Delicious, whole-grain, Rhubarb Muffins with lemon, cardamom and vanilla, sweetened with maple syrup. An easy, one-bowl recipe that is vegan adaptable and can be made GF.
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Breakfast got a whole lot easier this week with these whole-grain Rhubarb Muffins – so delicious, easy and healthy! Perfect for breakfast on the go! Made with whole grain flour, oats and only maple syrup to sweeten!
But what I love most about these Rhubarb Muffins is how easy they are to make (10-15 minutes of hands-on time, and made in one bowl) and how adaptable the recipe is. They can be made vegan, or they can be made gluten-free! Give them a whirl and see for yourself!
The only sugar in the recipe is for the sprinkling on top, which is optional. Maple syrup is used here to balance out the tartness of the rhubarb. I’ve also cut down the fat in the muffin and made them with olive oil… so perfect!
Rhubarb Muffin Ingredients Notes
- Nuts: The first batch of Rhubarb Muffins, I made nut-free, and the second batch I added almonds. Brian liked the crunch of the almonds better. I liked them both. Toasted walnuts or pecans or even hazelnuts would taste good too.
- Flour: Today I used spelt flour – an ancient strain of wheat. It’s high in protein and has a nutty, complex flavor that’s sweeter and lighter than whole wheat, which I REALLY like in muffins! I also enjoy the texture.But feel free to use whole wheat or even a gluten-free flour blend.
- Rhubarb: Remember only to use the stems of the rhubarb, the leaves can be toxic.
- Flavor enhancers: We use lemon, cardamom and vanilla here to really bring out rhubarb’s flavor!
See the recipe card for full details.
How to make Rhubarb Muffins
- It really could not be any easier. Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then add all the wet ingredients and whisk together to make a batter. It will quite thick.
- Spoon the batter into well-greased non-stick 12-cup, muffin tin. Sprinkle with almonds if you like, and bake!
- Enjoy your lovely Rhubarb muffins this week- I promise they will bring great joy!
I know you will love these! Let me know what you think in the comments below. 🙂
More recipes you may enjoy:
- Rhubarb Tart with Lemon, Cardamom & Vanilla
- Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler with Orange and Ginger
- Rhubarb Jam with Chia Seeds
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (vegan & gluten-free)
- Upside Down Rhubarb Cake (Gluten-free)
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Blueberry Muffins
Rhubarb Muffins
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Baked, muffins, breakfast
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: Northwest
Description
Delicious, whole-grain Rhubarb Muffins with lemon, cardamom, and vanilla, sweetened with maple syrup. Easy, healthy one-bowl recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour (AP, spelt, whole wheat or gluten free flour blend )
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (no lumps!)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1–2 tablespoon chia or flax seeds (optional)
- ——
- 1/3 cup olive oil, melted coconut oil or butter
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 large egg (see notes for vegan adaptable)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup milk, soy milk or nut milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 1/2 cups diced rhubarb, stems only, divided (cut into small 1/2 inch dice)
- 1/2 cup nuts (sliced almonds or try pecans or walnuts) optional
- course turbinado sugar, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- In a medium bowl, add flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Mix Well.
- To the bowl add egg, oil (or melted coconut oil or butter) maple syrup, vanilla, milk and lemon zest. Give a good stir to combine. Add 2 cups rhubarb( reserving ½ cup for the top -see notes). Add half the sliced almonds (saving some for the top). Spoon the thick-ish batter into a very well greased , non stick muffin tin or line with muffin cups.
- Sprinkle the top with remaining almonds. Tuck in few of the reserved rhubarb into the batter of each muffin, colorful side up. Sprinkle with course sugar if you like.
- Bake 23-28 minutes, or until a skewer or small knife into the center of a center muffin comes out clean. Different flours may take longer.
- Using a knife, loosen the edges of the muffins to release. These will keep 3-4 days, covered or sealed, at room temp. Delicious for breakfast “on the go”, snack, or warmed up with cardamon ice cream for dessert!
Notes
Reserve ½ cup of the deepest red pieces of rhubarb for the top. For presentation purposes only. 😉
For vegan adaptable, set aside soy or nut milk in a small bowl and increase it to ⅔ cups total. Add 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar and let curdle. Add to the dry ingredients along with the rest of the liquids.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one muffin
- Calories: 243
- Sugar: 12.6 g
- Sodium: 66 mg
- Fat: 9.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.4 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 4.6 g
- Cholesterol: 15.5 mg
Thank you for another great recipe Sylvia. We have a productive rhubarb patch atm and I’m always looking for new ways to use it.
These muffins are delicious and I will definitely be making them regularly. Sweet and tangy at the same time. My family loved them.
I am thinking of combining other fruit with the rhubarb, perhaps apple or strawberries.
Pure maple syrup is expensive here. Could I use sugar instead and how much would you suggest?
Regards,
Maria from Adelaide, Australia.
Hi Maria- I’m so glad you like these. Yes, feel free to add other fruit or berries! I would use 1 cup sugar, and you may need to add a bit more soy milk because I imagine the dough will be too thick. Maybe an additional ⅓ cup milk, then more as needed?
How would you alter the recipe using frozen rhubarb or blackberries? Thaw first?
Hi Marie-Rose! I am almost tempted to say… fold them in frozen? Just so they keep their beatuiful shape? But I have not tested this. Will you let us know how it goes?
These are amazing! I used applesauce instead of oil, 1/2 AP flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour. I did add the almonds and flaxseed, did not add sugar to tops. Made them in mini muffin pans baked for 10 min they are amazing!!!
Great to hear Lisa, love the adaptions!
