Orange Rhubarb Streusel Muffins

Fresh orange and tangy rhubarb are the perfect combination in these soft and fluffy orange rhubarb streusel muffins!

Spring muffins are in the house today! Rhubarb season is back and we’re putting it to work in these muffins with a little help from some fresh orange goodness.

Turns out rhubarb and orange are a lesser-known DREAM combo because they absolutely dominate in these muffins. No, really you won’t be getting away without eating at least two of these gems.

Did I mention there’s streusel?? Breakfast is won today.

These muffins are so quick to make using my tried-and-true base recipe that I use for nearly all of my muffin recipes. The addition of tart rhubarb, a little fresh orange juice + zest, and tons of streusel on top is just what spring ordered.

Honestly though, I’m making these year-round. They’re just that good.

These Muffins feature…

• A perfect soft and fluffy texture
• Tart rhubarb and lots of sweet orange flavor
• A buttery streusel topping
• Minutes to make and they freeze beautifully

Making the Muffins

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Honey
• Eggs
• Greek yogurt
• Buttermilk
• Orange
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Kosher salt
• Rhubarb
• Brown sugar

Fresh vs. Frozen Rhubarb

This recipe works great with both fresh or frozen rhubarb. If you will be using frozen rhubarb, there is no need to thaw it before adding to the batter.

The most important part about the rhubarb is making sure it is cut into uniform 1/2-inch cubes so it evenly distributes through the muffins.

Tips for Perfect Muffins

1. Cream softened butter with sugar – this builds the fat base to the muffin batter.
2. Measure flour correctly – we use the spoon-and-level technique for measuring flour as this will prevent over-measuring your flour. Use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level with the back of a knife.
3. Bring eggs, yogurt, and buttermilk to room temperature – this will help these ingredients mix more cohesively into the butter.
4. Use fresh orange juice and zest – this makes for strong orange flavor throughout the muffins.
5. Gently fold batter – use a light hand when mixing batter and gently fold so as not to overmix.
6. Bake muffins at 425F 5 minutes then reduce heat to 375F – this short blast of heat at the beginning helps the muffins rise nice and tall.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on these muffins.

• Use a different fruit – try raspberries, blueberries, peaches, or strawberries in place of the rhubarb.
• Try a different citrus – try lime, lemon, or grapefruit in place of the orange.
• Add a glaze – drizzle cooled muffins with a simple powdered sugar glaze or cream cheese glaze.

Storing and Freezing Muffins

Allow muffins to cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days.

To freeze muffins, allow to cool completely, then wrap well and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw muffins completely at room temperature and store up to 4 days.

All the flavors in these little muffin gems just work flawlessly together. The fragrant orange and tart rhubarb are a match made in heaven, while all that buttery brown sugar streusel and soft interior texture seals the whole muffin deal.

I know I always say this, but do yourself a favor and make a double batch. You’ll thank yourself later.

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

More muffins to try next!

• Lemon Lavender Blueberry Muffins
• Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pumpkin Streusel Muffins