Rhubarb Muffins

Bursting with diced rhubarb and topped with a cinnamon topping, these moist and tender Rhubarb Muffins are the perfect way to start the day!

Jump to Recipe

My list of priorities when we moved into our new home went like this...
1. Get the girls' beds put together
2. Furnish the essentials & fill the fridge with eggs, milk and butter
3. Plant rhubarb 😉

Ok, so maybe there were a few other priorities in the mix, but I wasn't gonna wait long to get the rhubarb planted! I was lucky to have my grandparents dig some up for me from their garden, so we got it transplanted a couple weeks ago. Once rhubarb is transplanted, you're supposed to wait 2 years to harvest any...we'll see if I can wait that long! ha!

A rhubarb muffin being held with the top showing.

a rhubarb muffin being held with a bite out of it.

Is rhubarb a fruit or a vegetable?

Technically, rhubarb is a vegetable. Think of it kind of like celery - it's a stalk with leaves on top. However, it's typically prepared in a sweet application, like a fruit.

Though it can be prepared in many different ways, a few of my favorite rhubarb recipes include Rhubarb Cookies, Rhubarb Custard Pie, Rhubarb Crunch, Rhubarb Peach Pie and the muffins I'm sharing with you today! There's just something about little pieces of tart rhubarb nestled in tender muffins with a delicious crumble topping.....mmmmmm!!

Ingredients Needed

Sugar
Brown Sugar - Be sure to pack it into your measuring cup for an accurate measurement; dark or light brown sugar will work great
Vegetable Oil
Buttermilk - If you don't have buttermilk, you can use a milk + vinegar mixture instead (1 tablespoon white vinegar plus enough milk to equal one cup of the milk mixture)
Egg - I use large eggs when I'm baking.
Vanilla Extract
All Purpose Flour
Baking Soda - Be sure to check the expiration date! Old baking soda won't give your the muffins a light and fluffy texture they should have
Rhubarb - Cut the stalks into small pieces (about ¼ - ½ inch thickness)
Topping Ingredients - Sugar, Cinnamon and Butter

How to make Rhubarb Muffins

Rhubarb Muffins really are a super easy recipe to make and you don't really even need an electric mixer. Prepare the muffin pan by adding muffin liners or greasing them well with cooking spray.

All the ingredients for a muffin mixed together in a bowl.

For the batter, you'll combine the sugars and wet ingredients in a large bowl, then stir in the dry ingredients. Be sure to stir just until the ingredients are combined. (If you overmix muffin batter, you'll have funky shaped muffins with pointy centers) Add the rhubarb and set aside.

Cinnamon sugar and butter mixture in a clear bowl.

Then, the crunchy topping that makes these muffins SO good! Simply combine the three topping ingredients and set aside until ready to use.

A Muffin being topped with cinnamon topping.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each about ⅔ full. Then, divide the cinnamon sugar topping between the 24 muffins, about 1 teaspoon each. Bake then cool on a wire rack.

a pan full of muffins fresh out of the oven.

How do you cut and prepare fresh rhubarb?

Before adding rhubarb to any recipe you need to grab it from the rhubarb plant and prepare it. You'll grab the stalks of rhubarb at their base and pull. The root will stay in the ground and the stalk should come out pretty easily. Now you'll clean and cut the rhubarb.

Wash the rhubarb stems with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Cut off the leafy end of the stem and discard it. Trim the bottom of the stems as well.
Cut the rhubarb stems into small chunks, usually ½ an inch to an inch.

A rhubarb muffin with the paper peeled off the edges.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store muffins?

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Can I use frozen rhubarb in muffins?

Yes, you can use frozen rhubarb in muffins. However, it is important to thaw the rhubarb first and drain off any excess liquid before adding it to the muffin batter. This will prevent the muffins from becoming too wet and make sure they bake evenly.

Do Rhubarb Muffins freeze well?

Yes!! My grandma always had rhubarb muffins in the freezer, thought they never lasted long! 🙂 Store in freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.

Alright, who's ready to get baking?!
These Rhubarb Muffins have been a family favorite for years and I'm pumped to have you try them! And if you've got piles and piles of rhubarb (or plenty in the freezer from last rhubarb season), check out more rhubarb recipes here!!

Author:Kelsey

Bursting with tangy rhubarb and topped with a cinnamon topping, these moist and tender Rhubarb Muffins are the perfect way to start the day!

5 from 12 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Course bread, Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings muffins

Calories 170 kcal

Equipment

Oven
muffin tin

Ingredients

Muffins

¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 T vinegar)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¾ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups diced rhubarb

Topping

½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter softened

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and add muffin liners to 24 muffin cups.
In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, egg and vanilla.
Next, add the flour and baking soda and stir until just combined.
Add the rhubarb and stir until well dispersed throughout the batter; set aside.
Next, add the topping ingredients in a small bowl and use a fork to mix until combined.
Fill each muffin cup ⅔ full and top each muffin with about 1 teaspoon topping.
Bake for 18-22 minutes and remove from the muffin tin to cool.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 2.2gFat: 5.8gSaturated Fat: 1.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.3gCholesterol: 9.2mgSodium: 49mgPotassium: 83.5mgFiber: 0.7gSugar: 16.2gVitamin A: 17IUVitamin C: 1.2mgCalcium: 33.2mgIron: 0.3mg

Keyword muffins, rhubarb

Tried this recipe?Follow me at @dancearoundthekitchen.kelsey and let me know how you liked it!