Cinnamon Rhubarb Muffins

There's nothing better than fresh muffins on a Saturday morning. Or any morning. Well, maybe except cinnamon rolls. I guess those are better. But muffins are still pretty good. Especially when they're laced with rhubarb and topped with cinnamon sugar.

Rhubarb is such a funny fruit - or vegetable, let's call it a vegetable. On its own, it's really nothing to shake a stick at, but in baked goods, it really shines.

I love that you can dice it up and store it in the freezer, so it's readily available for great recipes like this. And if you have more rhubarb than you can handle, check out these great options: Rhubarb Sorbet, Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream,
Blackberry Rhubarb Bread, Gingered Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, Blueberry Rhubarb Bars, Rhubarb Blueberry Muffins, Rhubarb Dream Bars, Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars, Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Cake, Sweet Tart Rhubarb and Ginger Sorbet.

But for now, you should just make these muffins. And make your mornings a little sweeter.

Cinnamon Rhubarb Muffins

Muffins:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups diced rhubarb

Topping:
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt and whisk to blend.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Lightly stir the sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients with a spatula until the batter just comes together; do not overmix. Gently stir in the diced rhubarb. The batter will be thick.

Divide the batter among paper-lined muffin cups.

Make the topping: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Sprinkle a generous 1/2 tsp. of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over each muffin.

Bake at 400 for 18-22 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown, and spring back most of the way when gently pressed. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans. These muffins are great served warm, or at room temperature. They also freeze well. Makes 14-16 muffins.