These old-fashioned rhubarb muffins are the perfect mix of tart and sweet, with a tender crumb and cozy cinnamon topping.
They’re just the kind of recipe you’d pull from Grandma’s recipe tin—simple, hearty, and made with what you have on hand. The cinnamon crumble and extra rhubarb on top take these over the edge. If you love using up garden rhubarb, don’t miss my zesty pickled rainbow swiss chard, homemade rhubarb lemonade, or soft & fluffy rhubarb pancakes too.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Looking for more old-fashioned bakes? You’ll also love my cast iron skillet western frittata, sourdough discard strawberry muffins, and farmhouse baked BBQ ribs for more cozy, from-scratch inspiration.
Ingredients
Recipe Tips
Use room temperature butter and egg: This helps everything mix more evenly and gives the muffins a lighter texture.
Don’t skip the sour milk: The acidity reacts with the baking soda, helping the muffins rise and stay soft. You can make sour milk by adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 5–10 minutes.
Chop rhubarb into small, even pieces: This ensures the tart flavor is spread evenly throughout and that the chunks soften during baking.
Don’t overmix the batter: Stir just until the flour disappears—overmixing leads to tough, dense muffins.
Make the crumble topping just before baking: Keep the butter cold while mixing the topping so it holds its shape and doesn’t melt too quickly in the oven.
Fill muffin cups about ¾ full: This gives the muffins room to rise without overflowing.
Add extra rhubarb on top for visual appeal: That little sprinkle of chopped rhubarb on top gives them a rustic farmhouse look and an extra pop of flavor.
Cool before storing: Let the muffins cool completely before storing to prevent sogginess.
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Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line or grease a muffin tin.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat softened butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, then stir in the sour milk and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine and fold in rhubarb: Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Gently fold in 1½ cups of chopped rhubarb.
- Scoop into muffin tin: Divide the batter evenly between muffin cups, filling about ¾ full.
- Make the cinnamon crumble: In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter using your fingers or a fork until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Top and bake: Sprinkle the crumble topping over each muffin. Add a few pieces of the reserved chopped rhubarb on top. Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and enjoy: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
FAQ
Recipe Variations
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Similar Recipes
Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Muffins
Equipment
- Mixing bowls: For combining wet and dry ingredients.
- Muffin tin: Standard 12-cup muffin pan.
- Hand mixer or stand mixer: To cream butter and sugar.
- Pastry cutter or fork: For mixing the crumble topping.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup sour milk or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups chopped rhubarb plus extra for topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp cold butter cubed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F: Line or grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, then stir in the sour milk and vanilla extract until everything is well combined.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine the wet and dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the rhubarb: Gently fold in 1½ cups of chopped rhubarb until evenly distributed.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin tin: Fill each muffin cup about ¾ full with batter.
- Make the cinnamon crumble topping: In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold, cubed butter using your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Top the muffins: Sprinkle the crumble evenly over each muffin, then add a few extra pieces of chopped rhubarb to the tops.
- Bake until golden and set: Place in the oven and bake for 22–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool before serving: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
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