MuffinsAmericanEasy

Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

Name: Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 2½ tsp (12 g) baking powder; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 2 large eggs, room temperature; ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk; 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; 1½ cups (225 g) fresh strawberries, hulled and halved; 1 cup (120 g) fresh rhubarb, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces; 2 tbsp (20 g) brown sugar (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

These tender, fruit-studded muffins combine the bright tartness of fresh rhubarb with the sweetness of ripe strawberries. The batter comes together quickly with simple pantry ingredients, and the light crumb works beautifully with chunks of fresh fruit. Serve warm or at room temperature for breakfast, brunch, or a casual snack.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: 12 muffins

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
Use room-temperature eggs for better mixing and rise
Pat strawberries and rhubarb dry with paper towels to prevent excess moisture in the batter
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups

1
Preheat and prepareOven 375°F / 190°C
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each cup with nonstick spray.
- Pat the strawberry halves and rhubarb pieces dry with paper towels—this removes excess moisture that would make the batter too wet.
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Tip: Dry fruit prevents excess liquid that would prevent proper rising and create dense muffins.
2
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Whisk for about 1 minute to ensure the baking powder is evenly distributed and there are no lumps.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniform in color with no visible lumps
3
Combine wet ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the room-temperature eggs for about 30 seconds until lightly frothy.
- Add the buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk until smooth and combined, about 1 minute.
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Ready when: Wet mixture is smooth with no streaks of egg white
Tip: Make sure the melted butter has cooled slightly so it doesn't cook the eggs.
4
Fold batters together
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold gently until just combined.
- The batter should look lumpy and rough with a few visible flour streaks—this is correct.
- Stop folding while the batter is still slightly undermixed; overmixing develops gluten and leads to tough, dense muffins.
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Ready when: Batter is lumpy with minimal flour streaks visible
Tip: Resist the urge to mix until smooth. Lumpy batter makes tender muffins; smooth batter makes tough ones.
5
Add fruit to batter
- Gently fold the halved strawberries and diced rhubarb into the batter using a spatula, working carefully so the fruit pieces stay intact instead of breaking apart and releasing juice.
- The fruit should be evenly scattered throughout.
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Ready when: Strawberries and rhubarb are evenly distributed throughout the batter
Tip: Fold in the fruit as the last step, after you've combined the wet and dry batters. This protects the delicate fruit pieces.
6
Fill muffin cups
- Using an ice cream scoop or ¼-cup measure, divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- If using the optional topping, sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of brown sugar over each muffin.
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Ready when: All 12 cups are filled to the same level
Tip: An ice cream scoop ensures even distribution and speed. Fill any half-empty cups with water to ensure even baking.
7
Bake until goldenOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven.
- Bake for 22–25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (fruit pieces are fine—they won't be "clean").
- The muffin tops should be golden brown and spring back lightly when gently pressed.
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Ready when: Toothpick comes out clean or with just moist crumbs; tops are golden and spring back when lightly pressed
Tip: Start checking at 20 minutes if your oven tends to run hot. Don't overbake or the muffins will be dry.
8
Cool and serve
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes—they'll firm up and release from the cups more easily.
- Transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely, or serve warm if you prefer.
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Ready when: Muffins are cool enough to handle or have reached desired serving temperature
Tip: Warm muffins are tender and delicious but crumbly. Cooling completely makes them easier to handle.

Good to know

Tips

Toss the halved strawberries and diced rhubarb in a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter. This helps them stay suspended throughout instead of sinking to the bottom.
Rhubarb is naturally quite tart—if yours is especially sour, increase the sugar by 2 tablespoons for noticeably sweeter muffins.
For a crispier, sparkly top, brush the warm baked muffins lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar (sanding sugar) right after they come out of the oven.
Make sure to use fresh, firm rhubarb. Old, mushy rhubarb will release too much liquid and make the batter wet.

Make ahead

Prepare the muffin batter up to 2 hours ahead: cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Baked muffins keep well and are best fresh but can be made 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: Store in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to 2 days. Refrigerator: Up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: Up to 3 months in a freezer bag or airtight container. Reheat from frozen in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 12–15 minutes until warmed through.

Substitutions

fresh rhubarb → Diced apple or pear. Use the same weight. Apples and pears are sweeter and less tart than rhubarb, so you may want to reduce the sugar by 2 tablespoons if you prefer less sweetness.
fresh strawberries → Blueberries or raspberries. Use the same weight. Raspberries are delicate, so fold them in gently at the very end to keep them intact.
buttermilk → Milk mixed with lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir 3/4 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes before using. This mimics buttermilk's tang and helps the muffins rise.
all-purpose flour → Whole wheat pastry flour (for up to half the flour). Replace up to 1 cup of all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier flavor and added fiber. You may need a splash more liquid (1–2 tablespoons buttermilk) since whole wheat absorbs more moisture.