leftovers are great cold too.

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