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A vibrant jar of homemade rhubarb jam with fresh rhubarb stalks in the background

Rhubarb Cobbler with Vanilla Bean Sauce

This delightful rhubarb cobbler features a sweet-tart rhubarb filling topped with a tender biscuit crust, all complemented by a luxurious vanilla bean sauce. It's a perfect dessert for spring and early summer.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Rhubarb Filling
  • 6 cups rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Biscuit Topping
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 large egg
For the Vanilla Bean Sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Equipment

  • large bowl
  • 9x13 inch baking dish
  • medium bowl
  • small bowl
  • whisk
  • medium saucepan

Method
 

For the Rhubarb Filling
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, lemon zest, and cinnamon; toss to coat.
  2. Transfer the rhubarb mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.
For the Biscuit Topping
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and egg, then add to the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
  3. Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough evenly over the rhubarb filling, leaving some gaps for steam to escape. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the rhubarb is bubbly.
For the Vanilla Bean Sauce
  1. While the cobbler bakes, prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla bean seeds and pod; heat over medium heat until simmering, then remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch.
  3. Remove the vanilla bean pod from the cream. Gradually whisk about half of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, then pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream.
  4. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted.
  5. Serve the cobbler warm with the vanilla bean sauce.

Notes

For extra flavor, you can add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg to the rhubarb filling. If fresh rhubarb is not available, frozen rhubarb can be used, but do not thaw it before mixing with other ingredients. If the biscuits brown too quickly, you can loosely tent the cobbler with foil.