Gluten Free Rhubarb Muffins | The Rustic Foodie® (2024)

Dated: April 30, 2021 Last Modified: January 12, 2024 This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

These homemade Gluten Free Rhubarb Muffins are moist and easy to make! This recipe is made with sour cream and a layer of cinnamon streusel.

These Rhubarb Muffins are made with sour cream and butter so they're super moist and perfectly sweetened with a layer of cinnamon streusel.

For a long time I was not a fan of rhubarb and would kind of cringe anytime someone pulled out a rhubarb dessert to serve but all of that has changed in recent years.

For someone who has been on the fence about this stuff I literally could not stop eating this batch of muffins.

My husband and I drove around our small town in search of folks to share them with so that we would not eat the entire batch ourselves.

If you're on the fence about rhubarb I'm pretty sure this recipe will tip you over the top!

What Is Rhubarb?

Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable that grows in patches. The plant consists of a long stalk (that looks similar to celery) and bushy leaves at the top.

The only part of the plant that is edible are the stalks. The leaves contain oxalic acid and are poisonous so it's important to remove them if you are using fresh rhubarb!

The flavor of rhubarb is very tart and is often paired with another fruit, sugar, or some other sweet component as this balances out the tartness.

Rhubarb grows best in areas where the ground freezes during the winter. This explains why you'll find a patch of rhubarb at the edge of nearly every garden in the state of Minnesota.

Ingredients For Gluten Free Rhubarb Muffins

I love these muffins because they are portable, you can share them with others, and you can enjoy as many or as few as you like.

Here's what you'll need to make them.

• ½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter (split) (room temperature)
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 large Eggs
• ½ cup Sour Cream (may sub plain Greek Yogurt) (room temperature)
• 2 cups plus ¼ cup Gluten Free Flour Blend (split) (may use regular AP flour if not gluten free)
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• ¼ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• 2 cups Diced Rhubarb (fresh or frozen)
• ¼ cup Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• Zest of 1 Lemon

This recipe is gluten free and uses a gluten free flour blend. I love Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Flour but any gluten free flour blend will work.

If not gluten free simply substitute regular All-Purpose Flour for the gluten free flour.

How To Make Rhubarb Muffins

These muffins are made from scratch but this recipe is pretty straightforward and there are no complicated techniques or ingredients.

The first step is to dice the rhubarb. This recipe calls for 2 cups of diced rhubarb. You can use fresh or frozen rhubarb to make these muffins.

If using frozen rhubarb be sure to thaw and drain it before dicing as this will help to get rid of any excess water.

1. Dice 2 cups of rhubarb (fresh or frozen) into small chunks and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl add ½ cup (1 stick) of softened unsalted butter and 1 cup of sugar. Mix the butter and sugar using a hand mixer or the whisk attachment of a KitchenAid Stand Mixer for a minute or so on medium until it is light and creamy.
3. Add 2 eggs and ½ cup room temperature sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) to the bowl and mix for another 30 seconds or so until completely combined (the mixture will look a little curdled at this point).
4. In a separate mixing bowl combine 2 cups gluten free flour blend (or regular AP flour if not gluten free), 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, and ⅛ tsp. kosher salt. Stir until completely combined.

How To Make Muffins Light and Fluffy

I am no expert when it comes to baking but there are a few things to keep in mind when making baked goods like muffins.

• Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature. Take the eggs, sour cream, and butter out of the fridge 30 minutes or so before baking to allow everything to come to room temperature.
• Make sure your baking powder and baking soda are not expired.
• Make sure that there is not too much liquid in the batter. It's important to drain frozen rhubarb (if using) to ensure that the batter does not become too watery.
• Do not overmix the batter or it can become tough (this is especially true when using All-Purpose flour).

1. Once the wet and dry ingredients are ready it's time to combine them in one bowl. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a bit at a time, stirring to combine with a spatula.
2. Repeat until all the batter is combined.
3. Add the diced rhubarb to the batter and fold in until completely combined.

