Soft, tender and loaded with fresh juicy berries, these strawberry muffins are bakery-worthy! This simple, carefully-tested recipe yields the prettiest and tastiest muffins you’ve ever tried. Recipe includes a how-to video!
Bakery-Style Strawberry Muffins
One of my favorite summer muffin recipes, these strawberry muffins are getting a refresh with new photos and a new topping. I previously recommended drizzling them with a vanilla glaze after baking (still tasty!), but lately I’ve been liking a sprinkle of coarse sugar instead. Try them both ways to see which you prefer!
Why This Recipe WORKS
- Impressive, yet simple: No fancy tools or ingredients needed! Instead, we’ll use pantry staples and baking basics you should already have on hand. You don’t even need a mixer to make the batter (and please, do not use one even if you do have one!).
- Perfectly balanced flavor and texture: Starting with a blend of a neutral oil and butter has proven time and time again to be the best way to get the best flavor and texture when making muffins.
- Tried and true baking technique: Adopted from my bakery-style chocolate chip muffins, this technique allows the muffins to get a nice rise by baking on a high temperature first before cooling things down so the interiors can bake through without drying out. It’s simple, reliable, and provides beautiful results!
- Bakery-style: Resting the batter, filling the muffin liners to the top, sprinkling with coarse sugar, and baking at two oven temperatures all contribute to the bakery-style results we are looking for. To sell the bakery look even further, bake your muffins in my parchment paper muffin liners!
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Ingredients
Just a few key ingredients make these strawberry muffins extra special. Let’s talk about them a bit before we head into the full recipe.
- Strawberries. Flavorful strawberries = flavorful strawberry muffins! If you use tasteless December strawberries, your muffins won’t magically develop an amazing strawberry flavor in the oven (if only!). So use berries that taste good if you want tasty muffins! See my note in the FAQ section below if you want to use frozen berries.
- Butter and oil. This combination is the best way to make your muffins flavorful and moist. Using all-butter tends to dry out cake-y baked goods while using all oil can make them soft and moist, but not quite so flavorful. A blend of the two is key 👌
- Buttermilk. Real, full-fat buttermilk is best and will provide the best flavor. My easy buttermilk substitute will also work if you can’t find buttermilk or don’t feel like running to the store, but the real stuff is the best.
- Cornstarch. A pinch of cornstarch contributes to the soft, tender texture of our muffins.
- Coarse sugar. This is optional, but I highly recommend sprinkling some coarse sugar (I use a baker’s sugar, but turbinado or even granulated will work too!) over your muffins before they bake. This adds a bakery-style finish that is just so pretty (and tasty too, I love the texture!).
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
BAKING SODA NOTE: You do NOT need to add baking soda to this recipe just because we are using buttermilk! This is a common misconception for many bakers. You only need baking powder today–save the baking soda for your sweet tea 😉
How to Make Strawberry Muffins
Start by stirring together the fats (butter and oil) and sugar in a large bowl. Once that’s combined, add the remaining wet ingredients, starting with the eggs and vanilla and ending with the buttermilk.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then use a spatula (do NOT use a mixer!) to gently fold them into the batter until about 50% combined. Add the berries at this point, then continue gently folding until the batter is just combined. It is essential to not over-mix this type of batter, just like when making pancakes or banana bread.
Don’t Skip the Rest!
While not completely mandatory, I highly recommend that if you have time, you cover and rest the batter for at least 30 minutes or up to one hour. The batter thickens as it sits and results in fluffier muffins with gorgeous tall muffin tops!
Divide the batter into a lined muffin tin, filling each liner all the way to the top. While this recipe will evenly fill 12 muffin liners, I actually will usually only divide the batter into 9 or 10 liners for bigger muffins. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with coarse sugar or granulated sugar if desired–I love doing this!
Bake for 8 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature (keep the oven door closed!) and bake for 12 minutes or until the muffin tops are just starting to turn a golden color.
SAM’S TIP: To avoid soggy/greasy muffin liners, gently remove the muffins from their pan after about 5 minutes. I use a butter knife to gently lift and pry them from the pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, and you do not need to thaw the berries first! I do however recommend chopping the frozen berries before adding them to the batter, as they usually come in halves and we want bite-sized pieces.
Yes! Like most of my muffin recipes, these muffins freeze very well. Just make sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap (a layer of foil isn’t a bad idea either!) and store in airtight container to keep them fresh.
To thaw, either set the muffins on the counter or pop in the microwave for a few seconds.
I suspect raspberries or blackberries would work well here, though I haven’t tried them myself. If you want to use blueberries, this recipe would work, but I recommend you follow my recipe for blueberry muffins.
Recommended Muffin Toppings
Check out my full collection of strawberry recipes for even more berry-filled treats 🍓
Enjoy!
