Rhubarb Cookies

Rhubarb Cookies are a fun change of pace from the usual cookie recipe. They’re a simple buttery, sweet, cinnamon-y cookie studded with chunks of tart rhubarb.

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Rhubarb is a quintessential spring ingredient. But if you’re thinking you only make these delicious sweet-tart cookies when fresh rhubarb is in season, you’re wrong! Frozen rhubarb is available year round and it’s perfect for making this Rhubarb Cookie recipe.

Why you’ll love this Rhubarb Cookie recipe

• You’ll love the bright pink bits of chopped rhubarb in these simple Rhubarb Cookies.
• These Rhubarb Cookies are easy to make, and other than rhubarb, they only use basic pantry ingredients like brown sugar, all-purpose flour, eggs, butter, baking soda, baking powder, and ground cinnamon.
• These Rhubarb Cookies take only 20 minutes to make from start to finish. Just think, you could be eating these bad boys just 20 minutes from now!
• You can use fresh rhubarb if you happen to have it, but the recipe works just as well with frozen rhubarb. That means you can make these delicious cookies any time of year!
• If you don’t like rhubarb, you can substitute another tangy fruit like apples, tart cherries, or cranberries.
• You can change these Rhubarb Cookies up if you like. Add white chocolate chips chopped walnuts or pecans, for instance. Or add a splash of vanilla extract.

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Ingredients you need

For the complete list of ingredients with quantities and detailed prep and cooking instructions, please see the recipe card that appears at the end of this post.

These Rhubarb Cookies use basic pantry staples along with rhubarb. Here’s what you need:

• Brown sugar: Light brown sugar will keep the color of these cookies on the lighter side, but if dark brown sugar is what you have, it will work fine here, too!
• Softened butter: I always use unsalted butter in my sweet baked goods. If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt to ¼ teaspoon. Make sure to let the butter come to room temperature before you start the recipe. All it takes is being left on the counter for 20 minutes or so (40 if your butter is frozen).
• Egg: Ideally, the egg will be at room temperature, as well.
• Flour: Use all-purpose flour. My favorite is King Arthur All-Purpose Flour.
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds a bit of a spicy kick. If you don’t have cinnamon, you could substitute ground cardamom, ground ginger, or even pumpkin pie spice.
• Salt: Use a fine-grained salt for baking so that it is well distributed throughout the dough. I prefer an additive-free sea salt, but table salt is fine here, too.
• Baking soda & baking powder: These combine to help the cookies rise and keep them light.
• Rhubarb: You can use fresh or frozen rhubarb. Just make sure to dice it finely so that you have small pieces distributed throughout the cookies. 

How to make them

For the complete list of ingredients with quantities and detailed prep and cooking instructions, please see the recipe card that appears at the end of this post.

These Rhubarb Cookies are really quick and easy to make, especially if you use a stand mixer. Here’s how:

1. Preheat the oven and grease a large baking sheet or two medium size baking sheets. Instead of greasing the baking sheets, you can line them with parchment paper if you prefer.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together and add the egg.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat to combine.
4. Mix the diced rhubarb into the cookie dough.
5. Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets with a cookie scoop.
6. Bake the Rhubarb Cookies until baked through and then transfer them from the cookie sheet to a wire rack to cool completely.

More cookie recipes you’ll love

If you love baking cookies, you want to try some of my other favorites! Lemon Coconut Macaroons are another spring-like treat. Black Sesame Cookies are an interesting change from the usual, and so are Cheesecake Cookies.

To round out a holiday cookie platter, add Kolacky, Ginger Snap Cookies, Flourless Chocolate Cookies, and Dulce de Leche Cookies. Or try Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies or Air Fryer Hot Cocoa Cookies!

Rhubarb Cookies

Robin Donovan

The texture of these cookies is perfect and so addicting!  Chewy, sweet cookies are studded with bright pink bits of tangy rhubarb.

4.92 from 12 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 22 minutes mins

Course Dessert Recipes

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 egg
• 1 ¾ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup finely diced fresh rhubarb or frozen rhubarb

Notes

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF and coat a large baking sheet or cookie sheet with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, cream the brown sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat to incorporate.
3. Add the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat well until the dough is well combined.
4. Add the chopped rhubarb and beat to incorporate it.
5. Using a cookie scoop (1 inch), form balls of dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake cookies in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown and baked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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