Strawberry rhubarb muffins

Save this

It’s rhubarb season – and strawberry too. Combine these two pretty fruits and bake up a batch of these kid-pleasing Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins with Streusel Topping this weekend.

Strawberry rhubarb muffins with streusel

This new recipe holds a special place in my heart as it reminds me of our neighbor’s garden when I was a small child in Northern Ontario.

Ingrid and Eric were a German couple with a fantastic vegetable garden. I loved the sweet, fresh strawberries and tangy rhubarb stalks they grew – and all the baked goods Ingrid would make. 

Mixing these flavors creates the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavor, which sets this recipe apart from other muffin recipes. The cinnamon and sweet strawberries offset the tartness of the rhubarb. And by the way, if you like this flavor combo you’ll also love this strawberry rhubarb coffee cake recipe.

Not only do the berries and tart rhubarb give these delicious strawberry rhubarb muffins a delightful taste, but they also add a great texture. These moist muffins are soft and fluffy with a crunchy streusel topping that adds a delicious contrast of textures.

How to make strawberry rhubarb muffins

I can’t wait for you to try this simple muffin recipe with basic ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.

Want a printable version of this recipe? Scroll down to the bottom! ⬇️

Ingredients you’ll need

Don’t let this long ingredient list scare you! These are the best muffins.

Dry Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

1 large egg

3/4 cup buttermilk (make soured milk by adding 1 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar)

1/4 cup canola oil or other vegetable oil

1 cup chopped fresh strawberries or frozen strawberries that have been thawed

1 cup chopped rhubarb (fresh) or frozen rhubarb that has been thawed

1 teaspoon lemon zest

​Ingredients for Streusel Topping

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Directions for muffins

The steps for this strawberry rhubarb muffin recipe are easy to follow, and I’ve included some helpful tips and tricks to ensure your muffins come out perfectly every time.

Mix flour with the rest of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 

In a medium bowl, combine the egg, buttermilk and cooking oil.  Mix it well, then add it to the dry mixture in the large bowl.

Add 1 cup of fresh rhubarb (or thawed frozen rhubarb) and the strawberries to the mixture and stir until moist. Let the muffin batter rest in the bowl for 20 minutes.

Set your oven temp at 375F.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners or parchment paper liners. Use a 12-muffin pan and fill each spot 3/4 full.

Directions for streusel topping

Mix the second amount of brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix until it has the consistency of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle this on top of each muffin.

Bake muffins in 375F oven for about 20 minutes. Let the baked muffins stand in the muffin tins for five minutes before cooling on a wire rack. The top of the muffins should be crumbly.

Enjoy!

Strawberry rhubarb muffin recipe FAQs

​Can I change the amount of rhubarb or strawberries?

Yes, as long as the total is 2 cups of fruit mixture. So if you have less than a cup of rhubarb, add extra strawberries. Or forget about the berries completely and use 2 cups of rhubarb for cinnamon rhubarb muffins instead. 

This is a great recipe for using up leftover strawberries or rhubarb.

How do I store these delicious muffins?

So I discovered (the hard way) that these muffins are too moist to store with plastic wrap or an airtight container for several days. Instead, wrap them in foil, then plastic, and freeze them. If, however, you plan to eat them all within 48 hours, try an eco-friendly storage container.

Do I have to use buttermilk?

No, but the texture will be heavier if you use a cup of milk instead. This is a great muffin to make with plain greek yogurt though.

Can I use melted butter instead of oil?

I did this once when we were out of oil. The muffins were tasty but very crumbly!

Like this recipe? Pin it for later!

Save this