The German rhubarb pie recipe is the best rhubarb meringue pie ever!!! This dessert combines a tart rhubarb filling with a sweet, fluffy meringue topping.
This German rhubarb pie with meringue topping is incredible. A sweet pie crust (that doesn't require chilling or rolling) is filled with a delicious, tangy rhubarb filling and topped with sweet and slightly crunchy meringue. It can hardly get any better.
No other seasonal vegetable (yes, rhubarb is a vegetable) gets as much attention from me in such a short period of time as rhubarb.
I make cakes and desserts, cook it in savory dishes, preserve it, and freeze it just to make sure I have some for the rest of the year. Learn How to Can Rhubarb; it is so easy and handy. Or check out What to Do with Rhubarb?
Try a Romanian-style Rhubarb Meringue Cake, too; it's quite different but equally delicious.
Jump to recipe
Recipe ingredients
- Rhubarb cut into slices. You can use either fresh or frozen rhubarb.
- Using Dr. Oetker's vanilla pudding powder to thicken the filling is typical for a German recipe. However, you can replace this powder with cornstarch, a pinch of salt, and some vanilla extract.
- One packet of vanilla pudding powder contains 13 oz/ 37 g, so you will need 80 g/ 2.8 oz/ ⅔ cup of cornstarch in total.
- Liquid: The rhubarb will be mixed with sugar and release liquid. Use this liquid along with additional water or apple juice to make the pie filling.
- One large egg for the crust and three extra egg whites for the meringue.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make German rhubarb pie with meringue?
Discard the rhubarb leaves; they are poisonous!
Filling:
- Slice the rhubarb, mix it with sugar, and let it stand at room temperature for about 2 hours until it releases its juices.
- Strain and reserve the juice that the rhubarb released. If you don't have enough, fill the rest with water or some apple juice.
- Mix the vanilla pudding powder or cornstarch with 5 tablespoons of granulated sugar and enough rhubarb juice to form a paste.
- Cook pudding: Place the rest of the juice into a small pan and bring to a boil. Whisk in the pudding powder-sugar mixture and let it bubble for a few seconds until the mixture thickens. Keep stirring all the time.
- Combine: Add the drained rhubarb and spread this mixture over the pastry in the spring form.
Pie crust:
- Pulse flour, sugar, cold butter, eggs, baking powder, and vanilla sugar in the food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Form a ball.
- Press the dough into a large circle and place it in the springform pan. Use your fingers to cover the bottom of the pan and press it up the sides to form a rim.
Meringue:
- Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until quite stiff. Gradually add sugar and continue whisking until the mixture becomes stiff and glossy.
- Using a spoon, spread the meringue on top of the pie and bake the German rhubarb pie for another 10 minutes.
- Leave to cool for at least half an hour, then transfer the pie to a cake plate.
Good to know!
Measurements: I always recommend using a digital kitchen scale in baking; it guarantees the best results (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
Beating egg whites: The bowl and the beaters you are using must be clean and dry; traces of fat will prevent the egg whites from stiffening.
You will need three egg whites to make the meringue. Use the leftover egg yolks to make mayonnaise or aioli, spaghetti carbonara, Thermomix Lemon Curd, or German Asparagus with White Sauce. Make more meringue cakes: Stacked Pavlova or Meringue Brownies.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. Mix it from frozen with the sugar and let it thaw and release its juices in the bowl. Learn How to Freeze Rhubarb.
You can make the crust and the filling one day ahead of time, but not the meringue. You should only make the meringue topping just before you want to bake it.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days. The meringue will soften and deflate, but it will still taste delicious.
German Rhubarb Meringue Pie
Equipment
- 1 springform about 10-inch/ 26 cm diameter
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
Rhubarb filling:
- 27 oz rhubarb 750 g
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 130 g
- 2 packets vanilla pudding powder 37 g/ 1.3 oz each (Dr. Oetker or another similar brand), Note 2
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 cups juice from the rhubarb-sugar mixture + some water or apple juice, if necessary, 500 ml
Pie crust:
- 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour 7 oz/ 200 g
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 g
- ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon unsalted butter very cold, 65 g
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
Meringue:
- 3 large egg whites
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 130 g
Instructions
- Rhubarb:
- Clean the rhubarb stalks. Cut them into slices, about ½ inch/ 1 cm thick. Place the rhubarb in a bowl, add sugar, mix well, and leave to stand until it releases plenty of juice. I leave it for about 2 hours.27 oz rhubarb/ 750 g + ⅔ cup granulated sugar/ 130 g
Pie crust:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C.
- Pie crust: Place flour, sugar, cubed butter, egg, baking powder, and vanilla sugar in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.1⅔ cups all-purpose flour/ 200 g + ¼ cup granulated sugar/ 50 g + ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon unsalted butter/ 65 g + 1 large egg + ½ teaspoon baking powder + 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
- Line springform: Turn it onto the working surface and knead very briefly to form a ball. Press the ball into a large circle, place this into the springform ( and press it with your fingers to cover the bottom of the pan. Press some more to form a rim about 1½inch/ 4 cm high.