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Strawberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled at least 5 minutes
- ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral cooking oil (avocado, vegetable, or canola oil)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg white room temperature preferred
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk (see note)
- 1 ¾ cup (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons corn starch cornflour UK
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup (175 g) hulled chopped strawberries
- Coarse sugar, for sprinkling see note
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine butter and canola oil in a large bowl and whisk until well-combined.4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral cooking oil
- Add sugar and whisk to combine.1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- Add egg, egg white, and vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously, until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.1 large egg + 1 egg white, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Gradually whisk in buttermilk until completely combined.½ cup buttermilk
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, corn starch, and salt.1 ¾ cup (220 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons corn starch, ½ teaspoon salt
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet gently, taking care not to over-mix the batter. Once about half of the dry ingredients have been combined, add your chopped strawberries and continue to gently stir until ingredients are just combined.1 ½ cup (175 g) hulled
- Optional, but recommended: Cover bowl with a dry towel and allow the batter to rest for 30-60 minutes before proceeding (see "resting note" below for more info). Meanwhile, preheat your oven.
- Preheat oven to 425F (215C) and line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners.
- Once oven has preheated, evenly divide batter into prepared tin (note: this recipe will make 12 muffins, but for bigger/bakery style muffins i recommend dividing the batter into only 9 muffin liners!).
- Sprinkle a small bit of sugar over the top of each muffin.
- Transfer to center rack of 425F (215C) preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes and then (without opening the oven door) reduce the oven temperature to 350F (175C) and bake another 10-12 minutes, or until tops are just beginning to turn golden brown.
- Allow muffins to cool in their tin for 5-7 minutes then carefully remove from muffin tin and transfer to cooling rack to cool completely before enjoying.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
I originally published this recipe in June of 2018 but have updated the photos and the post. The recipe for the muffins themselves remains the same, though I now top them with sugar instead of vanilla glaze (but include a note if you still want the glaze!).
Fiona
Are the measurements in US? I’m in Australia, do I need to adapt the measurements, please?
Thank you kindly
Sam Merritt
Hi Fiona! The measurements are imperial, with the metric in parenthesis. 🙂
Terri
Can you substitute raspberries for the strawberries?
Sam Merritt
Hi Terri! I think that will work just fine. 🙂
Kathy White
Thanks for another delicious recipe! Although the muffins were fully baked, they didn’t brown on top at all. What did I do wrong? By the way… they tasted amazing!
Sam
Hi Kathy! They could have just needed another minute in the oven to get a little golden brown, but if they were delicious I wouldn’t mess with it. 🙂
Michele
I think because there’s no baking soda in the recipe, only baking powder. Baking soda browns baked good on top, whereas baking powder does not. Sam, your thoughts about this detail?
Sam Merritt
Hi Michele! While mine often do develop some golden browning you can see in the photos, you’re absolutely right baking soda would make them much more golden on top. I have extensively tested this recipe with various amounts of baking soda and have concluded that they’re much better without it altogether, so we ultimately sacrifice a bit of browning for better texture and flavor.
Marci Gordon
I have found that placing the muffins on a higher rack in the oven will improve the browning.
Caelin McCauley
They always turn out beautiful
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you like the recipe, Caelin! 😊
Lisa Mishaga
I have added a post 2 times and neither one has been posted. would you please tell me why. Did I do something wrong?
Sam
Hi Lisa! I only actually see one, but all comments must be approved on the website and I just wasn’t on my computer last night. 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed the muffins! 🙂
Kathleen
Can this recipe be made in a loaf pan? I need to get new muffin pans mine are so old and rusting.
Sam Merritt
Hi Kathleen! I can’t say for sure. I haven’t tried it. 🙁
Lisa Mishaga
These muffins are absolutely wonderful! I was wondering if you think it would be okay to add a cream cheese mixture in it because my family loves everything with cream cheese in it. All of your recipes are amazing! I’ve never been disappointed. Than You so much!!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Lisa! 🙂
Tammy
I absolutely love these recipes, I have tried many of them now and have never had a bad result!! The muffin recipes are absolutely amazing
Sam
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed them so much, Tammy! 🙂
Allison Jordan
most of my muffins caved in do you know why they would do that?
Sam
Hi Allison! Is it possible they are slightly under-baked?
Hillary Clark
I haven’t yet taken them out of the oven, but I just wanted to again say how amazing your recipes are, and how grateful I am you took the time to perfect and tweak every little recipe to perfection because I have yet to bake
Something from your site that has turned out anything less than great and usually amazing! I have had some trouble transitioning from a regular oven with convection to a gas only oven with no heat from the top and a very questionable temperature gauge but I’ve taken to allowing it to preheat about 20 minutes longer than when it claims to be heated, and generally have to add between 2-5 extra minutes for most recipes but I found you while still living at my last place which had a regular oven so I know how perfect your times, temps, measurements and tips are. I’ve always liked baking but before I found this site I never made “the perfect” anything, now I have at least a dozen recipes from you memorized and all my friends and family rave over them – chocolate chip cookies, confetti cupcakes, carrot cake cupcakes (I mean these are like heavenly) red velvet cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, etc etc. unreal how amazing you are at this and I’ve never found another blog or site even close to this!!! Thank you!!
Sam
Thank you so much, Hillary! I truly appreciate reading these kinds of comments and I really do value your support. It can be frustrating to have an oven that is a little off, but I’m glad you seem to have figured it out. I look forward to hearing from you in the future. Happy baking! 🙂