Strawberry Muffins
I love having a simple strawberry muffin in my back pocket for berry season—these are the ones I make when I’m having people over for brunch and want something that feels special but still easy. They bake up soft and fluffy with a tender, buttery crumb, and they’re loaded with fresh strawberries in every bite. What is the secret? Sour cream! Then, a light strawberry crumble on top with a light cream cheese glaze adds just enough texture, making them perfect for setting out with coffee, fruit, and maybe a second pot of tea. If you’re looking for something even more decadent, be sure to take a look at my Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins as well!
Why You’ll Love These Muffins
You’ll love these strawberry muffins because they truly taste like strawberries, not just sweet cake with a few pieces mixed in. Fresh berries are folded into the batter, while freeze-dried strawberries in the crumble topping add a deeper, more concentrated strawberry flavor. The mix of butter, oil, and sour cream creates a soft, tender crumb that stays moist for days, and a touch of vanilla rounds everything out. They’re wonderful on their own, but the cream cheese glaze turns them into something a little extra when you want to dress them up. This recipe yields about 16 regular muffins or 8 jumbo muffins.
Key Ingredients (and why I use them):
Fresh strawberries are the star here, folded into the batter to add juicy pops of flavor throughout each muffin. I like using ripe, in-season berries for the best sweetness and color.
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Sour cream is what gives these muffins their soft, tender crumb. It adds moisture without making the batter heavy and keeps the muffins from drying out after baking.
Butter and oil work together to create the perfect texture. The butter adds richness and flavor, while the oil helps the muffins stay light and moist for days.
Freeze-dried strawberries are used in the crumble topping to concentrate the strawberry flavor without adding extra moisture. They bring a bright, berry-forward punch and a subtle crunch.
How to Make
Full step-by-step instructions, total time estimates, and ingredient amounts can be found at the bottom of this post in the recipe card! But if you want some insider tips, keep reading…
Step 1: Strawberry Crumble
Before making the muffins, I prepare the strawberry crumble that goes on top of the muffins so it’s ready to go.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and chopped freeze-dried strawberries. Add the melted butter and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I set aside this aside in the fridge while I make the muffin batter.
Step 2: Muffin Batter
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a muffin tin with 16 paper liners or grease with oil.
I start by whisking together the melted butter, vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl until everything is smooth and cohesive. In a separate bowl, I whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar, making sure the leaveners are evenly distributed before combining everything into the batter.
I pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold everything together with a rubber spatula, stopping as soon as the batter comes together to keep the muffins light and tender. I toss the chopped strawberries with a teaspoon of flour to help them stay suspended in the batter, then fold them in carefully so they don’t break down too much.
Step 2: Assembling
Once the batter is ready, I divide it evenly between the lined muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. I finish them with a generous tablespoon of strawberry crumble on top for extra texture, though coarse sugar works beautifully too if you want to keep things simple.
Step 3: Baking
I bake the muffins at 425ºF for the first 7 minutes to give them a nice lift, then reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF and continue baking for another 12 to 15 minutes. They’re ready when the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, especially if I plan on adding the glaze.
Step 4: Cream Cheese Glaze
I beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and a tablespoon of milk together until the glaze is smooth and creamy. If it feels too thick, I add a little more milk, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a drizzle-able consistency. Once the muffins are completely cool, I drizzle the glaze over the top right before serving.
Serving & Storage
These muffins are best enjoyed the day they’re baked, when the crumb is at its softest, but they store well if you want to make them ahead. I keep unglazed muffins at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a day, or refrigerate them for up to four days and let them come back to room temperature before serving. They also freeze beautifully—just store the unglazed muffins in a freezer-safe bag for up to two months, then thaw at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. To reheat, I warm them in short 15-second bursts in the microwave or wrap them in foil and heat in a 350ºF oven until warmed through!
Recipe Notes & Tips for Strawberry Muffins
- Crumble Variation: If you don’t have freeze-dried strawberries, you can omit them or replace them with chopped nuts for a different texture.
- Glaze Consistency: If the glaze is too thick, add more milk a teaspoon at a time until it reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
- Serving Suggestion: These muffins pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea!
Variations on Strawberry Muffins
- Strawberry Lemon Muffins: Add 1 tbsp of lemon zest to the batter and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the glaze for a citrusy twist.
- Blueberry Muffins: Turn these into blueberry muffins using fresh blueberries!
- Chocolate Strawberry Muffins: Fold in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips for a strawberry-chocolate combination.
- Almond Strawberry Muffins: Add ½ tsp of almond extract to the batter and sprinkle sliced almonds over the crumble topping.
- Add nuts: Add some of your favorite nuts like walnuts or pecans to give this a nutty crunch!
- Gluten-Free Option: Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free flour to make these muffins gluten-free.
More of my Strawberry Recipes…
If you’re still in a strawberry baking mood, there’s plenty more to love next. For a different muffin variation, try my Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins. My Strawberry Shortcake Cake is light and classic, Strawberry Tiramisu is creamy and a little indulgent, and Strawberry Cake is perfect when you want something simple but celebratory.
These strawberry muffins are soft, fluffy, and full of fresh berry flavor, whether you enjoy them plain, topped with crumble, or finished with a drizzle of cream cheese glaze. If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to see how they turn out—leave a comment to let me know what you think, or share a photo on Instagram and tag me so I can see and cheer you on.
Strawberry Muffins
Ingredients
Strawberry Crumble
- ½ cup plus 1 tbsp all-purpose flour 72 grams
- 2½ tbsp granulated sugar 33 grams
- 3 tbsp brown sugar 45 grams
- 3 tbsp chopped freeze dried strawberries 16 grams
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted (56 grams)
Strawberry Muffin Recipe
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted 84 grams
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 60 ml
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup sour cream 180 grams
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk 240 ml
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour 318 grams
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 2 cups chopped strawberries 250 grams
- 1 tsp all-purpose flour
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 3 tbsp cream cheese at room temperature 42 grams
- ½ tbsp unsalted butter 7 grams
- 3-4 tbsp powdered sugar 31 grams
- 1-3 tbsp milk
Instructions
Strawberry Crumble
- To make the crumble, mix the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and chopped freeze dried strawberries in a bowl. Add the melted butter and mix to combine. Set aside. You can keep it in the fridge while you make the muffins.
Strawberry Muffin Batter
- Pre-heat the oven to 425ºF.
- Grease or line 16 muffin tins with baking paper liners. This recipe yields about 16 regular size muffins, and 8 jumbo.
- Add the melted butter, vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract to a bowl. Whisk until completely incorporated.
- In another large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar together.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix with a rubber spatula until the batter comes together.
- Toss the strawberries with the remaining tsp of flour, and add the strawberries to the batter. Fold to combine.
- Don’t over mix or the muffins can turn out dry or dense.
- Divide the batter between the muffin tins lined with cupcake papers. You want to fill each one up until almost full, about 3/4 full.
- Sprinkle about about 1 tbsp of the crumble over each muffin. You can skip the crumble and sprinkle the muffins with coarse, turbinado, or raw sugar.
Baking
- Bake the muffins in the pre-heated 425ºF oven for 7 minutes.
- Lower the temperature to 350ºF and bake for another 12 to 15 minutes until golden around the edges, and a toothpick inserted in the muffin should come out clean.
- Let the muffins cool down before serving.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- To make the glaze, beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and 1 tbsp of milk using a hand mixer. You can also use a whisk as long as you can vigorously whisk the mixture.
- Once the glaze is smooth, it’s ready. If you notice the glaze is too thick, add the remaining milk, so you are able to drizzle.
- Pour the glaze over each cooled down muffin.
On the glaze you have 3 tbsp cup cream cheese… which is it? 3 tbsp or 3 cups?
3 tbsp! fixing it now! Thank you!
What can i use instead of sour cream?
Yogurt will work just fine 🙂
Can you use fresh strawberries?
For the crumble, you mean? I would leave them out, as they will make the crumble soggy.