Rhubarb Custard Pie

A classic pie to begin rhubarb season.

Apr 23, 2025

Our rhubarb patch is tucked between two lilac bushes at the end of a short path leading through the wild flower garden. I grab a basket and slowly wander out, stopping to take in the wild flower blooms along the way. The rhubarb leaves–giant and sprawling–arch over their corner of the yard, creating a mound of beautiful ruffled leaves. We pick an armful of ruby red stalks, peaking between the leaves to see the new shoots making their way forward, dreaming of the rhubarb sodas to come. But first, we make pie.

Once I have stalks in my hands, I cannot wait to make rhubarb custard pie. I grew up eating my grandmas recipe, which was tart and simple, the filling made of only sugar, eggs, water and diced rhubarb mixed together. Once married, I made my husband’s great grandmas recipe, which was extra sweet and creamy, diced rhubarb cooked into an egg yolk custard and topped with meringue. I crave something in the middle–a creamy custard filling with the sharp tart of the rhubarb, and just enough sugar to balance it out. In testing this pie, I wanted a more beautiful finished look, with the rhubarb sitting on top of the custard, cut into beautiful diagonals to reveal the color. A dusting of sugar right before it is baked creates a crackled crisp lid, and it puts this pie at the top of my favorite pies list.

Rhubarb Custard Pie

Yield: 2 pies

2 1/2 c. Sugar, plus 2 Tbs.

3 Tbs. Flour

Pinch of freshly ground Nutmeg

1/2 tsp. Salt

4 Whole Eggs, plus 2 Egg Yolks

1 c. Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

4 tbs. Butter, melted abd cooled

6 c Rhubarb, sliced diagonally, 1/2 inch thick

Recipe for two pie crusts (my recipe is from Zoe Bakes Blueberry Pie. The best all-butter crust out there.)

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Whisk together sugar, flour, nutmeg and salt.
Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
Add the milk and whisk until combined.
Slowly stream in the butter, whisking as you pour.
Divide the egg mixture equally between the two 9” pie crust lined pie dishes.
Top each pie with 3 c. sliced rhubarb, scattering it evenly over the custard.
Sprinkle 1Tbs. sugar on the filling in each pie.
Bake at 400 on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 and bake on the bottom rack for 50-60 minutes. Cover the crust with foil halfway through baking so the crust doesn’t burn. Pie is done when filling bubbles and has a slight jiggle.
Set pies on a cooling rack until completely cool. This will make sure the egg custard has set.
Serve warm or room temp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.