Rhubarb Pie On A Stick

How much does my family love pie? So much that we often skip the traditional birthday cake and serve birthday pie instead. A beautiful homemade pie can be just as festive as an elaborate cake, and there’s something about a pie that says simple goodness on a plate.

One of my favorite pies is rhubarb pie. Have you ever noticed how the flavors we have to wait for taste even better than the ones we can get any time of year?

That’s one of the reasons I love rhubarb: It’s the flavor of the long, warm spring days we wait all winter for here in Minnesota. Sure, I can get frozen rhubarb whenever I want, but it never tastes as good as the stuff my parents grow in the great, big rhubarb patch in their garden. They can pick so much rhubarb that even my rhubarb-loving family sometimes has to get creative to use it all up. Our lucky friends sometimes get armfuls of rhubarb, too, and it’s fun to share recipes with them at the same time.

Here’s one recipe I can’t wait to share with friends this year: Rhubarb Pie on a Stick. If you’ve ever read about the Minnesota State Fair, you know how much we love anything on a stick. For ten days at the end of the summer, at the state fairgrounds, you can find bacon on a stick, alligator on a stick, spaghetti and meatballs on a stick — and about a hundred other things on skewers and sticks. In that company, rhubarb pie on a stick fits right in, doesn’t it?

I love casual entertaining at my house, and these adorable, grab-your-own, enjoy-anywhere desserts are perfect for parties — or just enjoying time with family. I’m already imagining fun summer afternoons with my grandson, lollipop sticks in hand, sticky rhubarb smiles on our faces.

I know some people are intimidated by pie crust. Maybe they’ve tasted too many tough or crumbly crusts; maybe it just seems easier to pick up a premade one at the grocery store. I know I sometimes wonder where that expression, “Easy as pie” comes from! But if you keep a few key pointers in mind (keep your ingredients cold, work your dough as little as possible and use just enough water), I’m willing to bet you’ll find yourself reaching for premade crusts less and less often. (My colleagues in the Test Kitchen have even more tips for pie crust success here, here and here.)

You might even find yourself making more birthday pies. Enjoy!

Here’s the step-by-step to make Rhubarb Pie On A Stick.

Combine rhubarb, sugar, brown sugar, corn starch and 1/8 teaspoon salt in saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat 10 minutes or until bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest and vanilla. Cover; refrigerate until completely chilled.

Combine flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in food processor bowl fitted with metal blade. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 tablespoon water at a time, pulsing between each addition, just until dough forms. Shape dough into disk; flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic food wrap; refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Heat oven to 375ºF. Line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Place egg and 1 tablespoon water in bowl; beat with whisk. Set aside.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into circles, using 4 1/2-inch round biscuit or cookie cutter. Cut each circle in half; brush edges with egg wash. Place rounded teaspoon filling onto one side of dough. Place craft stick along edge of filled half. Fold remaining dough over filling; crimp edges using fork. Cut small "x" in top of dough to vent. Brush top with egg wash; sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Place onto prepared baking sheets; bake 13-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes; transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Rhubarb Pie on a Stick

Prep time: 60 min
Total time: 1hr and 15 min

Ingredients

For the filling
8 ounces (1 1/4 cups) rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the crust
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Half Sticks (1/2 cup) Land O Lakes^® Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
1 Land O Lakes^® Egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water
White decorator sanding sugar
Lollipop or craft sticks

Directions

Combine rhubarb, sugar, brown sugar, corn starch and 1/8 teaspoon salt in saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat 10 minutes or until bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest and vanilla. Cover; refrigerate until completely chilled.

Combine flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in food processor bowl fitted with metal blade. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 tablespoon water at a time, pulsing between each addition, just until dough forms. Shape dough into disk; flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic food wrap; refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Heat oven to 375ºF . Line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Place egg and 1 tablespoon water in bowl; beat with whisk. Set aside.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into circles, using 4 1/2-inch round biscuit or cookie cutter. Cut each circle in half; brush edges with egg wash. Place rounded teaspoon filling onto one side of dough. Place craft stick along edge of filled half. Fold remaining dough over filling; crimp edges using fork. Cut small "x" in top of dough to vent. Brush top with egg wash; sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Place onto prepared baking sheets; bake 13-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes; transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely.