Rhubarb Muffins
Wonderfully tender and loaded with the tart flavor of rhubarb, these moist rhubarb muffins are a spring favorite!
One of my favorite signs of spring is the piles of rhubarb loading tables at the farmers market. I have my own rhubarb plant now, but that doesn’t stop me from loading up on the tart stalks each year!
These muffins, made with fresh diced rhubarb, are a great easy recipe. If you love tart rhubarb, make the most of the short season and make them today!
Why You’ll Love These Muffins
- Muffin batter is easy to whip up, so you can have a fresh batch of muffins out the oven in under 1 hour.
- The tart rhubarb plays beautifully against the sweet cinnamon sugar topping.
- They freeze well, so you can make a batch today and enjoy them when the craving hits later!
Ingredients for this recipe
This is just an overview. For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card. It’s all there waiting for you!
You’ll need:
Fresh rhubarb is best in these muffins, but you can use frozen rhubarb in a pinch. If the frozen chunks are large, you’ll want to thaw it so they can be diced smaller. I like to cut the rhubarb into pieces about the size of a blueberry or a little smaller, which will give you plenty of rhubarb flavor throughout the muffins.
tip
Make sure to remove and discard all rhubarb leaves, as they are toxic. If your rhubarb stalks have a thick outer layer, you can peel it off before dicing. It should come off in one strip after loosening the edge.
This recipe calls for buttermilk, which is my go-to for most muffins! It makes the crumb really light and moist, thanks to the acidity breaking down the gluten and protein bonds in the flour, as well as reacting with the baking soda.
How To Make Rhubarb Muffins
Step 1: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the chopped rhubarb and toss to coat.
Step 2: Mix Wet Ingredients
In another large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth, then whisk in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
Step 3: Mix Together
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix just until all of the flour is incorporated. Don’t overmix the batter, or the muffins can turn out tough!
Step 4: Scoop and Top
Scoop the batter into greased or papered muffin cups. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Step 7 : Bake
Pop into the oven and bake at 375°F for 20-22 minutes, until golden. Let cool and enjoy.
Tips and Variations
You can omit the cinnamon sugar if you like, or swap it with a buttery streusel like in my coffee cake muffins.
To turn these into strawberry rhubarb muffins, simply replace half of the rhubarb with 1 cup of diced strawberries. If the berries are very juicy, I recommend gently patting them dry with a paper towel. Keep in mind that they will release a bit more juice as they bake.
Don’t mix the batter too vigorously. A few lumps in the batter is OK; you don’t want it completely smooth. If you mix the batter too much, the muffins can turn out tough and won’t rise as much.
For muffin liners, I recommend using the kind made from parchment paper, which should not stick. There’s nothing worse than losing half the muffin in the paper! Letting the muffins cool completely before unwrapping will help prevent sticking as well.
You can achieve a higher rise on the muffins by only filling every other cup in the muffin pan. This works well if you have a 24-cup muffin tin; otherwise I recommend baking in two batches to allow for enough air flow all around.
Want rhubarb bread instead? You can turn this into a quick bread by pouring the batter into a greased 8×4-inch loaf pan. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 55-65 minutes.
Storage and Reheating
Store these muffins loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, freeze them! Pop into freezer bags (I like to use quart bags and do 4 in each), label, and store for up to 3 months.
You can thaw the frozen muffins in the refrigerator overnight, but I just grab one from the freezer and warm in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Tangy rhubarb and tender muffins together in one delicious breakfast! What’s not to love?
Rhubarb Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups diced rhubarb, about 8 ounces
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the topping
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with papers.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the diced rhubarb and toss to coat.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 cups diced rhubarb
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth, then whisk in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until all of the dry bits are incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter between the muffin cups. They will be very full.
- Stir together the remaining sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle a bit on the top of each well of batter (you might not use it all).2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Bake the muffins for 20-22 minutes, until nicely domed, golden in color, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- Store muffins loosely covered at room temperature.
Megan Myers has been sharing her favorite recipes online for 20 years. She has worked for companies like Whole Foods Market, Texas Co-Op Power, and Good Catch Foods. Her favorite breakfast food is waffles with plenty of maple syrup.