These bakery-style Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins are loaded with sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb, then topped with a crumbly, buttery brown sugar streusel for the perfect finishing touch. They’re easy enough for breakfast on the go, yet special enough for your next brunch.
Recipe Summary
- Texture & Flavor: Tender muffins with a light, fluffy crumb and rich buttery flavor and the perfect sweet-tart balance.
- Simple Pantry Ingredients: Made with everyday staples and fresh fruit—nothing complicated required.
- Great for Make-Ahead: Ideal for busy mornings, meal prep, or serving at brunch gatherings.
- Pro Tips for Success: Drain the fruit well, toss it with flour to prevent sinking, and avoid overmixing to keep the muffins light and tender.
There’s nothing like a grab-and-go breakfast when you’ve got a busy household. That’s where this strawberry rhubarb muffins recipe comes in! It’s perfect for those stressful mornings when there’s no time to cook a full meal.
Plus, the muffins bake up bakery-style, making them great for special occasions like a weekend brunch or family gathering.
If you’re looking for more muffin inspiration, you’ve got to try my Oreo muffins and triple chocolate muffins next!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: Made with pantry staples and fresh fruit, these muffins are easy to whip up without needing to buy anything fancy or hard to find.
- Amazing Flavor & Texture: Sweet strawberries balance the tart rhubarb, while the soft and moist muffins contrast perfectly with the crumbly streusel topping.
- Perfect for Making Ahead: Bake a batch in advance for a quick and easy breakfast throughout the week.
Ingredients
- Fresh Fruit: Strawberries add natural sweetness while rhubarb offers a tart contrast for balance. If you love the combination of strawberry and rhubarb, be sure to check out my strawberry and rhubarb preserves.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens both the fruit and the muffin batter.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure for the muffins and helps coat the fruit to soak up some of its moisture.
- Unsalted Butter: Softened butter adds richness and flavor to the muffins, while melted butter binds the streusel ingredients together and helps create a crisp, crumbly topping.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a slight tang that complements the strawberry and rhubarb flavors.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a caramel-like flavor to the streusel topping.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum for the best texture.
- No Streusel: Skip the streusel and simply top the muffins with a light sprinkle of sugar before baking for a subtle crunch.
- Add Zest: Brighten the strawberry-rhubarb flavor by stirring a bit of lemon or orange zest into the muffin batter.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins
To get started making these strawberry rhubarb muffins with streusel topping, preheat your oven to 375°F. Then, place 12 paper liners into the cups of your muffin pan or lightly grease them if you prefer. Add the chopped strawberries and rhubarb to a bowl, toss with sugar, and set aside.
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar. Add the butter and sugar to a bowl and use an electric hand mixer to cream together until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Add the eggs and buttermilk. Add one of the eggs and mix. Then, add the other egg and mix again. Stir in the buttermilk until the mixture is smooth.
Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a separate bowl and whisk together.
Step 4: Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix to combine.
Step 5: Coat the fruit with flour. Drain the fruit and toss it with flour to coat.
Step 6: Add the fruit. Add the strawberries and rhubarb to the batter and fold to combine.
Step 7: Make the streusel. Add the flour, brown sugar, and salt to a bowl and stir to combine. Stir in the melted butter until coarse crumbs are formed.
Step 8: Fill the muffin cups. Add the batter to each muffin cup, about ¾ of the way full.
Step 9: Top the muffins. Lightly press the streusel mixture onto each muffin.
Step 10: Bake the muffins. Place the muffin pan into the preheated oven and bake for 22-25 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Drain the fruit well: Allowing the fruit to sit with sugar helps draw out excess moisture that you don’t want in your muffin batter. Be sure to drain the fruit well afterward so the batter doesn’t become too wet.
- Don’t skip the flour: Tossing the fruit with a small amount of flour helps keep it evenly distributed throughout the muffins instead of it sinking to the bottom, so be sure not to skip this step.
- Store at room temperature: For the best texture, the muffins should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature, where they will keep for 2-3 days. However, you can refrigerate them for up to 5 days and simply warm them briefly before serving.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve these muffins for a weekend brunch along with traditional orange mimosas and other party favorites like these jalapeno bacon deviled eggs.
- Add even more strawberry flavor by spreading some of this strawberry butter onto your muffin.
- A drizzle of rhubarb syrup enhances the rhubarb flavor, while a bit of banana syrup adds another layer of sweet flavor.
Recipe FAQs
This can happen if you overmix the batter. After adding the dry ingredients, be sure to mix just until everything is combined. Then, gently fold in the fruit. Overmixing can cause too much gluten to develop, resulting in a dense and heavy texture.
If you press the streusel too firmly onto the muffins, it may cause it to sink. The streusel mixture should sit loosely on the surface so it can bake into a crumbly topping instead of becoming absorbed into the muffin. Be sure to use a very light touch, just enough to help it stick without pushing it down.
Yes, however, if you’d like to freeze them, it’s best to do so without the streusel topping since it can lose its crisp texture after thawing. To freeze, wrap the muffins tightly and store for up to 2 months, and warm them in the oven before serving.
More Delicious Strawberry Recipes
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card right below! You can also write a review in the comment section further down the page I always appreciate your feedback. And don’t forget to tag me @freshcoasteats in your photos on social media, I'd love to see your results!
Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins with Streusel Topping
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
- 1 cup diced rhubarb
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar for fruit
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour for coating fruit
- 1 stick ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Streusel Topping:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease each cup.
- In a small bowl, toss the strawberries and rhubarb with 1 tablespoon of sugar and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess juice.
- Drain the fruit well, discarding the syrup, then gently toss the fruit with 1 tablespoon of flour to help suspend it in the batter.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and ½ cup sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then pour in the buttermilk and stir until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Gently fold the floured strawberries and rhubarb into the batter, being careful not to overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- In a small bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, and salt for the streusel topping, then mix in the melted butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle the streusel evenly over each muffin, pressing lightly to help it adhere.
- Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Notes
- Avoid overmixing the batter so the muffins bake up light and tender, rather than dense and heavy.
- Don’t push down too hard on the streusel or it will sink into the muffins during baking.
- Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Enjoy them warm or at room temperature.