These Classic Strawberry Muffins are soft, fluffy, and packed with fresh strawberries. Topped with a buttery streusel that melts and crisps at the edges, each bite is a perfect mix of fruity sweetness and tender crumb. They’re easy to make in under 30 minutes and are ideal for breakfast, brunch, or a light dessert during berry season.

Full Recipe: 

Ingredients

For the Muffins:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• 3 tablespoons flavorless oil

• 1 large egg, room temperature

• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature

• 1 cup buttermilk (or homemade: 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice/vinegar)

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup white sugar

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour

• 3 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 1½ cups fresh strawberries, sliced and tossed in 1–2 teaspoons of flour

For the Streusel Topping:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• ⅓ cup white sugar

• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

2. In a small bowl, make the streusel: combine flour, sugar, and cold butter. Use your hands to mix until crumbly. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil, egg, egg yolk, sugar, vanilla, and buttermilk until well combined.

5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix gently with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix.

6. Fold in the floured strawberries with minimal stirring.

7. Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups, filling nearly to the top.

8. Sprinkle generously with streusel topping.

9. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake for 12–15 minutes more, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

10. Cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Nutrients (Per muffin)

• Calories: 265 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 51g

• Protein: 5g

• Fat: 4g

• Saturated Fat: 1g

• Sugar: 24g

• Fiber: 1g

• Sodium: 238mg

• Cholesterol: 33mg

• Calcium: 103mg

• Iron: 2mg

A Muffin That Feels Like a Treat

Unlike store-bought varieties that can often be dry or overly sweet, these homemade strawberry muffins offer a perfect balance of softness and richness. The combination of butter, oil, and buttermilk ensures a moist crumb that holds up well to the juicy bursts of fresh fruit. The additional egg yolk provides richness without heaviness, giving each muffin a bakery-style tenderness that melts in your mouth.

Topped with a golden streusel that slightly crisps in the oven, these muffins have all the hallmarks of a treat without losing their charm as a wholesome breakfast or snack option. The streusel topping adds not only visual appeal but also a satisfying contrast to the soft interior, creating an elevated muffin experience.

Celebrating Fresh Strawberries

What makes these muffins particularly special is their celebration of strawberries in their freshest form. The berries are not pureed or overly manipulated but simply tossed in a bit of flour before being folded into the batter. This helps them stay suspended in the muffin and prevents the fruit from sinking to the bottom, ensuring each bite includes juicy, tart-sweet pockets of strawberry flavor.

Strawberries pair beautifully with the mild vanilla-scented base, enhancing the natural fruitiness of the muffins without overpowering them. In every bite, you get a hint of tartness balanced by the mild sweetness of the batter and the richness of the streusel.

The Role of Buttermilk and Cornstarch

Buttermilk is a key ingredient that provides both flavor and structure in this recipe. It reacts with baking soda to create a tender rise, giving the muffins a light and fluffy texture. If buttermilk isn’t on hand, a simple combination of milk and lemon juice or vinegar does the trick just as well, ensuring these muffins are always within reach using pantry staples.

Cornstarch, often a secret weapon in baking, further tenderizes the flour by softening the gluten development. This small addition makes a noticeable difference, giving these muffins a delicate crumb that still holds together well when bitten into.

Quick and Simple with a Professional Finish

Despite their impressive flavor and texture, these strawberry muffins come together quickly and easily, requiring just a few basic bowls and about 30 minutes of time. The process is straightforward—no fancy mixers or complicated steps—making them accessible even to novice bakers.

What makes this recipe feel particularly professional is the initial blast of high oven heat. Starting the baking at 425°F helps the muffins rise quickly, creating those beautiful bakery-style domed tops. Then, lowering the temperature ensures they bake through evenly without drying out or overbrowning. It’s a simple trick that yields stunning results every time.

Versatility in Flavor and Presentation

These muffins are wonderfully versatile and customizable. Chocolate chips, chopped nuts, lemon zest, or even a swirl of cream cheese can be added to take them in a different direction while keeping the base recipe intact. You can also switch up the fruit if strawberries aren’t in season—raspberries, blueberries, or diced peaches all work beautifully using the same method.

Presentation-wise, the muffins are lovely as-is, but for an extra touch of elegance, a light dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of simple glaze can be added after baking. They’re equally fitting for a casual breakfast spread or a celebratory brunch table.

Perfect for Any Occasion

Strawberry muffins are incredibly flexible in terms of how and when they’re served. They’re a cheerful addition to a weekend brunch, a thoughtful offering for a picnic or potluck, or a deliciously simple way to brighten someone’s day. Their portability also makes them an excellent choice for lunchboxes, road trips, or gifting—wrap them in parchment and twine for a rustic, homemade feel.

Their flavor appeals to both kids and adults alike, and because the sweetness comes primarily from the strawberries and a moderate amount of sugar, they don’t feel overly indulgent.

Tips for the Best Results

To ensure the best possible results, it’s important not to overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins by developing too much gluten in the flour. Stir just until the flour disappears into the wet ingredients for the softest crumb.

Tossing the sliced strawberries in a bit of flour before folding them in prevents them from sinking and also keeps the moisture from the berries from destabilizing the batter. Fresh strawberries yield the best results in terms of flavor and texture, but frozen strawberries can be used in a pinch—just don’t thaw them first.

Another tip for maximum muffin success is to fill the muffin cups almost to the top. This may seem counterintuitive, but it results in those beautiful, high muffin tops when combined with the initial hot oven burst.

Storage and Freezing

These muffins store well at room temperature for 2–3 days when kept in an airtight container. For longer storage, they freeze beautifully—wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze in a sealed bag or container. To reheat, simply thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in a low oven.

If planning for brunch or entertaining, the muffins can be made the night before and rewarmed gently in the oven to bring back that just-baked texture and aroma.

Conclusion

Classic Strawberry Muffins are everything you want in a homemade baked good—simple, satisfying, and packed with real flavor. They celebrate the freshness of strawberries with a fluffy, buttery base and a golden streusel topping that adds just the right amount of indulgence. Easy to prepare, endlessly customizable, and always crowd-pleasing, these muffins deserve a permanent spot in your go-to baking repertoire.

Whether you’re baking for a quiet morning at home, preparing for a festive brunch, or gifting a friend something sweet, this recipe delivers every time. And the best part? You don’t need any fancy equipment or baking expertise—just a handful of fresh ingredients, a muffin tin, and a love for all things deliciously homemade.