I am loving rhubarb season and these quick, easy and healthy banana rhubarb muffins have been on repeat! I make them for breakfasts and lunch boxes and we've kept baking them up for yummy summer snacks too. These are moist and delicious, easy and fast.
While rhubarb grows well through spring and early summer, using frozen rhubarb makes these easy to whip up year round.
Jump to:
This was inspired by my Rhubarb Snack Cake and Strawberry Rhubarb Oatmeal Muffins, and pairs well with Traditional Lavender Milk Tea. If you're looking for more breakfast ideas, I love this Strawberry, Blackberry, Banana Smoothie and if you want to get fancy, try these banana muffins with Easy Lavender Buttercream Frosting on top for a real treat.
Ingredients
The sweetness of banana and tart rhubarb pair up with simple pantry ingredients for these easy and tasty muffins. Naturally sweetened with banana, these homemade muffins are a great way to add vitamins, protein and fiber to children's lunchboxes. morning coffee breaks and afternoon snacks.
- Ripe Bananas - Ripe is the key here. The softer they are, the sweeter and easier to mix in they are. These add subtle flavor and lots of moisture. Additionally bananas are full of fiber, vitamins and minerals and often considered a superfood!
- Rhubarb - This spring growing vegetable that is often used as a fruit adds delicious tart flavor and additional moisture to baked goods. Cut this into 1 cm squares/cubes to get bursts of flavor in every bite. Note that the green tops are inedible, only use the stalks of rhubarb. Frozen rhubarb works just as well as fresh rhubarb in these muffins!
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Freeze Rhubarb
My rhubarb plant is going crazy producing this year. It's been a wet spring and summer and rhubarb plants love that weather! So with an abundance of rhubarb, I like to freeze some for winter baking.
To freeze rhubarb for later use, clean, trim and cut the stalks into half or one inch pieces. Place in airtight containers or bags and freeze. You can take out just as much as you need and toss it straight into most recipes just like that.
Video - How To Make Banana Rhubarb Muffins
Step By Step Instructions
These rhubarb banana muffins use the classic muffin (and cake) method of mixing the dry ingredients in one bowl and mixing the wet ingredients in a separate bowl before combining them.
This method works great to incorporate ingredients well with the least amount of mixing. The less mixing of the flour, the more tender and fluffy the muffins will be.
Preheat oven to 350º
In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (the dry mixture). Mix well and set aside.
In a larger mixing bowl, mash bananas, and whisk in 2 large eggs.
Once eggs are beaten well and mixed into the bananas, add yogurt, oil, pure vanilla extract, and sugar. Whisk or mix until well combined.
Add dry ingredients from first bowl into the wet ingredients.
For the best results, mix gently just until combined. Don't overmix, a few lumps are ok.
Add in chopped rhubarb.
Fold in rhubarb just until combined.
Divide batter equally between 12 paper-lined or greased muffin cups. (An ice cream scoop works well for this.)
Bake in center of preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean and tops are golden brown.
Remove muffins from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin and placing on wire racks. (It is important to finish cooling banana rhubarb muffins on a wire rack so they don't create condensation under them and become soggy bottomed.)
Hint: Keep toothpicks handy beside the oven for quickly checking if your muffins and cakes are done. Insert one and pull it out. Any wet batter means they are not done. A clean toothpick or a few crumbs mean they are done, pull them out right away.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few quick subs and swaps if you are missing an ingredient.
- Apple - Swap out diced rhubarb for diced apple and make banana apple muffins. A great winter alternative.
- Brown Sugar - Change up the white sugar for brown (use an equal amount) for a slightly richer flavor and darker color.
- Sour Cream - If you are out of plain Greek yogurt, sour cream makes a perfect substitution. Use an equal amount.
Equipment
Besides a muffin pan, you won't need any special equipment.
Paper or parchment muffin tin liners are nice. They will help your muffins pop out perfectly but if you don't have them, you can grease and flour your muffin cups, or spray with a vegetable cooking spray instead.
An electric mixer is great for mashing your banana and mixing your ingredients but a fork will work just fine if that's what you've got.
Storage
Banana rhubarb muffins are tender and moist, thanks to all the fruit. They will keep fresh and delicious for 3 days. Keep them in an airtight container or bag to keep them as fresh as possible.
These fruity, healthy muffins freeze well too. Again, place them in a sealed container or zip top bag. Put them in your deep freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, leaving them covered with just the corner of the bag or container open.
Eat at room temperature or heat them in a 300'F oven for 5-7 minutes to enjoy a fragrant warm muffin.
Related Recipes
Top Tips For Tasty Muffins
Fold in the fruit gently and don't overmix the batter. A few lumps are ok. The less the batter is mixed, the fluffier and more tender the banana rhubarb muffins will be. (The same holds true for almost any classic muffin.)
My other tip is to enjoy a delicious muffin while they are still warm 😉
For more on what I'm cooking up, follow me on Instagram or Facebook. You might also like my FREE printable weekly meal planner.
Cheers friends! Sabrina
I hope you have a delicious day, Friends! If you like these muffins, I'd love it if you could tap the star rating to let me know what you thought.
If you have questions or feedback, comment below or message me on IG or FB. I try to get back to each of you as quick as I can.
Cheers, Sabrina
Recipe
Easy And Healthy Banana Rhubarb Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 Bananas (Ripe or Overripe)
- 2 Eggs
- ⅓ cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil or light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Sugar granulated white or raw sugar
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Rhubarb diced into ¼ -½ inch chunks (fresh or frozen diced rhubarb)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl, mash bananas, then whisk in eggs.
- Once eggs are incorporated into bananas, add yogurt, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Whisk until well mixed.
- Add dry ingredients and mix gently until just combined. Stir in rhubarb.
- Divide equally between 12 paper-lined or greased muffin cups.
- Bake in center of preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool several minutes before removing from muffin tin and placing on wire rack to finish cooling.
Addie
Absolutely delicious!
Sabrina Currie
Yay! Thanks for sharing Addie!