Soft Bakery Strawberry Muffins

Let’s face it – finding a breakfast treat that’s both homemade and quick enough for busy mornings can feel impossible. Between packing school lunches, answering early work emails, and trying to get everyone out the door on time, who has the energy to bake from scratch?

That’s where these strawberry muffins come to the rescue. They’re simple to make ahead on weekends, stay fresh for days, and give you that perfect mix of fruity sweetness and filling satisfaction that store-bought muffins just can’t match.

What Kind of Strawberries Should I Use?

Fresh strawberries are the way to go for these muffins, though frozen ones can work in a pinch if you thaw and drain them well first. When shopping for fresh strawberries, look for bright red berries that are firm but not hard, with no white or green patches and no signs of mushiness. Local, in-season strawberries will give you the sweetest flavor, but even standard grocery store berries will work great as long as they’re ripe. Before dicing them for your muffins, be sure to wash them well and remove the green tops, and try to cut them into evenly-sized pieces so they’ll bake consistently throughout your muffins.

Options for Substitutions

Need to make some swaps? Here are some helpful substitutions for these muffins:

• All-purpose flour: You can use whole wheat pastry flour for a healthier option – just expect slightly denser muffins. For gluten-free muffins, try a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum.
• Unsalted butter: Oil works well here – use ½ cup of vegetable or melted coconut oil. If using salted butter, just reduce the added salt to ¼ teaspoon.
• Milk: Any milk works fine – whole, 2%, almond, oat, or soy milk will all do the job. Buttermilk gives a nice tang, but reduce the baking powder to 1½ teaspoons and add ¼ teaspoon baking soda.
• Strawberries: Fresh or frozen strawberries work here. If using frozen, don’t thaw them first. You can also try raspberries or blueberries instead.
• Demerara sugar topping: Regular granulated sugar works for the topping, or you can skip it altogether. Coconut sugar or maple sugar are good alternatives too.
• Almond extract: Feel free to skip it or use extra vanilla extract instead. A bit of lemon or orange zest would also add nice flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making strawberry muffins is overmixing the batter – stop stirring as soon as the flour disappears to ensure tender, fluffy muffins rather than dense, tough ones. Another common error is using wet strawberries, which can make the muffins soggy – be sure to pat your diced strawberries dry with paper towels before folding them into the batter. To prevent your strawberries from sinking to the bottom, toss them in the reserved 2 teaspoons of flour before adding them to the mixture, and don’t skip the step of bringing your cold ingredients (eggs, milk) to room temperature, as this helps create an even texture throughout. For perfectly domed tops, start baking at a higher temperature (425°F) for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350°F for the remaining time – this initial blast of heat helps create that classic muffin shape.

What to Serve With Strawberry Muffins?

These sweet strawberry muffins make a perfect breakfast or brunch treat that pairs wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee or tea. For a complete morning spread, serve them alongside some protein-rich options like scrambled eggs, yogurt parfaits, or crispy bacon to balance out the sweetness. If you’re hosting brunch, try setting up a butter and jam station – even though these muffins are great on their own, a swipe of salted butter or honey butter takes them to the next level. When serving as an afternoon snack, I like to pair them with fresh fruit (especially more strawberries!) and a cold glass of milk.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These strawberry muffins stay good at room temperature for about 2 days when kept in an airtight container. For longer storage, pop them in the fridge where they’ll last up to 5 days. Just place a paper towel at the bottom of your container to absorb any extra moisture from the fresh strawberries.

Freeze: These muffins are perfect for freezing! Once they’re completely cool, put them in a freezer bag or container and they’ll keep for up to 3 months. I like to wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap first – this prevents freezer burn and makes it easy to grab just one or two when needed.

Thaw & Refresh: When you’re ready to enjoy a frozen muffin, let it thaw overnight in the fridge or for about an hour at room temperature. To bring back that fresh-baked taste, pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, or warm them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	30 minutes
Total Time	45-50 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 1600-1800
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 230-240 g

Ingredients

• 2 cups plus 2 tsp all-purpose flour, separated
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond flavoring
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 1/4 cups strawberries, diced, from about 1 pint, divided
• 2 tbsp raw or turbinado sugar (demerara), for topping

Step 1: Prepare Oven and Muffin Tin

Preheat your oven to 375°F.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, then spray both the liners and the exposed pan with non-stick cooking spray to ensure the muffins release cleanly after baking.

Step 2: Whisk Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of the all-purpose flour (reserving 2 teaspoons for later), baking powder, and salt until they’re well combined.

This will help guarantee even distribution of the leavening and seasoning.

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar, Add Eggs and Flavorings

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond flavoring

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the room-temperature butter and white sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.

Mix in the vanilla extract and almond flavoring.

Don’t worry if the batter looks a little grainy—this is normal.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

• whisked flour mixture from Step 2
• 1/2 cup milk

With the mixer on low speed, add the whisked flour mixture from Step 2 to the egg and butter mixture in three separate additions, alternating with milk.

Begin and end with the flour mixture.

Mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the batter.

Step 5: Prepare and Fold in Strawberries

• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour (reserved from Step 2)
• 2 1/4 cups strawberries, diced, divided

Toss the diced strawberries with the reserved 2 teaspoons of flour to help prevent them from sinking while baking.

Set aside 1/2 cup of the floured berries for topping.

Gently fold the remaining strawberries into the batter with a spatula, mixing until just distributed.

I always make sure not to overmix at this stage, as it keeps the muffins tender and light.

Step 6: Fill Muffin Tin and Add Toppings

• batter with strawberries folded in from Step 5
• 1/2 cup reserved diced strawberries (from Step 5)
• 2 tbsp raw or turbinado sugar (demerara), for topping

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling the cups generously.

Evenly distribute the reserved 1/2 cup of diced strawberries over the tops of the muffins.

Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the center of each muffin, avoiding the edges to prevent sticking.

Step 7: Bake and Cool

Bake the muffins for about 30 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and a cake tester comes out clean.

If the muffin edges stick, run a sharp knife around the top edge to loosen.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 25 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

For an extra treat, I sometimes enjoy the muffins slightly warm—it makes the strawberry flavor pop!