Incredibly delicious muffins! Not too sweet at all, the tart rhubarb with the cardamom is beyond words! I added flax seeds and used slivered almonds. I made 1-1/2 x/recipe so made 12 muffins & 4 small loaves. I will make again & again & wonderful gift for our neighbors! Yummy!!
Thanks Sue! Did you use a loaf pan?
These are really good!!! I used pistachios in mine and I forgot the vanilla (oops) but they still turned out amazingly! A wonderful use of rhubarb, thank you!
Pistachios sound yummy! Glad you enjoyed!
Outstanding! Would rate it higher than 5 stars if I could!
Awesome! Thanks Cindy!
Would applesauce work as a substitute for that oil? (I don’t tolerate oils well at all)
It it worth a try LouAnn!
Delicious! I wouldn’t change a thing.
Great to hear!
Delicious! My mom used to grow rhubarb in our garden and make rhubarb pie when I was a kid. This reminded me of those early summer nights growing up.
Awww….love it! Food is such a great way to connect with our loved ones.
Hi
I couldn’t find rhubarb yet so I made these with fresh blackberries. Delicious! I can’t wait until rhubarb hits the farm stand but for now I will be making these again with berries!
Thank you for another great recipe.
Oh yummy!
I’ve made these twice in three days! So yummy! I used 1 cup AP flour and 1 cup Spelt, coconut oil, maple syrup, and pecans. Super moist. I can always count on Sylvia’s recipes knocking it out of the park!!!!
Thanks so much Nadine!
This looks yummy! I am growing rhubarb for the first time this year, the leaves are beautifully large. How do I prepare the rhubarb for this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Velvet
Hi Velvet, only use the stems (slice them) do not use the leaves, the leaves are toxic. I always look for the “reddest” stems when baking with rhubarb, so the muffins will look pretty!
Thank you. I am assuming put the stems in raw. I will try then this weekend! I love sweet and tart together.
Velvet
Yes raw! I love the sweet-tart combo too and this is very satisfying!
Dear Sylvia, thank you for another great recipe! I can always count on your recipes to be fantastic! So grateful for all you share!
Thanks so much Barb, glad you liked these!
Could I use all almond flour?
Hi Val, No almond flour just does not work as a one to one replacement for flour.
turned out lovely. a little sweet, a bit tart and with a nice chew from the nuts and seeds. Used 1/2 Rye & 1/2 all-purpose flour. YUMMY!!
Great to hear, Tara! Glad you enjoyed these!
I used almond meal/flour and after 30 minutes they are still very moist inside and almost falling apart:( do you recommend cooking longer? Also at altitude here 6,500 feet…?
Yes, I’d bake longer!
I have made these three times now, and they are becoming my new base muffin. Most recently I added all the fresh berries from the garden (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and marionberry). I also used half almond flour last time and they were still great.
Awesome! Glad you are making them your own.
A fine recipe with various possible additions. I thought 3/4 C maple syrup sounded awfully sweet, so I used a 1/2 C combined honey and maple syrup and graham flour. Batter was though on the ‘dry’ side. Next time I think I’ll add a little more milk. Mine were ready after 17 minutes…..
Thanks Dianne!
Mine were done in 28 min (I didn’t check before then). Perfect texture (used 1:1 gluten free and whole wheat). Muffin was moist (not dry or crumbly) and rhubarb very soft (not hard). I did mix all wet ingredients together before dumping it into the dry ones because both baking powder and baking soda starts reacting and releasing CO2 immediately upon contact with acid and liquid and I don’t want to jeopardize the rise by mixing them too early.
Thanks Bowie! Helpful!
Delicious but it took me 40 minutes in the oven for the knife to come out clean. Perhaps the rhubarb was juicier.
Oh interesting, Noor. What type of flour did you use?
Amazing muffins. I didn’t have enough rhubarb so I substituted one cup rhubarb for one cup whole cranberries . They were so good – I think I would always add cranberries. Also made the muffins look like they were bursting with fruit.
Great to hear- love the addition of cranberries!
dry and crumbly. i am an experienced baker and these were awful.
Sorry about that. What type of flour and oil did you use? any other changes?
Delicious! I added slivered almonds and 1 T each of chia seeds and flax seeds with whole wheat flour.
Yum!
Hi, there! I made these a lot during rhubarb season, and I loved them! It didn’t feel like I was eating a cupcake, as I often do with muffins. Since rhubarb season is over, I decided to try making it with chopped apples instead. The result was a tasty, but dryish muffin. I have tried the recipe using olive oil, coconut oil, and melted butter. I think I prefer the results with either of the oils. Today I tried using grated apples supplemented with a bit of carrot and I used oat milk, because I had some I needed to use up. I added the vinegar that was recommended for the vegan option, though I may have misunderstood the reason for it. My version isn’t vegan, since I used the egg. I did use almost 2/3 of a cup of oat milk, since I only realized too late, that that was only recommended if you weren’t going for the egg. I think it was a good idea, though, because they are must more moist. I would give this version a thumbs up! Hope others give it a try. P.S., I used all spelt flour.
Thanks Vivian- good to know!
Hi,
I made these today – the muffin itself was fantastic and the cardamom takes it to another level. But I was a bit disappointed with the texture of the rhubarb. I’ve never cooked with rhubarb before and was expecting it to go soft and mushy but it was firm and not very pleasant to eat. The muffin batter was quite dense don’t know if it needed more liquid to help the rhubarb. Any feedback would be helpful – I’d love to give this another try
That is strange Patsy, it usually gets pretty soft. I wonder if the stalks you used were older/tougher? Could that be possible?