Tasty Blueberry Rhubarb Muffins

Spring baking season is my favorite time of year. When the first rhubarb stalks pop up at the farmers market, I know it’s time to start turning on my oven again. There’s something about the tart rhubarb paired with sweet blueberries that just works. These muffins have become my go-to for weekend breakfast.

The best part? That crumbly topping. I’m talking about a cinnamon-sugar streusel that gets all crispy and golden on top. It’s the kind of thing that makes you reach for a second muffin even when you’re full. Plus, these freeze really well, so I usually make a double batch and stash some away for busy mornings.

Whether you’re new to baking with rhubarb or you’ve been making rhubarb pies since you were a kid, these muffins are easy enough for a Tuesday morning. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool down before you dig in.

SAVE NOW

What Kind of Rhubarb Should I Use?

Fresh rhubarb is always your best bet for these muffins, and you’ll find it in grocery stores during spring and early summer. The color of the stalks doesn’t really matter – both red and green rhubarb will taste the same, though the red ones do add a prettier pink color to your baked goods. Make sure to trim off any leaves if they’re still attached, as those aren’t edible, and cut your rhubarb into small pieces about the size of a blueberry so they distribute evenly throughout the muffins. If fresh rhubarb isn’t available, frozen works just fine – just don’t thaw it before adding it to your batter, or you’ll end up with extra moisture that can make your muffins soggy.

SAVE NOW

Options for Substitutions

These muffins are pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Yogurt: If you don’t have yogurt, sour cream works perfectly as a 1:1 swap. You can also use buttermilk, though you might want to reduce it slightly to 2/3 cup since it’s thinner.
• Rhubarb: Fresh rhubarb is best here, but frozen works too – just thaw it first and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. You can also swap it with chopped strawberries or raspberries for a different flavor.
• Blueberries: Fresh or frozen blueberries both work great. If using frozen, don’t thaw them first – toss them in frozen to prevent the batter from turning purple. Blackberries or chopped strawberries make good alternatives too.
• Butter: You can substitute the butter with vegetable oil (use 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon for the 1/2 cup butter), though the muffins will have a slightly different texture. For the crumb topping, butter is pretty important for that crumbly texture, so try to stick with it there.
• Brown sugar: Regular white sugar works fine in the topping if that’s all you have. You’ll lose a bit of that molasses flavor, but the muffins will still taste good.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with blueberry rhubarb muffins is overmixing the batter once you add the flour, which creates tough, dense muffins instead of light and fluffy ones – stir just until the dry ingredients are barely combined, even if you see a few lumps.

Fresh rhubarb releases a lot of moisture during baking, so make sure to cut it into small, uniform pieces (about 1/2 inch) and toss both the rhubarb and blueberries with a tablespoon of flour before folding them in, which helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom.

Don’t skip letting the melted butter cool before adding it to your wet ingredients, as hot butter can scramble the eggs and affect the texture of your muffins.

Finally, resist the urge to open the oven door during the first 12 minutes of baking – the temperature drop can cause your muffins to collapse and lose their nice dome shape.

SAVE NOW

What to Serve With Blueberry Rhubarb Muffins?

These muffins are perfect for breakfast or brunch alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea. I love serving them with a simple fruit salad made with strawberries, melon, and grapes to keep the morning feeling fresh and light. They also pair nicely with scrambled eggs and crispy bacon if you’re making a bigger breakfast spread. For an afternoon snack, try them with a glass of cold milk or lemonade, and don’t be afraid to slather on some butter while they’re still warm from the oven.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your blueberry rhubarb muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for about a week. I find they stay nice and moist when stored properly, making them perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts throughout the week.

Freeze: These muffins freeze really well for up to 3 months. Just let them cool completely, then wrap each one individually in plastic wrap before placing them all in a freezer bag. This way you can pull out just one or two whenever you need them.

