These Strawberry Rhubarb Cream Cheese Muffins are made with tangy pieces of rhubarb and fresh strawberries, baked with a cream cheese filling you will love, and topped with a crunchy sweet topping with just a hint of cinnamon. You may want to double this recipe; these muffins won't last long!
If you love this recipe, make my Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp next!
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I have been craving homemade muffins recently, so I thought I would make rhubarb muffins, and strawberries pair perfectly with rhubarb. I had also been craving cheesecake, so that's how the idea for these muffins came to be. If you still have rhubarb to use, make Air Fryer Rhubarb Crisp, Rhubarb Streusel Muffins, or Rhubarb Cookies next!
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What is rhubarb?
Rhubarb is a vegetable but was legally declared a fruit in New York in 1947. Like celery, it is sold at grocery stores or Farmers' Markets by the stalk. It is harvested between April and June.
The rhubarb stalks range from bright pink to light pink to pale green. The color is not an indicator of ripeness or sweetness like it is with other fruit. The stalks are the only edible part of the plant - the leaves are poisonous.
Why we LOVE these strawberry and rhubarb cream cheese muffins
These strawberry rhubarb muffins are one of my favorite muffins because:
- They are easy to make.
- They are a great way to use rhubarb.
- They are moist and full of flavor.
- The cream cheese filling is out of this world delicious!
- They are fancy enough to serve guests who come over for brunch or coffee or as a summer dessert.
- You can freeze them if you have any leftovers (which I doubt you will).
Recipe Ingredients
I have divided up the ingredients into muffin ingredients, cream cheese filling ingredients, and crumb topping ingredients.
Ingredient Notes:
- All-purpose flour. I wouldn't recommend whole wheat flour; it would make the muffin very dense and heavy.
- Baking powder, baking soda, and salt help the muffins rise and ensure all chemical reactions occur.
- Cane sugar. Granulated sugar or coconut sugar will also work.
- Yogurt. I used vanilla yogurt. Plain yogurt would also work. If you do not have yogurt, sour cream would also be a great substitution.
- Rhubarb, chopped into small pieces. I shredded mine in the food processor to get tiny little chunks; that way, the rhubarb is spread evenly throughout the muffin, and you won't get a large chunk of sour rhubarb.
- Strawberries, chopped into small pieces.
- Cream cheese. Take it out earlier to soften it at room temperature so it will become smooth with no lumps.
- Unsalted butter. I used cold butter for the streusel topping for a crumbly texture.
- Cinnamon. Do not leave this out; it adds an amazing flavor to the muffins.
See the printable recipe card below for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
How To Make Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with liners or spray muffin tins with cooking spray. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Cream butter, sugar, and oil in another bowl until smooth. Add the egg, yogurt, and vanilla extract and mix again. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Step 3: Toss the chopped rhubarb and strawberries with flour, and add them to the muffin batter. Lightly mix the fruit in with a spoon. Do not overmix.
Step 4: Fill each muffin cup with batter about ⅔ full. Make the cream cheese filling by combining cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drop one tablespoon of cream cheese mixture on top of each muffin.
Step 5: Mix flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl, then mix in butter until crumbly. I usually use my hands to mix it. Sprinkle crumb mixture on top of the strawberry muffins.
Step 6: Bake for about 15 minutes until the muffins start to turn a light golden color on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 7: Remove strawberry cheesecake muffins carefully from the muffin pan and place them on a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes. That's all there is to it. You can place chopped strawberries on top of the muffins to make the muffins look extra pretty. 😊
Storage Instructions
Once they are cool, you can place these muffins in an airtight container in the fridge. They will stay soft and delicious for about 3 or 4 days.
If you don't want to eat them all right away (as we did, we couldn't help ourselves; they were so good), you can wrap them individually in plastic wrap, once cooled, and place them in a freezer bag and keep them in the freezer. Then, when you want one, pull it out of the freezer and defrost it anytime you want.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, of course! I freeze rhubarb and strawberries every year; that way, I can make delicious treats like these muffins any time I want, even in winter. Just thaw the fruit before you use it, as they have a lot of water when frozen.
When using frozen rhubarb, measure out the rhubarb while it is still frozen, then thaw it completely. Drain the rhubarb in a colander, but do not press the liquid out.
Yes, it is one of the easiest foods to freeze. Cut the leaves off and slice the rhubarb into 1-piece chunks. Lay the pieces on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze for a few hours. Remove from the freezer, transfer into a freezer bag, and freeze for up to one year.
That's all there is to it! We never get tired of these muffins; they are great for brunch, as a snack at 3 p.m., or as a dessert with supper. They go great with an Orange Julius, Delicious Iced Coffee, or Homemade Lemon Ginger Tea.
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Printable Recipe
Strawberry Rhubarb Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup oil
- ¾ cup cane sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped rhubarb, chopped in small pieces
- 1 cup strawberries, chopped in small pieces
For The Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For The Crumb Topping
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with liners.
- Prepare the crumb mixture first. In a small bowl, mix all-purpose flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Mix in butter. It will be very crumbly. Use your hands to mix if you like. Set aside.
- Prepare the cream cheese filling: Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. If the cream cheese is at room temperature, it will blend smoothly with no lumps. Set aside.
- Now for the muffin part: Combine the first four dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- In a second bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and oil until smooth. Add the egg, yogurt, and vanilla extract and mix well. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Toss the chopped rhubarb and strawberries with one tablespoon of flour. Add the rhubarb and strawberries to the batter and lightly mix in. Do not overmix.
- Fill the muffin tins. Use a ¼ cup scoop to fill the liners ⅔ full.
- Drop one tablespoon of the cream mixture on the top of each muffin. I like to make a small indent on the top of the muffin to add the cream cheese.
- Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly on the muffins with a small spoon.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the muffins are golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Do not overbake.
- Remove muffins carefully from the muffin pan and place on a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes. Enjoy!
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Notes
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Terry Stevens says
This recipe is so delicious! It has become a family favourite in my home. I doubled it as suggested and made 2 dozen very large, substantial muffins. Also, I didn’t have the yogurt but I did have sour cream that needed using, so I used that instead. Thank you for this!
Jeri Walker says
Thank you so much for your lovely comment Terry! I'm so glad you and your family love these muffins! Sour cream instead of yogurt is a perfect substitution! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and coming back to leave a comment! 🙂
Susan says
Does the rhubarb bake to soft a stage or crunchy texture?
Jeri Walker says
Hi Susan. The rhubarb in the muffins are soft when baked.
Ann says
Awesome! I get so hungry now haha
Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
This is a perfect combination of seasonal fruits, sweet and sour. Even better fused with a cheese frosting! I love the historical bit about rhubarb. I had no idea courts establish fruit status!:)
Oscar says
I love anything rhubarb so when I saw this recipe I knew I needed to make these muffins. OMG, so delicious, my whole family loved them. Thank you.
Jeri says
I'm so glad you liked them, Oscar. Thanks for the awesome comment and rating!