Every Spring, Like Clockwork, I Find Myself Staring At A Bunch Of Fresh Rhubarb And Thinking—Yep, It’s Muffin Time. And Not Just Any Muffins—These Best Ever Rhubarb Muffins.
They’re The Perfect Mix Of Sweet And Tart, Soft And Crunchy, And They’ve Officially Become A Family Favorite In My Kitchen.
If You’ve Been Looking For A Simple Rhubarb Muffins Recipe That’s Packed With Flavor And Doesn’t Require Any Fancy Tools Or Steps, This Is It.
Whether You’re Baking For Brunch, Snacking In The Afternoon, Or Just Using Up Your Garden Stash, These Muffins Never Disappoint.
Is Rhubarb a Fruit or a Vegetable?
Rhubarb is actually a vegetable, even though it’s often treated like a fruit in cooking and baking!
Botanically, it’s a vegetable because it comes from the stalk of the plant (like celery), but in the kitchen, especially in pies, crumbles, and cakes, it’s used like a fruit because of its tart flavor and how well it pairs with sugar.
How to Make the Best Ever Rhubarb Muffins?
Recipe Overview
1. Prep Time: 15 minutes
2. Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
3. Total Time: 40 minutes
4. Cuisine: American
5. Course: Breakfast, Snack
6. Difficulty: Easy
7. Yield: 12 muffins
8. Calories: Approx. 270 per muffin
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Muffin pan (12-cup)
- Muffin liners or non-stick spray
- Whisk
- Spatula or spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small bowl (for the streusel)
Ingredients
For the Rhubarb Muffins:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups diced rhubarb
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
For the Streusel Topping:
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Ingredient Notes
1. Rhubarb: Fresh rhubarb works best—dice it small so it cooks evenly. If using frozen, thaw and drain before adding.
2. Brown sugar: Adds a deeper sweetness and helps the muffins stay moist.
3. Buttermilk: Keeps the crumb soft and adds a little tang. You can sub with 1 cup of milk + 1 tbsp of lemon juice.
4. Vegetable oil: Keeps the muffins moist longer than butter would.
5. Walnuts: Add a lovely crunch, but feel free to skip or sub with pecans or almonds.
6. Vanilla: Rounds out the flavor—don’t skip it!
Direction
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line your muffin tin or lightly grease it.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Combine wet ingredients: In another bowl, mix the brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Bring it all together: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined—don’t overmix!
5. Fold in rhubarb and walnuts: Gently stir until evenly distributed.
6. Scoop into muffin tin: Fill each cup about ¾ full.
7. Make the streusel: In a small bowl, stir the sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon together until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the muffins.
8. Bake: Pop them in the oven for 20–25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Cool: Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Nutrition Facts
1. Calories: 270
2. Fat: 12g
3. Carbs: 36g
4. Sugar: 18g
5. Protein: 4g
6. Fiber: 2g
FAQs
Can I Use Frozen Rhubarb?
Yes, just thaw it completely and drain off the excess liquid before adding it to the batter.
Can I Make These Without Nuts?
Absolutely. You can skip the walnuts and they’ll still turn out great.
Why Is My Rhubarb Muffin Batter Thick?
It’s meant to be a bit thick—this helps hold the fruit evenly. Just don’t overmix.
Do I Need To Peel Rhubarb?
Nope! Just give it a good rinse and trim off the ends.
Can I Double The Recipe?
Yes! Just make sure to mix gently and don’t crowd the muffin pan.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve got rhubarb on hand and want a no-fuss treat guaranteed to disappear fast, these Best Ever Rhubarb Muffins are the way to go.
They’re simple, cozy, and full of that sweet-tart flavor I can’t get enough of.
Give them a try and let me know how they turn out Drop a comment below or tag me if you bake them. Happy muffin-making!
Rhubarb Muffins
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Muffin pan (12-cup)
- Muffin liners or non-stick spray
- Whisk
- Spatula or spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small bowl (for the streusel)
Ingredients
For the Rhubarb Muffins:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups diced rhubarb
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
For the Streusel Topping:
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- v1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line your muffin tin or lightly grease it.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine wet ingredients: In another bowl, mix the brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
- Bring it all together: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined—don’t overmix!
- Fold in rhubarb and walnuts: Gently stir until evenly distributed.
- Scoop into muffin tin: Fill each cup about ¾ full.
- Make the streusel: In a small bowl, stir sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon together until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over muffins.
- Bake: Pop them in the oven for 20–25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