Thaw: To enjoy a frozen muffin, simply leave it on the counter for about an hour to thaw at room temperature. If you’re in a hurry, pop it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. I love warming mine up slightly so the crumb topping gets a little crispy again.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2500-2700
• Protein: 35-40 g
• Fat: 110-120 g
• Carbohydrates: 360-380 g

Ingredients

For the muffin batter:

• 1/2 cup butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup yogurt (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup rhubarb (sliced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 cup blueberries

For the topping:

• 5 tbsp butter (melted and cooled to room temperature)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (I use Domino light brown sugar)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Preheat

• 1 cup rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup blueberries, rinsed
• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Heat your oven to 400°F and prepare a muffin tin by greasing it or inserting liners.

While the oven preheats, slice the rhubarb into 1/2-inch pieces, rinse the blueberries, and set both aside separately.

Measure out all your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) into one bowl and set aside—this mise en place approach ensures you won’t miss anything once you start mixing.

Step 2: Create the Wet Ingredient Base

• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup yogurt
• 2 eggs

Melt the 1/2 cup butter and let it cool to room temperature (about 2-3 minutes).

In a large bowl, whisk together the cooled melted butter, sugar, room-temperature yogurt, and eggs until well combined and slightly fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.

I like to use high-quality butter like Kerrygold because it gives the muffins a richer, more tender crumb—it really makes a difference.

Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

• wet ingredient mixture from Step 2
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 1

Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 to the wet ingredients from Step 2, folding gently with a spatula until just combined.

Don’t overmix—a few small lumps are okay and will result in more tender muffins.

Stop mixing as soon as you don’t see streaks of flour.

Step 4: Fold in Fruit and Fill Muffin Cups

• batter from Step 3
• rhubarb from Step 1
• blueberries from Step 1

Gently fold the sliced rhubarb and blueberries from Step 1 into the batter, being careful not to crush the berries.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.

Reserve a few pieces of rhubarb and some blueberries to place on top of each muffin before the topping.

Step 5: Prepare and Apply the Crumb Topping

• 5 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• reserved rhubarb pieces and blueberries from Step 4

While the muffin cups are being filled, mix together the 5 tablespoons melted and cooled butter, brown sugar, 3/4 cup flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle this topping evenly over each muffin, then gently press a few reserved rhubarb pieces and blueberries into the top of each muffin for a beautiful finish.

Step 6: Bake Until Golden Brown

Place the muffin tin in the preheated 400°F oven and bake for 14-18 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

I like to rotate the pan halfway through baking to ensure even browning, especially if your oven has hot spots.

Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool in the tin for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Tasty Blueberry Rhubarb Muffins

Delicious Tasty Blueberry Rhubarb Muffins recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 42 minutes mins

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 2600 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the muffin batter::

• 1/2 cup butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup yogurt (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup rhubarb (sliced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 cup blueberries

For the topping::

• 5 tbsp butter (melted and cooled to room temperature)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (I use Domino light brown sugar)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

 

• Heat your oven to 400°F and prepare a muffin tin by greasing it or inserting liners. While the oven preheats, slice the rhubarb into 1/2-inch pieces, rinse the blueberries, and set both aside separately. Measure out all your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) into one bowl and set aside—this mise en place approach ensures you won't miss anything once you start mixing.
• Melt the 1/2 cup butter and let it cool to room temperature (about 2-3 minutes). In a large bowl, whisk together the cooled melted butter, sugar, room-temperature yogurt, and eggs until well combined and slightly fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. I like to use high-quality butter like Kerrygold because it gives the muffins a richer, more tender crumb—it really makes a difference.
• Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 to the wet ingredients from Step 2, folding gently with a spatula until just combined. Don't overmix—a few small lumps are okay and will result in more tender muffins. Stop mixing as soon as you don't see streaks of flour.
• Gently fold the sliced rhubarb and blueberries from Step 1 into the batter, being careful not to crush the berries. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Reserve a few pieces of rhubarb and some blueberries to place on top of each muffin before the topping.
• While the muffin cups are being filled, mix together the 5 tablespoons melted and cooled butter, brown sugar, 3/4 cup flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Sprinkle this topping evenly over each muffin, then gently press a few reserved rhubarb pieces and blueberries into the top of each muffin for a beautiful finish.
• Place the muffin tin in the preheated 400°F oven and bake for 14-18 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. I like to rotate the pan halfway through baking to ensure even browning, especially if your oven has hot spots. Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool in the tin for 3-5 minutes before serving.