How To Make Cinnamon Streusel

The thing that ties these Gluten Free Rhubarb Muffins together is the layer of cinnamon streusel that is added to the middle of them.

This streusel adds sweetness, texture, and a bit of saltiness to the muffins. It's easy to prepare and totally delicious.

1. To make the streusel add 2 Tbsp. of softened, (but not melted) butter to a small bowl.
2. Add ¼ packed cup brown sugar, ¼ cup flour blend, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and ⅛ tsp. kosher salt to the butter. Combine all of these ingredients with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Using a Microplane or small zester add the zest of 1 lemon to the mixture. Stir until combined.

You can zest 1 orange into the mixture instead of lemon if you prefer that flavor or alternately you can add the zest of both a lemon and an orange.

Add Streusel Layer To Muffin Batter

Once the batter and the streusel are ready it's time to assemble the muffins and get ready to bake them.

The streusel layer is baked in the middle of the muffins as opposed to sprinkled on top. This allows the butter in the streusel to melt making the muffins extra moist.

The flavors in the streusel perfume the muffins and placing it in the middle as opposed to sprinkled on top ensures that it won't burn in the oven.

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line the muffin tin with muffin or cupcake liners.
3. Add a spoonful of the muffin batter to the bottom of each muffin cavity. Sprinkle a spoonful of the cinnamon streusel on top of the muffin batter.
4. Press the streusel down into the muffin tin and flatten it a bit with the back of a spoon.
5. Add another layer of muffin batter on top of the streusel layer and smooth it out with a spatula.
6. Repeat with the remainder of the batter.

How Long Do Rhubarb Muffins Take To Bake?

Another reason to love these muffins is the fact that they only take around 20 minutes to bake in the oven!

1. Bake each batch of muffins for 18-20 minutes, rotating the muffin tin once during baking to ensure that all the muffins cook evenly (optional).
2. Once a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean the muffins are finished. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Baking times may vary slightly depending on your oven and the size of your muffins.

The muffins should spring back to the touch when they are fully baked. The edges should be golden brown and the middle not gooey in the middle.

Love to bake? Check out these recipes!

• Gluten Free Apple Pie
• Pumpkin Bread Pudding
• Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
• Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie
• Pumpkin Coffee Cake

How To Store Homemade Muffins

Once all of the muffins are baked it's best to let them cool slightly.

When the muffins are cool to the touch feel free to eat them or share with others.

You can add some butter but in all honesty it's not necessary. These muffins are pretty decadent and more suited for dessert than breakfast.

I love these gluten free rhubarb muffins with some coffee (or cold brew during the summer months).

• To store leftover muffins it's important to let them cool completely.
• Place a paper towel on the bottom of an airtight storage container or heavy-duty plastic storage bag. Line the container in a single layer with the cooled muffins and place another paper towel on top.
• Cover with a lid and store up to 4 days at room temperature.

Adding the paper towel to the container will absorb any excess moisture and help to keep the muffins fresh.

Love rhubarb? Check out this Rhubarb Cake and Rhubarb Streusel Bread!

Can I Freeze Rhubarb Muffins?

Yet another reason to love homemade muffins is that you can whip up a batch and stick them in the freezer for a few months.

How To Freeze

1. Allow the muffins to cool completely before freezing.
2. Once cooled, place the muffins in a heavy-duty freezer bag.
3. Label with the date and freeze up to 3 months.

How To Thaw

1. Remove as many muffins as you like and allow them to thaw in the refrigerator, or at room temperature.
2. Stick them in the microwave to heat for a few seconds if desired.

If you like these Gluten Free Rhubarb Muffins be sure to check out these Apple Streusel Muffins!

Love homemade treats? Check out these recipes!

• Baked Glazed Lemon Doughnuts
• Old Fashioned Blueberry Buckle
• Scandinavian Almond Cake
• Coffee Infused Banana Bread
• Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake
• Pumpkin Scones

Looking For More Rhubarb Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Gluten Free Rhubarb Crisp

Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake