strawberry muffins are everything you want in a morning treat: tender, buttery, packed with juicy berries, and topped with a sweet, crunchy sugar sparkle. I first made them on a Saturday morning when strawberries were practically spilling out of the farmers' market bins, and honestly, they've been my go-to ever since. They're simple to whip up, use ingredients you probably already have, and they freeze beautifully for busy mornings.
If you love easy breakfast treats, you'll also want to try these Easy Chewy Homemade Bagels recipe or this Easy Scottish Tattie Scones recipe . And if you're all about berry baking, don't miss these Easy Dutch Baby Pancakes Recipe .
Why You'll Love Strawberry Muffins
They're soft and fluffy muffins that bake up tall and golden, with fresh strawberries tucked into every bite. The turbinado sugar on top adds a delicate crunch that makes them feel bakery-special, but they come together in less than an hour from start to finish. You don't need fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients, and they're perfect for breakfast, brunch, snack time, or even dessert. Plus, they freeze like a dream, so you can stash a batch and pull one out whenever you need a little sweetness.
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strawberry muffins Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make these homemade berry muffins.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredients Quantities
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Forms the soft, tender structure of the strawberry muffins . You'll use most of it in the batter and toss a bit with the strawberries to keep them from sinking.
- Baking powder: Gives the strawberry muffins their light, fluffy rise.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the flavor of the berries.
Wet Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and keeps the strawberry muffins moist. Make sure it's softened so it creams smoothly with the sugar.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the batter and helps create that tender crumb.
- Eggs: Bind everything together and add structure.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth.
- Almond extract: Just a touch gives these sweet berry strawberry muffins a subtle, bakery-style flavor.
- Milk: Keeps the batter smooth and moist.
Fruits & Topping
- Diced strawberries: Fresh, juicy berries are the star here. You'll fold most of them into the batter and save some for topping.
- Demerara sugar (or turbinado/raw sugar): Sprinkled on top before baking, it creates a beautiful, crunchy golden crust.
How to make strawberry muffins
Prep oven & pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Give the liners and the pan a light spray with non-stick cooking spray so the strawberry muffins release easily.
Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt until everything's evenly combined.
Cream butter & sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until it's light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts. Don't worry if the batter looks a little grainy-that's normal.
Combine wet & dry: Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the flour. Mix just until everything comes together.
Prepare strawberries: Toss the remaining 2 teaspoons of flour with the diced strawberries to coat them lightly. This helps keep them from sinking to the bottom. Set aside ½ cup of the berries for topping, then gently fold the rest into the batter. Don't overmix or the strawberry muffins can turn out tough.
Fill muffin cups: Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them generously. An ice cream scoop works perfectly here. Top each muffin with a few of the reserved strawberries, then sprinkle turbinado sugar over the center. Try to avoid getting sugar on the edges of the pan so it doesn't burn.
Bake: Bake for 30 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If any strawberry muffins stick to the liner, run a butter knife gently around the edges.
Cool: Let the strawberry muffins cool in the pan for about 25 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set and keeps the bottoms from getting soggy.
Freeze (optional): Once cooled, you can double-wrap the strawberry muffins in foil or place them in a freezer-safe bag. They'll keep for up to 3 months. Just thaw them overnight at room temperature, and they'll taste freshly baked.
Substitutions & Swaps
- Frozen strawberries: If fresh berries aren't in season, you can use frozen. Just don't thaw them first-toss them straight into the batter while still frozen to avoid excess moisture.
- Other berries: Blueberries, raspberries, or diced peaches all work beautifully here.
- Buttermilk: Swap the milk for buttermilk for an extra tender crumb and a slight tang.
- Coconut oil: You can replace the butter with melted coconut oil for a dairy-free version. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
- Gluten-free flour: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend in place of all-purpose flour.
Equipment for strawberry muffins
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Paper liners
- Non-stick cooking spray
- Medium mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Spatula
- Wire rack
- Ice cream scoop (optional)
Storage Tips
Store leftover strawberry muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They'll stay soft and moist if you tuck a piece of bread in the container with them. For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or wrapped tightly in foil for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm them gently in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.
Expert Tips
Let them cool in the pan. Giving them time to set before transferring helps them hold their shape and keeps them from falling apart.
Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until the flour disappears. Overmixing develops the gluten and makes the strawberry muffins dense and tough.
Use room temperature ingredients. Softened butter, eggs, and milk blend more smoothly and create a better texture.
Coat the berries in flour. This simple trick keeps the strawberries from sinking to the bottom while baking.
Fill the cups generously. These strawberry muffins are meant to have tall, domed tops, so don't be shy with the batter.
FAQ
What makes a good strawberry muffin?
A good strawberry muffin has a tender, moist crumb, plenty of fresh berries in every bite, and a lightly sweetened top that's just a little crispy. The key is not overmixing the batter and using fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor. A hint of almond extract also makes them taste bakery-special.
Are muffins healthy or unhealthy?
It depends on the ingredients and portion size. These strawberry muffins from scratch have fresh fruit, which adds fiber and vitamins, but they also contain butter and sugar, so they're more of a treat than an everyday health food. You can lighten them up by using less sugar or swapping in whole wheat flour for half the all-purpose flour.
What is one thing you should never do to a muffin mixture?
Never overmix the batter. Once you add the flour, stir just until it's barely combined. Overmixing activates the gluten and turns your strawberry muffins tough and dense instead of light and fluffy. A few lumps in the batter are totally fine.
What makes muffins more fluffy?
Fluffy strawberry muffins come from properly creaming the butter and sugar, using fresh baking powder, and mixing the batter gently. Starting with room temperature ingredients also helps everything blend smoothly and rise evenly. And don't skip the cooling time in the pan-it helps the structure set.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with strawberry muffins
Strawberry Muffins
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a 12-cup muffin tin by lining with paper liners and spraying lightly with non-stick spray. prep
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, and salt until fully combined. prep
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until creamy. mix
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. mix
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three portions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. mix
- Toss the remaining 2 teaspoon flour with the diced strawberries to prevent sinking. Set aside ½ cup for topping. Fold the remaining berries gently into the batter without overmixing. mix
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling generously. Top each muffin with the reserved strawberries and sprinkle the demerara sugar in the center of each muffin. assemble
- Bake muffins for 30 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Run a knife around edges if sticking. bake
- Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 25 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. finish
- Optional: Once fully cooled, wrap muffins tightly in foil or freezer-safe bags and freeze up to 3 months. finish
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