These bakery-style jumbo muffins are the best strawberry rhubarb muffins—packed with strawberries, rhubarb and two layers of streusel. Dense, filling and utterly delightful.
Please note this post was originally published in 2017. The photos and text have been updated, but the recipe is unchanged.
If you read my recent 10 Thoughts post, you might have guessed a strawberry-rhubarb creation was coming—here it is. Meet my favorite summer muffin: Double Streusel Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins. Yes—double streusel. A streusel topping is wonderful, but streusel both in the middle and on top turns these into a truly indulgent treat.
I have a soft spot for streusel. If you haven’t yet tried my strawberry streusel baked oatmeal, it’s worth a look for another streusel-forward breakfast.
These muffins come from our backyard rhubarb plant. When we moved into the house years ago, the garden already had a dependable rhubarb plant that returns every spring with generous stalks. I give a lot away to neighbors and family, but I also chop and freeze plenty so I can bake with rhubarb through the winter. Learning to vacuum-seal frozen rhubarb helped keep it fresh and made these muffins a year-round option.
Do you have to make these muffins in a jumbo muffin tin?
I prefer baking these in a 6-count jumbo muffin tin—more room for streusel and a satisfying, bakery-style result. The muffins bake up dense, moist and filling with a pleasant balance of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb. The streusel in the center feels like a hidden little treasure.
You can use a standard muffin tin, but note the middle streusel won’t fit as well. If you use regular-sized tins, consider putting all the streusel on top. For standard tins reduce the baking time to about 12–13 minutes and check doneness with a toothpick.
How do you make strawberry rhubarb muffins?
The muffins begin by simmering chopped rhubarb on the stove until it softens and starts to break down. Brown sugar and melted butter are stirred in—this butter helps create the dense, wholesome texture that makes these muffins so satisfying for breakfast on the go. Once the rhubarb mixture has cooled slightly, it’s combined with egg, milk and vanilla, then mixed into the dry ingredients. Fresh or frozen diced strawberries are folded in at the end.
To assemble: add about 1/4 cup batter to each greased jumbo muffin cavity, then sprinkle 1–2 tablespoons of streusel on top of that layer. Divide the remaining batter among the cups, then finish with another sprinkling of streusel. I bake these at a high temperature (425°F) so they puff up nicely; they take about 17–18 minutes. Let them cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
I love these warm with a pat of butter. They’re hard to stop eating, so be warned—these are not diet muffins, but they are absolutely worth it for a special breakfast or snack.
If you have rhubarb to use, I highly recommend giving these a try.
Other muffins to try:
- Nutella muffins
- Lemon glazed muffins
- Blackberry-peach streusel muffins
- Blueberry lime muffins
Double Streusel Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins
4.8 from 4 reviews
- Katherine
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 jumbo muffins
Description
Bakery-style jumbo muffins packed with strawberries, rhubarb and two layers of streusel—dense, filling and delicious.
Ingredients
Muffins
- 2 cups chopped rhubarb*
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup milk*
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup strawberries, diced*
Streusel
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans*
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp butter, cubed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and spray a 6-count jumbo muffin tin with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the rhubarb, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar and the melted butter. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes. Add the beaten egg, milk and vanilla. Set aside.
- Prepare the streusel: in a bowl combine chopped pecans, the remaining brown sugar, cinnamon and flour. Cut in cubed butter until the mixture is coarse and pea-like. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, the remaining brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry with a spatula until just combined. Fold in diced strawberries.
- Divide batter: place about 1/4 cup batter in the bottom of each muffin cavity, top with 1.5 tbsp streusel, then cover with the remaining batter divided equally. Finish with the remaining streusel on top.
- Bake 17–18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool at least 10 minutes in the pan, then loosen edges with a knife and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Muffins keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days. Freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
Notes
- If using frozen rhubarb, measure 2 cups frozen; do not thaw before simmering.
- Any milk works, including non-dairy. The author used 1%.
- If using frozen diced strawberries, do not thaw first.
- Pecans may be substituted with slivered almonds or another nut.
- For standard-size muffins, use 2 tbsp batter in the bottom of each tin and bake at 375°F for 12–14 minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: muffins
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: spring
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Do you love streusel as much as I do? Have you tried my strawberry streusel baked oatmeal yet?
