Rhubarb and Custard Pie Recipe: Tangy Filling with Flaky Crust

Rhubarb Custard Pie begins with a simple crumb crust filled with a tart-sweet rhubarb and vanilla filling, layered with a thin cheesecake custard and finished with a silky, tangy yogurt topping. It’s a perfect spring and summer dessert.

Disclosure: This recipe is presented in partnership with the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council. The recipe and opinions are my own.

Rhubarb Custard Pie starts with a simple crumb crust that is filled with a tart and sweet rhubarb vanilla filling covered by thin layer of cheesecake and topped with a smooth-as-silk tangy yogurt layer. It's spring and summer perfection, folks.

Is it a cheesecake, a fruit pie, or a custard pie? It’s all three. Rhubarb Cheesecake Custard Pie combines two beloved desserts—fruit pie and cheesecake—into one creamy, pleasantly tart, and visually appealing treat.

This pie has been a favorite in my family for more than a decade. It starts with a buttery graham crumb crust, is filled with a fragrant rhubarb and vanilla mixture, topped with a light cheesecake custard, and finished with a smooth Greek yogurt layer for brightness. The result is a balanced dessert that’s ideal for spring and summer gatherings.

Rhubarb Pie Recipe

This Rhubarb Custard Pie celebrates seasonal rhubarb with layers that highlight its tart flavor: a sweetened rhubarb-vanilla filling, a creamy cheesecake custard, and a tangy yogurt topping. If you’ve never finished a cheesecake with yogurt, this combination is likely to become a new favorite.

Fun note: New York is the leading yogurt-producing state, so pairing a creamy dairy topping with this pie makes perfect sense. If you’re slicing this dessert into eight generous portions, each slice can count as a serving of dairy—another bonus.

Rhubarb Cheesecake Pie for #DairyMOOnth #sponsored

The yogurt topping adds a bright, silky finish that cuts through the richness of the cheesecake layer and complements the rhubarb’s acidity.

This pie holds up well for several days when refrigerated, making it a great make-ahead dessert for gatherings.

What is Rhubarb?

Rhubarb is the edible stalk of the perennial plant Rheum rhabarbarum. The stalks are cooked and sweetened to tame their natural tartness; raw stalks are usually too sour to eat alone.

The leaves contain high levels of oxalic acid and are considered inedible, so only the stalks are used in cooking.

Is Rhubarb Poisonous?

The stalks themselves are safe to eat when prepared. Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid and can be harmful in large amounts, but you would have to consume many pounds of leaves to reach toxic levels. If a small piece of leaf accidentally ends up in a mix, it’s unlikely to cause harm, but avoid eating whole rhubarb leaves.

Is Rhubarb a Fruit or Vegetable?

Botanically, rhubarb is a vegetable: the stalk is a petiole (the leaf stem), not a fruit. Culinary usage often treats rhubarb like a fruit because it’s commonly sweetened and used in desserts.

Rhubarb Custard Pie Notes

Choose your pan based on presentation and convenience. A 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan creates a pretty fluted edge and makes serving easier, but a standard pie plate or a springform pan will also work and yield equally delicious results.

The homemade graham crumb crust is simple to make and bakes briefly before filling. If you’re short on time, store-bought graham crumbs are an acceptable shortcut.

If you don’t have a vanilla bean, substitute an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract in the rhubarb filling. Vanilla beans add attractive flecks and a lovely aroma, but extract works well too.

When spreading the yogurt layer over the baked cheesecake, do so gently. The cheesecake should be set in the center but still delicate, so use a light hand to avoid tearing the surface.

Chill the pie thoroughly before serving. While many desserts are tempting warm, this pie rewards patience—chilling for at least six hours ensures clean slices and the best texture.

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Rhubarb Custard Pie

Prepare the Rhubarb Filling:

Whisk sugar and cornstarch together in a 2-quart saucepan so the cornstarch is evenly distributed. Add the diced rhubarb and orange juice, toss gently to combine, and make sure there are no dry pockets.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture forms a syrup. Continue to cook and stir until it reaches a boil and thickens. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside.

Prepare the Crumb Crust:

Combine the graham crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Press the mixture evenly across the bottom and up the sides of a standard pie plate or a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 8 minutes.

Prepare the Cheesecake Custard Layer:

While the crust bakes, blend the cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons sugar until smooth. Use a food processor, blender, stand mixer, or hand mixer, scraping down the sides as needed.

Prepare the Yogurt Layer:

Whisk the plain Greek yogurt and 2 tablespoons sugar together until smooth. Set aside.

To Assemble and Bake:

Remove the vanilla bean halves from the cooked rhubarb and gently spread the filling over the baked crumb crust. Pour the cheesecake custard over the rhubarb and return the pan to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheesecake layer appears set in the center.

Take the pie from the oven and carefully spread the yogurt mixture evenly over the top. Return the pie to the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes. Cool the pie on a rack for 30 minutes, then refrigerate and chill for at least 6 hours, or until completely cold. The pie keeps well for up to three days in the refrigerator.