These strawberry rhubarb muffins have a thick, crumbly topping. They’re an easy treat to make during strawberry and rhubarb season.

Topped with a cookie-like crispy, crumbly topping, these muffins are best served fresh out of the oven or at room temperature. A moist and tender batter with chunks of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb inside makes them the perfect muffin. They’re a sweet treat with some healthy ingredients like whole wheat flour, rolled oats, strawberries and rhubarb.

I love baking with local seasonal fruits because every season brings something to look forward to. You’ve got to get what’s in season while you can! Rhubarb and strawberries are in season in summer from May to August so I stock up and make batches of these muffins. It’s definitely worth turning the oven on in the summer for these!

The natural sweetness of strawberries pairs beautifully with the zingy tartness of rhubarb creating a perfect irresistible sweet-tart flavour in baked goods. You can also check out my Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp that uses the same combination.

Ingredients needed

Rolled oats
Brown sugar & granulated sugar
Eggs, milk & butter
All purpose & whole wheat flours
Baking power, baking soda & salt
Vanilla
Lemon
Strawberries
Rhubarb

How to make strawberry rhubarb muffins

Start by making the crumble topping mixture. In a medium bowl combine the crumble ingredients and work it with your fingers until the mixture comes together to a crumbly texture. Set aside.

Prepare the strawberry rhubarb filling (not shown)
Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla, melted butter and brown sugar
Mix together the dry ingredients
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Gently fold in the strawberry rhubarb mixture stirring just to combine.
Fill prepared muffin cups
Pile the reserved crumble mixture on top of each muffin

Can I use frozen rhubarb and strawberries?

If you can’t get fresh then yes, frozen rhubarb and strawberries can be used. Do not thaw – use from frozen. They may exude more liquid than fresh, therefore when combining them in a bowl, toss them with one additional tablespoon of flour.

Can I add more rhubarb and strawberries to the recipe?

It may seem tempting to bulk up the muffins with more fruit, but I recommend you keep the ratio of rhubarb and strawberries exactly as directed in the recipe. This keeps the balance of fruit and muffin batter at the right consistency and ensures a perfectly baked muffin that sets.

Can I use any other type of fruit in these muffins?

You can replace the total amount of fruit in the recipe with any mixed berries, diced pears, apples or peaches and the muffins will be just as delicious! The crumble topping would pair beautifully with any of those fruits.

How do I store these muffins?

Store cooled muffins in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Once the muffins are stored this way, the topping will moisten. If you prefer to keep the topping crisp, freeze the muffins immediately after they’ve cooled in an airtight container for up to 2 months. To thaw frozen muffins, transfer the muffins to a rack and thaw at room temperature and the topping will still be crisp!

I generally love all kinds of muffins because they’re so forgiving; they can be made super healthy or with a little decadence like these ones. Give this recipe a try and I guarantee everyone will enjoy these sweet crumbly muffins!

I’ve baked so many different muffin types that I’d need more than two hands to count them. Check out more great muffin recipes from the blog:

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Muffins

Strawberry rhubarb muffins topped with a thick cookie-like super crispy, crumble topping.

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

Crumble topping

¾ cup rolled oats
½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
½ cup all purpose flour
6 tablespoons butter cold, cut into chunks

Strawberry Rhubarb Filling

1 cup strawberries diced
1 cup rhubarb diced (about 1 or 2 stalks)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Muffins

2 eggs at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup butter melted and slightly cooled (1 stick)
¾ brown sugar lightly packed
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 standard muffin cups with butter or nonstick cooking spray or alternatively, line with paper liners.
Make the crumble topping: in a medium bowl combine rolled oats, brown sugar, flour, brown sugar and cold butter. Work it with your fingers until the mixture comes together to a crumbly texture. Set aside.
Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl add the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and flour. Stir gently to combine and set aside.
Make the muffin batter: In a medium bowl whisk the eggs then add the milk, vanilla, melted butter and brown sugar. Whisk until combined and smooth.
In a large mixing bowl mix together the all purpose and whole wheat flours, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in the large mixing bowl. With a spatula stir to combine just until the flour is all absorbed.
Gently fold in the strawberry rhubarb mixture stirring just to combine.
Fill prepared muffin cups about ¾ full. Pile the crumble mixture on top of each muffin packing it with your fingers.
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes then gently un-mold the muffins and cool completely on a rack.