Description
These Fresh Rhubarb Streusel Muffins with Cream Cheese are the perfect blend of tangy, sweet, and creamy. Juicy rhubarb is folded into a tender muffin batter, swirled with a ribbon of cream cheese, and topped with a buttery pecan streusel for a bakery-style treat you’ll want to make on repeat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the rhubarb:
- 1 ½ cups rhubarb, chopped
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
For the cream cheese swirl:
- 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon sugar
For the muffin batter:
- 8 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the streusel topping:
- ¾ cup pecans, chopped
- ¾ cup flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- Prepare the rhubarb: In a small saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar, and water. Cook over medium heat until the rhubarb softens, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Make the cream cheese swirl: In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth.
- Mix the muffin batter: In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, sour cream, and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet until just combined. Gently fold in the cooked rhubarb.
- Prepare the streusel: In a medium bowl, mix pecans, flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in melted butter until crumbly.
- Assemble: Spoon muffin batter into liners, filling about halfway. Add a small dollop of cream cheese mixture and swirl lightly with a toothpick. Top with remaining batter and sprinkle generously with streusel.
- Bake: Bake for 22–26 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh rhubarb for the best flavor, but frozen rhubarb works too—just thaw and drain before using.
- Don’t overmix the batter; this keeps the muffins tender.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: rhubarb muffins, cream cheese swirl muffins, rhubarb streusel recipe, spring baking