Strawberry rhubarb pie is the darling of warm-weather desserts — perfectly suited for a gingham-clad picnic table and a whole lotta sunshine. It’s such a classic, and despite the fanciness of the old-fashioned lattice top, it’s delightfully simple: the sweet strawberries and tart stalks of rhubarb just need a scoop of sugar to bring out their bright, fresh flavors.

That said, we also add a couple tablespoons of arrowroot powder to the filling. Strawberry-rhubarb is one of the juicier pie fillings out there, so it usually needs a little help in the thickening department. Otherwise, all those juices will give even the best pie crust a soggy bottom.

The very thing we love about this crust is how it bakes up super flaky and crispy. We even sprinkle it with raw sugar for an extra caramelized crunch — the perfect foil for the jammy filling. The crust also brings a savory, buttery richness to balance out the sweet-tart fruit. Finished with a big dollop of whipped cream, it’s sheer perfection.

This pie is one to bake on a sunny Saturday afternoon — the windows open, the sunshine pouring into the kitchen, and the birds chirping along to the Françoise Hardy album you threw on the record player. It’s also a pie to make for anyone who needs cheering up: one bite of all that strawberry and rhubarb, and you can’t help but smile.

Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients

2 pt strawberries, hulled and halved

1 lb rhubarb, trimmed, cut into 1” pieces

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 Tbsp arrowroot powder

½ tsp kosher salt

All-purpose flour, for dusting

2 discs pie dough

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced

1 Tbsp heavy cream

1 tsp raw sugar

Whipped cream, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.

2. In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, granulated sugar, arrowroot powder, and kosher salt, and gently fold to combine. Set aside and allow to macerate for 15 minutes, or up to 1 hour.

3. Lightly dust a flat surface with all-purpose flour and roll out 1 disc of the pie dough into a ¼”-thick 12” circle. Transfer the dough to a pie plate and then gently press it into the edges. Trim the excess dough, leaving 1” hanging over the edge. Place the pie plate in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm the dough.

4. Transfer the strawberry-rhubarb filling to the pie crust. Dot the filling with the unsalted butter.

5. Lightly dust your surface with all-purpose flour again and roll out the remaining disc of dough into a ¼”-thick 12” circle and cut it into ¾”-wide strips. Layer the strips on top of the pie filling and weave them into a lattice top.

6. Press the ends of the dough strips into the bottom crust to create a seal, and then trim off the ends. Fold the overhanging dough over the ends, and then flute the edge of the pie.

7. Transfer the pie to the freezer for 10 minutes, or until the dough is firm. Brush the top of the pie with the heavy cream, and sprinkle the raw sugar on top.

8. Bake the pie on a rimmed baking sheet for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes more, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is beginning to bubble.

9. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving, about 3 hours. Serve with whipped cream!

Recipe adapted from: The New York Times

Calculate nutrition information for this recipe.