Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins with Pecan Streusel

Well, spring just arrived, sort of. Some days feel like summer, some days feel like I need to build an ark, and finally, finally, the world is blooming. Allergies are not happy, but my heart and my camera lens are. I think the habit I have made for myself of going outside and taking pictures of the flowers in my yard is just one step in making sure I appreciate the world around me. I am pretty faithful in trying to capture one beautiful thing a day. That feeds my soul.

One of my favorite things of the summer is the farmer’s markets. It seems to have rained every day ours is open but we are there anyway. Lately, the rhubarb is ready and even though my own strawberries aren’t ready for picking, there are strawberries available at the grocery store. Bring on the strawberry rhubarb everything.

I will be making strawberry rhubarb preserves soon, but for now, I am experimenting with crisps and these muffins. Using a combination of greek yogurt, sour cream, apple sauce, and a little bit of oil, the muffins are dense and moist and yet not heavy. Using brown sugar, they are not too sweet, but the sugar could actually be reduced if you choose.

This recipe yields 24 -30 generous muffins, but I also tried making mini muffins with my leftover batter and found they are actually even better. I like the idea of morsels of sweet and a little crunchy of the streusel topping. I even made some of these muffins without the streusel (for the non nut eaters in my life) and they were yummy too.

This recipe is a combination of sweet, tangy, and the colors of the rhubarb and strawberry are the perfect combination for early summer. The little bit of orange zest brings out the flavor of the strawberry and the rhubarb. The streusel has a combination of melted margarine that is looser and it doesn’t need to have a lot per muffin to balance out the cinnamon crunch with the tender fruit-filled muffins.

The best part of watching winter disappear is… wait, my list is too long and I have no favorites when it comes to why I am glad to see winter go, except now I can dig in the dirt, photograph everything that blooms, and make recipes that embrace all of the fresh produce available through local farmers.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe!

Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins with Pecan Streusel

Print Recipe

This delicious muffin recipe combines the delightful early summer flavors of strawberry and rhubarb with just a hint of orange and the cinnamon streusel topping with a cinnamon crunch!

• Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com
• Yield: 24 -30 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3/4 Cup Greek Yogurt
• 3/4 Cup Sour Cream
• 1/2 Cup Applesauce
• 3 Eggs
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Orange Zest
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
• 2 Cups Diced Rhubarb
• 2 Cups Sliced Strawberries (I sliced and then halved the slices so they weren’t too big)

For Topping:

• 1 Stick Margarine (melted)
• 1/2 Cup Pecans
• 1/2 Cup Walnuts
• 1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
• 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. Combine streusel ingredients and set aside.
3. Line muffin tins with liners and set aside.
4. Combine yogurt, sour cream, applesauce in a mixer with a paddle attachment.
5. Add eggs and oil and combine.
6. Add in dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
7. Add in strawberries and rhubarb until combined.
8. Scoop muffin batter into prepared muffin tins until 3/4 full.
9. Top muffin batter with streusel topping.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes.