Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins with Lemon Streusel Topping

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Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins with Lemon Streusel Topping

My bakery-style Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins with Lemon Streusel Topping are tender, sweet and a perfect springtime bake when both sweet strawberries and rhubarb are in season. This is a very straightforward recipe that doesn’t need any special equipment. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, afternoon coffee, or even dessert.

Prep Time20

Cook Time23

Chill Time30

Total Time1 13

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Seasonal

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Muffins

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $15

Equipment

Muffin tin

Ingredients

For the Lemon Streusel Topping

3 tbsp Sugar - 38 grams
1 tsp Lemon zest
½ cup All-purpose flour - 63 grams
3 tbsp Unsalted butter (melted) - 42 grams

For the Muffins

¾ cup Sugar - 150 grams
1 tbsp Lemon zest - 4 grams
1⅔ cups All-purpose flour - 208 grams
2 tsp Baking powder
½ tsp Baking soda
½ tsp Kosher salt
2 Large eggs - 100 grams
7 tbsp Unsalted butter (melted & cooled slightly) - 99 grams
6 tbsp Milk - 85 grams
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Vanilla extract
¾ cup Fresh rhubarb (diced)
¾ cup Fresh strawberries (diced)

Instructions

Make Crunchy Streusel Topping. Make the lemon streusel by rubbing 1 tsp Lemon zest into 3 tbsp Sugar with your fingertips in a small bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir in ½ cup All-purpose flour, then 3 tbsp Unsalted butter (melted) until you have coarse crumbs. Refrigerate while you prepare the muffin batter.
Prepare the Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, rub 1 tbsp Lemon zest into ¾ cup Sugar until fragrant. Add 1⅔ cups All-purpose flour, 2 tsp Baking powder, ½ tsp Baking soda, and ½ tsp Kosher salt, then whisk to combine.
Prepare the Wet Mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk 2 Large eggs until frothy. Add 7 tbsp Unsalted butter (melted & cooled slightly), 6 tbsp Milk, 1 tbsp Lemon juice, and 1 tsp Vanilla extract, then whisk until smooth.
Mix. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together about 10 times. The batter should still look slightly streaky.
Add Fruit. Fold in ¾ cup Fresh rhubarb (diced) and ¾ cup Fresh strawberries (diced) with just a few additional folds until evenly distributed. Be careful not to overmix.
Chill. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the batter for 15 to 30 minutes. This short rest helps hydrate the flour and encourages taller muffin tops.
Preheat the Oven. While the batter chills, preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
Prep the Muffin Tin. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Scoop the batter into the muffin cups, filling them almost to the top. Sprinkle the top of each muffin generously with the chilled lemon streusel.
Bake. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) without opening the oven door. Continue baking for another 13 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched.
Cool. Let the baked muffins cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Refer to the post above if you need step-by-step recipe photos.

Key Ingredient Notes:

Fresh Rhubarb: I recommend using in-season fresh rhubarb for this recipe. But you can also use frozen. Just make sure to drain it as it thaws to remove excess moisture, which could make the muffins soggy.
Fresh Strawberries: Strawberries and rhubarb are a match made in springtime heaven. They are both in season at the same time, so it kind of makes sense. In a pinch, frozen berries can be substituted but may slightly increase baking time.
Butter: I’m using unsalted butter in this recipe, but you can use salted if that’s what you have. I would just omit any additional salt from the recipe if using salted butter.
Sugar: I recommend using standard white sugar here. It’s easier to rub the lemon zest into it. Streusel topping is usually made with brown sugar, but I think the flavor of brown sugar will not work well with the tartness of the rhubarb.

Tips for Success:

Refrigerating the batter before baking helps produce taller, bakery-style muffin tops.
Rub the lemon zest directly into the sugar instead of simply stirring it in. This releases the essential oils and gives the muffins much more lemon flavor.
Beat the eggs until frothy before mixing in the remaining wet ingredients. This incorporates extra air for a lighter crumb.
Fold the batter gently and stop mixing as soon as no large streaks of flour remain. Overmixing develops gluten and can lead to dense muffins.
Dice both the strawberries and rhubarb into small, even pieces so they distribute evenly throughout each muffin and bake consistently.

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