Rhubarb Cookies are a delight – they’re soft, cake-like, and bursting with tart rhubarb. With a texture like fluffy muffin tops, these soft rhubarb cookies are easy to bake and even easier to love.

Why You’re Going to Love This Rhubarb Cookie Recipe

Here’s what makes these Soft Rhubarb Cookies utterly irresistible:

• Soft, Tender Texture: These aren’t your run-of-the-mill cookies. With a unique cake-like texture, they’re more akin to the beloved tops of muffins – soft, tender and oh-so-delicious. They have a wonderfully tender crumb thanks to the addition of oil.
• Sweet Meets Tart: The sweetness of the cookie dough beautifully balances the tartness of the rhubarb, creating a delightful flavor dance on your taste buds.
• Seasonal Star: Take advantage of rhubarb season! These cookies are a brilliant way to use this bright, tart spring produce.

Gather the Ingredients You Need to Make Rhubarb Cookies

It’s time to prepare our delectable rhubarb cookies. Let’s understand the role each ingredient plays:

• Whole Milk: This gives your cookies a rich, moist texture.
• Sour Cream: Contributes to a creamy, moist dough and slightly tangy flavor.
• Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and a smooth texture to your cookies.
• Egg: The binding agent that holds your cookie together.
• Neutral Oil: Adds extra moisture, ensuring your cookies are soft and chewy.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: Gives your cookies a sweet, aromatic flavor.
• All-purpose Flour: The main building block of your cookies, providing structure.
• Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps your cookies brown nicely.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents make your cookies rise and become fluffy.
• Kosher Salt: Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
• Rhubarb: Provides bursts of tart contrast to the sweetness of the cookie.
• Chocolate Chips: Adds sweet, melty pockets of chocolate to your cookies.
• Coarse Sugar: Gives your cookies a lovely crunch and a shiny, appealing finish.

How to Make Rhubarb Cookies: Easy Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s your road map to delicious rhubarb cookies:

• Preheat Your Oven: Ensures a steady, high heat for baking your cookies.
• Combine Wet Ingredients: This helps integrate flavors and achieve a smooth mixture.
• Mix Dry Ingredients: Evenly distributes the leavening agents through the flour.

• Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Brings the dough together, mixing just until incorporated.
• Add Rhubarb and Chocolate Chips: Introduces texture and flavor bursts throughout your cookies.
• Prepare Baking Sheets: Setting up your baking sheets ensures your cookies don’t stick and allows for easy clean-up.
• Bake: Transforms your dough into golden, delicious cookies.
• Cool: Letting your cookies cool solidifies their texture and enhances their flavor.

Expert Tips and Tricks

Follow these savvy pointers to bake up your best batch of Rhubarb Cookies ever.

• Room Temperature Ingredients: Ingredients like milk, sour cream, butter, and egg should all ideally be at room temperature before starting. This guarantees a smooth, even mixture, leading to better-textured cookies. See this article on How to Quickly Bring Ingredients to Room Temperature.
• Chop Rhubarb Finely: Smaller rhubarb pieces mean more even distribution throughout each cookie and no hard chunks.With every bite, you’ll get that delightful tart rhubarb tang.
• Use a Rubber Spatula: When it’s time to combine the wet and dry ingredients, bring out your trusty rubber spatula and fold gently. Overmixing is the enemy of fluffiness!
• Parchment Paper is Your Friend: Using parchment paper on your baking sheets will save you time on clean-up, protect the cookies from direct heat, and ensure they lift off the sheet effortlessly. These cookies STICK without parchment paper. Use a thin metal spatula to lift them off easily.
• Full Bake is the Way: Unlike some cookies, these Rhubarb delights need to be fully baked to achieve their optimal texture and flavor. Look for bouncy tops and no more shine as your cue that they’re done.
• Frozen Rhubarb Works Too: If fresh rhubarb isn’t in season or available, don’t despair. You can absolutely use frozen rhubarb in this recipe. Just make sure to thaw it thoroughly and drain any excess water before chopping and adding it to your batter. This will ensure your cookies don’t turn out too wet (I used frozen rhubarb this time, and the cookies turn out thicker with a higher rise when using fresh rhubarb – but both options are delicious).

Make Ahead and Storage

Here’s how to ensure your cookies stay fresh:

• Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
• Freezing: You can freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. Just bake a little longer directly from the freezer.

Variations and Substitutions

Want to change things up a bit?

• Different Fruit: Swap out the rhubarb for other tart fruits, such as raspberries or chopped strawberries.
• Different Chocolate: Use dark or white chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate.
• Add some spice: Skip the chocolate, swap in light brown sugar, and add a teaspoon of cinnamon plus some chopped pecans or walnuts for an extra crunch.

Other Rhubarb Recipes You’ll Love

Treat yourself to these delectable rhubarb creations and savor the flavors of the season:

• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie: A heavenly combination of tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries nestled in a golden, flaky pie crust. A classic dessert that never disappoints.
• Healthy Rhubarb Muffins: Soft and fluffy muffins bursting with the goodness of rhubarb. A delightful treat to kickstart your day.
• Rhubarb Crisp: A beloved summer recipe featuring a buttery, crumbly topping over a sweet and tangy rhubarb filling. Easy to make and oh-so-satisfying.
• Rhubarb Hand Pies: Portable pockets of joy filled with tart and sweet rhubarb, encased in a buttery, flaky pastry, and topped with a drizzle of vanilla icing.