RUSTIC STRAWBERRY RHUBARB MUFFINS
There’s just something special about the combination of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb—especially when they’re tucked inside a soft, fluffy muffin and topped with a buttery brown sugar streusel. These muffins are perfect for slow mornings, family brunches, or a little something sweet in the afternoon. They’re simple, seasonal, and made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
Makes 8-10 muffins
INGREDIENTS:
Muffins:
2 cups flour, spooned and levelled to avoid packed flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup white sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Zest from one lemon
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2/3 cup fresh strawberries, chopped into 1/2" pieces
2/3 cup fresh rhubarb, chopped into 1/2" pieces
Streusel:
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pinch salt
2 tbsp cold butter
Optional topping:
Coarse sugar
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line muffin tins with paper liners, leaving every other cup empty to help the muffins rise tall and evenly.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour (spooned in and leveled), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer, beat the softened butter and white sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Then mix in the vanilla and sour cream until combined.
5. Add the lemon zest, chopped strawberries and rhubarb to a bowl and gently stir 1/4 cup of the flour mixture into them.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the flour coated lemon zest, chopped strawberries and rhubarb with a spatula.
7. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes. This helps the flour absorb the liquid and creates taller, fluffier muffins.
8. While the batter rests, prepare the streusel. In a small bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Add the cold butter and use your fingers to rub it in until crumbly with pea-sized pieces.
9. Fill each prepared muffin cup to the top with batter, skipping every other one in the pan for better heat circulation and rise.
10. Sprinkle the streusel generously over the tops of the muffins.
11. Bake at 425°F for 5–7 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F (don’t open the oven door). Bake for another 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the tops start to brown too much, lay a piece of foil loosely over them for the last few minutes.
12. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.