My neighbour brought this pie to a block party in a glass dish, still warm, and it was gone before anyone sat down to eat. A butter crust made with cold Greek yogurt instead of more water, pressed into a pie plate and filled with chunks of rhubarb and halved strawberries tossed in granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Topped with an oat crumble made from rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter. I asked her for the recipe that same night.
I asked her what made the crust so tender, and she said the yogurt. Half a cup of plain non-fat Greek yogurt in the dough instead of relying only on water. The crust bakes up flaky but holds together better when you cut a slice. The crumble on top turns golden and crunchy, and the filling underneath bubbles around the edges after about an hour at 375 degrees F.
Tips for Making Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie
Use Greek yogurt in the crust
A quarter cup of cold plain non-fat Greek yogurt added to the flour, salt, and butter mixture along with three tablespoons of cold water. The yogurt makes the dough easier to roll and produces a crust that is both tender and sturdy. 
Pulse in a food processor until the dough holds when pressed. Do not over-mix. Refrigerate the dough for at least thirty minutes before rolling.
Let the pie cool completely before cutting
The filling needs time to set. If you cut into the pie while it is still warm, the cornstarch has not finished thickening and the filling will run.
Wait until the pie reaches room temperature. The filling will hold its shape and the slices will come out clean.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie
- Total Time: 105 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8
Description
This hybrid dessert combines the flaky, buttery crust of a pie with the crispy, caramelized oat topping of a crumble.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces bleached all-purpose flour (1 1/4 cups)
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter—5 tablespoons cut into 1/4-inch dice, the rest left whole
- 1/4 cup cold plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 3 tall rhubarb stalks, rinsed and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a food processor, pulse the flour with the salt. Add the diced butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Add the Greek yogurt and cold water, and pulse until the dough comes together.
- Roll out the dough and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
- In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb and strawberries with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour the filling into the pie crust.
- In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture is crumbly.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping over the filling.
- Bake the pie for about 1 hour, until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden.
- Let the pie cool completely before serving.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 4
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen rhubarb?
Yes. Do not thaw it first. Cut it into half-inch chunks while still frozen and toss with the other filling ingredients. The extra moisture will evaporate during the hour-long bake.
Why cornstarch instead of flour for the filling?
Cornstarch thickens without making the filling cloudy or starchy. A quarter cup is enough for three stalks of rhubarb and one pound of strawberries. The filling stays bright and glossy.
Can I skip the crumble and do a double crust?
You can. Roll out a second disc of dough for the top, seal the edges, and cut slits for steam. The bake time stays about the same. The crumble gives a different texture, crunchier and more rustic.
Berry pie of the year!
Came out PERFECT.
This was a wonderful spring-fruit pie, the cinnamon in the filling pulled the strawberry-rhubarb combo together, thanks for the recipe!
The Greek yogurt in the crust really did make the difference, I was skeptical but the dough rolled out easier and held shape after baking. Used local rhubarb from my garden, halved strawberries. Cooled the pie a full two hours so the filling set. Absolutely fantastic for a block party dessert.
My grandmother made a strawberry-rhubarb pie every Memorial Day weekend for forty years and the yogurt-in-the-crust idea is the upgrade she never had. Made the pie last Saturday with rhubarb from a local farmstand and frozen Hood strawberries from June. The cornstarch ratio held the filling together perfectly after the full two-hour cool. Crumble topping turned crunchy and golden at exactly forty-five minutes. Saving forever, this is the new version.