Why Make These Muffins Plant-Based?

Traditional rhubarb muffin recipes call for eggs and butter. Here, we swap those out with two simple plant-based tricks:

• Flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water per egg) — this mixture gels into a binder that provides structure and moisture without any animal products.
• Vegan melted butter (such as Miyoko’s or Earth Balance) — works identically to dairy butter in both the muffin batter and streusel topping. Make sure to use stick butter
• Plant-based milk (soy milk works best).

The result is every bit as tender and moist as a conventional muffin. If anything, the flax egg adds a subtle nuttiness that pairs beautifully with walnuts (optional) and cinnamon in this recipe.

Rhubarb Muffin Ingredients

For the flax egg:

• Ground flaxseed + water — your egg replacer! Mix and let it sit for 5 minutes until it gets thick and gel-like. FYI if you prefer to just use an egg you can, but I like this option for egg-free/vegan baking that still works great (and is healthy!)

For the muffins:

• All-purpose flour — sifted and leveled for the best texture.
• Brown sugar — packed. Adds that warm, molasses-y sweetness.
• Baking powder + baking soda — your leavening dream team for a good rise. Make sure to use fresh ingredients. As a general rule, both should be replaced every 6 months to 1 year.
• Cinnamon + nutmeg — warm spices that complement the tartness of the rhubarb SO well.
• Salt — always.
• Soy milk — unsweetened and plain. Any neutral plant milk works here.
• Vegan butter — melted and cooled. I love Earth Balance butter sticks. Don’t use tub butter. Regular unsalted butter works too if that’s what you have!
• Vanilla extract — compliments the flavor of the muffins.
• Fresh rhubarb — chopped into small ½-inch pieces. Fresh is best here!
• Flour (for tossing the rhubarb) — this keeps the rhubarb from sinking to the bottom. Little trick, big difference.
• Walnuts (optional) — roughly chopped, for a little crunch.

For the streusel:

• Flour + brown sugar + white sugar — the base of your crumble.
• Cinnamon + salt — just enough warmth.
• Vegan butter — melted and cooled, to bring it all together (I use Earth Balance butter sticks)

How to Make Easy Rhubarb Muffins

• Make the Flax Egg: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp ground flaxseed and 3 tbsp water. Set aside for 5–10 minutes until it thickens into a gel. This is your egg replacement.FYI if you do not want to use a flax egg, you can use a regular egg if that is your dietary preference.
• Make the streusel: In a separate small bowl, combine all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Drizzle in melted butter and use a fork to work it together until crumbly clumps form. Place in the fridge while you prepare the batter.
• Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease each cup well (I personally prefer the greasing method so I don’t have to risk them sticking to those paper liners – just grease thoroughly!)

1. Mix the Dry Ingredients

Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

2. Mix the Wet Ingredients

Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together soy milk, melted vegan butter, vanilla extract, and your flax egg until smooth with no streaks of butter.

3. Combine Wet into Dry

Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl of dry ingredients. Use a spatula to fold gently — about 10 to 12 strokes. Stop while a few flour streaks remain. Don’t overmix!

4. Prep rhubarb and Fold into Batter

Chop fresh rhubarb stalks into ½-inch pieces. In a medium bowl, toss 1½ cups rhubarb with 1 tbsp all-purpose flour until lightly coated. This prevents the rhubarb from sinking to the bottom during baking.

Add the flour-coated rhubarb to the muffin batter. Add walnuts too if using. Fold in with the spatula just until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.

5. Fill the Muffin Pan & Top with Streusel

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin tins, filling each cup about ¾ full. Remove the streusel from the fridge and sprinkle generously over each muffin. You should make about 12 muffins. If you want really big muffins like the coffee shop or bakery, fill them a little more and make less muffins.

6. Bake

Bake for 22–25 minutes without opening the oven door early. At 22 minutes, insert a toothpick into the center of a middle muffin — it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Let the muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Best served slightly warm with a little butter or jam. 🙂

Tips for the Best Results

Fresh rhubarb vs. frozen: Fresh rhubarb from rhubarb season is ideal — look for firm, deeply colored stalks. Frozen rhubarb works well too; don’t thaw it first, just toss in flour and fold it in frozen. It will release a bit more moisture during baking, which actually keeps the muffins extra moist.

Storing: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap individually and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a 325°F oven for 10–12 minutes.

Brown sugar vs. white sugar: Brown sugar is the better choice here. The molasses in brown sugar adds depth and warmth that amplifies the cinnamon and rhubarb, and it contributes to that beautiful golden, slightly crisp exterior.

Bowls and pans: This recipe uses three bowls (a large bowl for dry, a medium bowl for wet, and a small bowl for the streusel) and one standard muffin pan. Nothing fancy required.

New to vegan muffin baking? My Vegan Coffee Cake Muffins are a great starting point if this is your first time working with a flax egg — same technique, simpler batter. And if you want to understand the oat-based muffin structure I use across my recipes, the Banana Oatmeal Muffins post has a full breakdown.

What Is the Secret to a Great Muffin?

There are a few, and they’re all in the method I’ve been working on for years:

1. Don’t overmix. This is the golden rule. Once you pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, use a spatula and fold – don’t stir vigorously. Mix just until no dry streaks of flour remain. A lumpy batter is a good batter.

2. Use room temperature ingredients. Cold plant-based milk and cold melted butter don’t incorporate as smoothly. Let everything come to room temp before you start.

3. Coat the rhubarb in flour. Before folding your fresh rhubarb into the batter, toss the pieces in a tablespoon of all-purpose flour. This prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin pan during baking.

4. Fill the cups high. Filling your muffin tins nearly to the top helps create those beautiful domed tops. Don’t be shy! This makes it look like a coffee shop muffin.

5. Let the streusel do the work. A cinnamon streusel topping isn’t just decorative – it creates a slightly crisp, caramelized crust that keeps the muffins moist inside while adding wonderful texture contrast. I LOVE the streusel in my coffee cake muffins!

What Is the Most Common Mistake When Making Muffins?

Overmixing the batter is by far the most common mistake I see. When you overwork a muffin batter, the gluten in the all-purpose flour develops too much, resulting in dense, rubbery muffins instead of tender ones. The same applies when using a flax egg: the gel sets best when the batter is handled gently.

The second most common mistake is opening the oven too early. Resist the urge. Let the muffins bake undisturbed for at least 18 minutes before checking. A toothpick inserted into the center of a center muffin should come out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs, when they’re done.

Common Questions