Can I use frozen rhubarb instead of fresh?

You can use frozen rhubarb instead of fresh in these muffins and other baked goods. You do not need to defrost it first. However, you may need to increase the baking time by a few minutes.

Does rhubarb need to be peeled before baking?

You do not need to peel rhubarb before using it in baking recipes like these muffins.

How do you take the tartness out of rhubarb?

One of the best ways to tame rhubarb's tartness is to pair it with sweet fruits, such as apples and berries.

The Best Apple Rhubarb Muffins

Description

These tender apple rhubarb muffins combine tart rhubarb with sweet, crunchy apples. They're good for a quick breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up, and they'll keep fresh for days.

Ingredients

Units Scale

3/4 cup milk
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 large sweet apple
3 stalks rhubarb
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons coarse sugar

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Instructions

Prep the ingredients. Combine 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice with the milk and let sit to create a buttermilk-like consistency. Save the remaining juice for another use. Peel, core, and chop the apple. You should have about 1 cup. Chop the rhubarb into 1/4-inch dice. You want about 1 1/4 cups. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and either line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease with cooking spray.
Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, lemon zest, and ginger in a large bowl.
Mix the wet ingredients. Use a stand mixer or electric mixer to blend the sugars and butter. When smooth, add the eggs one at a time until blended, and then slowly pour in the milk.
Make the batter. With the mixer running on low, add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet a little at a time. When fully combined, add the chopped apples and rhubarb. Stir to distribute through the batter.
Fill the muffin tins and bake. Distribute the batter among the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar, if using, and place on a rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 5 minutes. Then, without opening the oven door, lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Start checking for doneness after 10 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin.

Notes

My favorite coarse sugar for topping baked goods like muffins, cakes, and cookies is this sparkling sugar from King Arthur.

You can use buttermilk instead of the milk and lemon juice if you already have some handy.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Category: Baking
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American