Rhubarb streusel muffins—A sweet day-starter

Rhubarb Muffins

Rhubarb streusel muffins, June 2011

Spring is the time of year when low-maintenance, perennial rhubarb pops up in yards everywhere. Before the fleeting season is over, why not pick, purchase or beg some and bake up a batch of muffins?

This fussy but rewarding recipe is based on a Martha Stewart column I clipped from a newspaper years ago. Since then I’ve enjoyed the sweet, rich, crumbly muffins often for breakfast or brunch. The muffins are great made with other fresh fruits as well, such as berries or peaches. They contain a generous amount of butter, so they’re rich on their own without added butter at the table.

Rhubarb Streusel Muffins
4.0 from 1 reviews
Print
Recipe type: Bread
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 18
You can substitute a gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour. Use a blend such as Namaste that contains xanthan gum, which serves as a binder in lieu of gluten. The muffins might not rise as high as with wheat flour, but they’ll still have good texture.
Ingredients
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, or gluten-free flour blend containing xanthan gum
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/4 cups sliced rhubarb or other fresh fruit such as blueberries, raspberries, quartered or chopped strawberries or chopped, peeled peaches
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter or oil pans or line with muffin cups for 18 standard sized muffins.
  2. Make streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine first five ingredients, mixing with fingers until moist and crumbly.
  3. In a medium bowl whisk together 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
  4. In another medium bowl stir together 1 1/4 sticks melted butter, vanilla, 2/3 cup sugar and milk. Add egg and whisk to combine well. With a spatula, gently fold liquid mixture and fruit into dry ingredients until just moistened, about 10 strokes.
  5. Spoon about 3 tablespoons mixture into muffin tins, dividing equally for 18 muffins. Lightly press 1 1/2 tablespoons streusel topping onto each muffin. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until golden. Allow muffins to cool slightly before removing from pan.
Serving size: 1 muffin. Calories: 204; Fat: 10g; Saturated fat: 6g; Carbohydrates: 26g; Sugar: 12g; Fiber: 1g Protein: 2g;
Note
(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's "The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics,” Clarkson Potter, 2007.)

 

Shared at Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free and Gluten-Free Wednesdays at The Gluten-Free Homemaker.


2 Responses to “Rhubarb streusel muffins—A sweet day-starter”

  1. Katiemac says:

    Made these early this morning since I was expecting company to stop by for coffee. I ate one while still quite warm and was pleasantly surprised by the texture and taste. I should mention I don’t care much for muffins. I would like to point out that the recipe as written neglects to say at what point the fruit should be added. I used regular flour rather than gluten free.

    • Eileen Beran says:

      I’m happy you like them, and thanks for letting me know about the omission, which is changed now to show that fruit should be added with the liquid ingredients. I hope your guests enjoy the muffins too!


Leave a Comment

Rate this recipe: