What to do with a harvest of Rhubarb, well you could make my Rhubarb Muffins for starters! I have at least two suppliers of homegrown rhubarb and am forever grateful! I’ve come up with a few recipes on this blog and you really can’t beat the humble crumble (that rhymes!). Take my recipe for A simple Gluten Free Rhubarb Crumble with vegan version for example.
This recipe just so happens to be one of my oldest on the website. It’s originally dated 2016 and every time I make these I kick myself for not updating the photographs. Well this time I stopped and remembered. I’ve also adapted it slightly over the years to make this an egg free Rhubarb Muffin recipe too as I can no longer tolerate eggs. Just me or does that sound like we had a falling out and refuse to talk anymore!
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When is the best time to harvest rhubarb?
Frankly, with the climate change messing about with our seasons, you could be forgiven for getting confused. Traditionally the time to harvest rhubarb is between April and May, preferably no later than the first week of July. Not because they turn poisonous as some old wives tales would have you believe. Harvesting them too late leaves the root ball exposed to frosts therefore reduces your chances for a good harvest the following year.
Or, if you are lucky like me you just open your door one day to find a lovely neighbour standing there with your body weight in beautiful rhubarb stalks!
Can you eat green rhubarb stems?
Yes you can use green and pink rhubarb in this recipe. People worry that green rhubarb is unripe but this is not necessarily true. If you can stick your nail in a stem of rhubarb without much force it’s read to pull. There just happen to be different varieties of rhubarb, some have green stems, some pink and green. If you can get your hands on some Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb this is vibrant pink in colour and the best for jams, curds and chutneys if you want the colour to come through. To prove a point, the rhubarb in my A simple Gluten Free Rhubarb Crumble with vegan version is forced so you can see for yourself the impact in colour.
How to prepare rhubarb?
If you are lucky enough to be using forced rhubarb then very little preparation is necessary. The stalks are long, straight and supple, making them easy to dice.
However, when using the later store bought version you will probably find that the thin green ends need to be removed. Finally, if the stalks are drier and a little woody in places, you may wish to take a peeler and shave these parts off before chopping and using in recipes.
Can I make these with egg and dairy?
You most certainly can make these with egg, milk and butter. This is a all-in-one recipe so rather than make a separate flaxseed egg I just add the flaxseed dry to the dry ingredients. Because of this you can’t just add an egg and omit the flaxseed as you’ll have too much liquid. So follow this tip to add egg and dairy.
To make 6 muffins as per recipe
weigh 50g butter to rub your dry ingredients into fine breadcrumbs
measure 100ml milk and add 1 egg, whisk with fork to combine
add the milk and egg to the fine breadcrumb mixture and beat with a wooden spoon.
…continue to follow recipe as written.
What type of biscuit can I use to add the crumble topping?
That is the most flexible part of this recipe. I’ve used ginger biscuits in the past. Even better in the biscuit had lumps of stem ginger in them. On this occasion I used a lemon shortbread biscuit. Other times all I had handy was a gluten free digestive. At the end of the day, you can use pretty much any biscuit as long as it crumbles up nicely. That said, I’d draw the line at a chocolate chips cookie, that’s a bit odd adding chocolate – or maybe that’s just me?
Let me know if you’ve found a delicious biscuit to top these Rhubarb Muffins with in the comments below. Also, if you love the idea of this recipe then be sure to hop over to see my Blueberry Crumble Muffins made gluten free with dairy free option too.
What other recipes can I make with rhubarb?
Gluten Free Rhubarb Muffin Recipe
If you make it and like the recipe I would be eternally grateful if you popped back and commented leaving a star rating as this will tell search engines that this recipe is worth checking out and others will get to find it in searches.
Gluten Free Rhubarb Muffins
Ingredients
- 125 g gluten free self raising flour
- 80 g light brown sugar
- 150 ml dairy free milk – I used soya milk
- 50 g butter or butter alternative (I use Flora plant butter) – I used Flora Plant Butter
- 1 tbsp flaxseed
- 1 tsp psyllium husk powder (optional) – optional but does add structure
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 125 g diced rhubarb
- 1 gluten free biscuit(s) – use whatever is handy, I used a lemon shortbread on this occasion.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C | 170°C fan | 375°F | Gas 5
- Fill a deep muffin tin with 6 large cupcake cases. Add 5-6 pieces of chopped rhubarb to each case and set aside.
- In a large bowl measure all the dry ingredients and give a quick stir to combine
- Add the 'butter' and using finger tips or a pastry cutter work the fat into the dry ingredients to make fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the dairy free milk and beat with a wooden spoon to incorporate all the ingredients into a wet muffin batter.
- Spoon the batter equally among the 6 muffin cases and top with the remaining chopped rhubarb.
- Finally crush your gluten free biscuit of choice in your hands and sprinkle over the tops to add a crumble topping.
- Bake in the oven for 25mins, these will go a lovely golden brown.
- Once cooked (you will get a slight bounce to the touch and a toothpick will come out clean) remove from oven and leave to cool for 5 mins before adding to a cooling rack.
- Can be eaten still warm (I love mine with dairy free cream) or cooled.
Nutrition
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Hello Rebecca, I made these again this morning… my husband and son declared “these are hands down the best GF vegan muffins”. I completely agree with them! Thank you for this, and all your wonderful recipes.
Always the best kind of comment to come on her and find. Thank you so much Barbara for taking the time to come back and let me know, it honestly puts a smile on my face for the rest of the day xx
YUM, YUM, AND YUM! Thank you Rebecca for this great recipe. I made two batches today; one with rhubarb, the other with apple and rhubarb. Both are delicious and my husband and son are gobbling them up! Will definitely be a staple in our house.
What a fantastic comment to come on here and find, thank you so much for your feedback Barbara, so pleased your family loved this recipe
Absolutely love this recipe! A staple! 🥰
I love that you LOVE it, thank you for taking the tome to come back and comment Gabi.
Ooooh these look fab! Love rhubarb :-D
I love Rhubarb – these sound delicious! I think I’m going to top mine with a ginger biscuit, that sounds like an amazing combo!
Absolutely, Rhubarb and Ginger go so well together.
I love rhubarb and these muffins are perfect.
You can’t beat rhubarb in my book. I’ll take it any way it comes… and I’ll have a whole basket of Rhubarb Muffins please 😘
Looks so good but sadly I never tried rhubarb as it is not easily available here….
Such a shame, I wonder if you can get it canned rather than fresh? Tell you what, these would be awesome with peaches too. :-)
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
I’m so pleased you liked it, thanks for coming back and commenting.
Yum! These muffins look delicious! :)
Thank you Nancy, and thank you for popping over to have a look.
These look fabulous!! I love rhubarb too…but it needs so much sugar!
Yes, but I’m one of those people who could happily eat a lemon! So I can take it a bit sharper than some! There was something on C4 Food Unwrapped about a powder that turns sour to sweet, not sure if it on the market or just for use in industry? Might Google that?