Homemade Dairy Free Strawberry Muffins

I didn’t realize how much I needed a good dairy-free muffin recipe until my daughter’s friend started coming over for weekend breakfasts. She can’t have regular milk, and I got tired of serving the same store-bought options that tasted like cardboard.

These strawberry muffins changed everything. They’re made with almond flour and coconut oil instead of the usual stuff, but honestly? You wouldn’t know they’re dairy-free unless someone told you. They’re moist, a little sweet, and packed with fresh strawberries. My kids actually prefer them to the regular muffins I used to make, which tells you something.

What Kind of Strawberries Should I Use?

Fresh strawberries are ideal for these muffins, but frozen strawberries will work just as well if that’s what you have on hand. If you’re using frozen berries, there’s no need to thaw them first – just toss them in frozen to prevent them from turning your batter pink. When picking fresh strawberries, look for ones that are firm and bright red without any mushy spots or white shoulders. You’ll want to chop them into smaller pieces, about the size of a blueberry, so they distribute evenly throughout the muffins and don’t create big pockets of moisture.

Options for Substitutions

These muffins are already dairy-free, but here are some swaps you can make based on what you have:

• Almond flour: This is the base of the recipe and shouldn’t be swapped with regular flour since it behaves differently. However, you can use other nut flours like cashew flour in equal amounts. Just know that coconut flour won’t work as a 1:1 swap – it’s much more absorbent.
• Almond milk: Any non-dairy milk works here – try oat milk, coconut milk, or soy milk. Even regular dairy milk is fine if you’re not strictly dairy-free.
• Coconut oil: You can use melted butter if dairy isn’t a concern, or swap with vegetable oil, avocado oil, or melted ghee. Make sure it’s melted and cooled slightly before mixing.
• Sweetener: Whether you’re using sugar, honey, maple syrup, or a sugar substitute, most sweeteners work here. If using liquid sweeteners like honey or maple syrup, you might need to reduce the almond milk by a tablespoon or two.
• Strawberries: Fresh or frozen strawberries both work great. You can also swap with blueberries, raspberries, or chopped peaches. If using frozen berries, don’t thaw them first to prevent the batter from getting too wet.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with almond flour muffins is overmixing the batter, which can make them dense and gummy instead of light and fluffy – just stir until the ingredients are combined and no more.

Since almond flour behaves differently than regular flour, these muffins can brown quickly on top while staying undercooked inside, so if the tops are getting too dark, tent them loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.

To keep your strawberries from releasing too much moisture and making the muffins soggy, pat them dry with a paper towel after dicing and toss them in a teaspoon of almond flour before folding them into the batter.

Don’t skip the cooling time – almond flour muffins need that full hour on the rack to firm up properly, and trying to eat them too soon will give you a gooey, undercooked texture even though they’re actually done.

What to Serve With Strawberry Muffins?

These dairy free strawberry muffins are perfect for breakfast or brunch alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea. I love serving them with a simple fruit salad made with whatever berries are in season – blueberries, raspberries, and sliced peaches all work great. They’re also really good with a dollop of coconut yogurt on the side if you want something a bit more filling. For a weekend brunch spread, pair these muffins with scrambled eggs and some crispy bacon to balance out the sweetness.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your strawberry muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. The fridge helps them last longer since fresh strawberries can make them a bit moist over time.

Freeze: These muffins are great for freezing! Let them cool completely, then wrap each one individually in plastic wrap before putting them all in a freezer bag. They’ll stay good for up to 3 months, which makes them perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts.

Thaw: Just leave a frozen muffin on the counter for about 30 minutes to thaw, or pop it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds if you’re in a hurry. You can also warm them up in the oven at 300°F for about 10 minutes if you want that fresh-baked feel again.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1650-1800
• Protein: 45-50 g
• Fat: 135-145 g
• Carbohydrates: 65-75 g

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1/2 cup sweetener
• 1/2 cup almond milk (unsweetened original)
• 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut oil (melted and cooled to room temperature)
• 2.5 cups almond flour (super-fine)
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup strawberries (hulled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces)

Step 1: Prepare Equipment and Mise en Place

• 1 cup strawberries

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 12-cup muffin pan with coconut oil or cooking spray.

While the oven heats, hull and dice your strawberries into ½-inch pieces and set aside.

I like to prep the strawberries first so they can release some of their juices, which adds moisture and flavor to the muffins.

Step 2: Combine Wet Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sweetener
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut oil

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the room-temperature eggs, sweetener, unsweetened almond milk, and melted coconut oil until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

The room-temperature eggs are important because they incorporate air more effectively, creating a lighter, fluffier crumb in your finished muffins.

Step 3: Mix Dry Ingredients and Combine with Wet

• 2.5 cups almond flour
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 2

In a separate bowl, whisk together the super-fine almond flour, baking powder, and vanilla extract.

Pour the wet ingredient mixture from Step 2 into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined—do not overmix, as this can lead to dense muffins.

The batter should be slightly lumpy and thick.

Step 4: Fold in Strawberries and Fill Muffin Pan

• strawberries from Step 1
• batter from Step 3

Gently fold the diced strawberries from Step 1 into the batter using a rubber spatula, being careful not to crush them.

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.

I find that gently folding in the berries last prevents them from breaking apart and distributing color unevenly throughout the batter.

Step 5: Bake and Cool

Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

The muffins should be golden brown on top.

Allow them to cool in the muffin pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely for about 1 hour before serving.

This cooling time allows the structure to set properly and makes them easier to handle.

Homemade Dairy Free Strawberry Muffins

Delicious Homemade Dairy Free Strawberry Muffins recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 1725 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 3 large eggs (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1/2 cup sweetener
• 1/2 cup almond milk (unsweetened original)
• 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut oil (melted and cooled to room temperature)
• 2.5 cups almond flour (super-fine)
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup strawberries (hulled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 12-cup muffin pan with coconut oil or cooking spray. While the oven heats, hull and dice your strawberries into ½-inch pieces and set aside. I like to prep the strawberries first so they can release some of their juices, which adds moisture and flavor to the muffins.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the room-temperature eggs, sweetener, unsweetened almond milk, and melted coconut oil until the mixture is smooth and well combined. The room-temperature eggs are important because they incorporate air more effectively, creating a lighter, fluffier crumb in your finished muffins.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the super-fine almond flour, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredient mixture from Step 2 into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined—do not overmix, as this can lead to dense muffins. The batter should be slightly lumpy and thick.
• Gently fold the diced strawberries from Step 1 into the batter using a rubber spatula, being careful not to crush them. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. I find that gently folding in the berries last prevents them from breaking apart and distributing color unevenly throughout the batter.
• Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The muffins should be golden brown on top. Allow them to cool in the muffin pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely for about 1 hour before serving. This cooling time allows the structure to set properly and makes them easier to handle.