- Filling:
- Strain and reserve the juice that the rhubarb released. You should have 2 cups/ 500 ml of rhubarb juice. If you don't have enough, fill the rest with water or some apple juice.2 cups juice/ 500 ml
- Mix the vanilla pudding powder or cornstarch with 5 tablespoons of granulated sugar and enough rhubarb juice to form a paste.2 packets vanilla pudding powder OR ⅔ cup/ 80 g cornstarch and a pinch of salt + 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Cook pudding: Place the rest of the juice into a small pan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the pudding powder-sugar mixture while whisking all the time, place back on the heat source and allow to bubble for a few seconds until the mixture thickens. Keep stirring all the time.If using cornstarch instead of vanilla pudding powder, cook it the same way as instructed above. Remember to add 1-2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract (to taste) once the pudding is cooked.
- Combine: Mix the pudding and rhubarb pieces together and spread the mixture over the pie crust in the springform pan.
- Bake the pie for 35 minutes before topping it with the meringue.
- Meringue:
- Whisk the egg whites: Place into a clean bowl and whisk with the mixer until quite stiff. Add sugar gradually and continue whisking until the mixture becomes stiff and glossy.3 large egg whites + ⅔ cup granulated sugar/ 130 g
- Spread the meringue on top of the pie using a spoon and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
- Leave to cool in the springform for at least half an hour; then, you can transfer the pie to a serving platter.
Notes
- Measurements: I recommend using a digital kitchen scale in baking (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab); it guarantees the best results.
- Dr. Oetker vanilla pudding powder can be replaced with ⅔ cup/ 80 g/ 2.3 oz cornstarch and a small pinch of salt. Use it as instructed in the recipe, and add 1-2 teaspoons (to taste) of pure vanilla extract once the pudding is cooked.
Dotbleakley says
Would love to buy fresh rhubarb in the spring to can.Any suggestions.
Adina says
Hi. See this recipe for canning rhubarb.
lauriver says
We tried this cake yesterday and it turned out quite good, very pretty and a nice mixture of textures. Probably we'll do one again, although we'd use way less sugar the next time. We already didn't put any of the additional sugar in the rhubarb-juice-pudding, and still, to our tastes it turned out so sweet, that some of that tangy sour taste of the rhubarb was covered. But I guess that is just according to tastes - also we'd maybe bake the pastry without the filling first.
Rosa says
Hi Adina! A few days ago, I bought a kilo of rhubarb and I wasn't sure what to make with it. After reading your post, I will definitely try this recipe. It looks and sounds really yummy!
I really enjoy reading about your family's traditional recipes. I wouldn't mind seeing a recipe for your great-grandmother's rhubarb cake. 😉
Just to let you know, vanilla pudding powder is readily available throughout North America. There are many brands out there, including Dr. Oetker.
I hope you have a nice weekend!
Take care,
Rosa
Adina says
Thank you, Rosa. Good to know about the pudding powder, as I have never been to America, I am sometimes uncertain about some products, their similarity to European products and so on. And about my great-grandma's cake, I was speaking about it with a friend today, and though about trying to recreate it, unfortunately I don't have her recipe, just the memory of a great cake. I hope you try the rhubarb pie, I am sure you would like it. 🙂
Anca says
The pie looks fab. I love meringue and with the sharp rhubarb must be delicious.
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
Meringue pie looks absolutely fantastic, Adina. Wish I could grab a BIG slice! 🙂
Jess @ Sweetest Menu says
Oh my word. That pie looks absolutely magical Adina! So excited to hear you are heading to England in the summer. I bet you will come back feeling inspired! 🙂
Adina says
Thank you, Jess. And I can't wait to see England again. I will probably come back with my head full of curries and British baking.
Marvellina @ What To Cook Today says
I have Rhubarb growing out from my ears 🙂 I'd definitely want to give this a try soon !
Adina says
Same here with rhubarb, I actually don't even have any in my garden, my mother-in-law and two of my best friends have huge bushes, so there is enough for half a village, if necessary. 🙂
Lisa | Chocolate Meets Strawberry says
Loving that you are on a rhubard streak lately, Adina! There are so many delicious rhubarb recipes up on your blog! That fluffy meringue on top looks like it would contrast perfectly with the tartness of the rhubarb. What a wonderful alternative to lemon meringue pie!
Adina says
Thank you, Lisa, I love rhubarb so this series was a must-do. 🙂
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I love esp. that meringue topping!
Adina says
Thank you, Angie.
Chris Scheuer says
I love spring too and this cake looks like the perfect way to celebrate this incredible time of year!
Adina says
Thank you, Chris, spring is the best!
Kate @ Framed Cooks says
Oh gosh, rhubarb season! I would never have thought to pair it with meringue, but of course it looks just perfect!
Adina says
Rhubarb and meringue are a classic here in Germany. You should give it a try.
Denise Browning says
How beautiful and delicious!!! Made with 2 fave things: rhubarb and meringue!!!
Adina says
Thank you, Denise. Two of my favorite things as well.
Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction says
I love the meringue topping! This pie looks so scrumptious!
Adina says
Thank you, Marsha!