Strawberry Lemon Muffins

Start any day right with scrumptious Strawberry Lemon Muffins. These tart and sweet muffins taste like strawberry lemonade and are great to make for breakfast or brunch. Calling for easy to find ingredients, you’re going to want to bake a batch to share! Makes 16 muffins.

2024 Update: This recipe was originally shared in March 2015 at My Cooking Spot, where I was a contributor. The recipe has been completely reworked in 2024 to make it better. In addition to the revised recipe, the post has been updated to include more information, tips, tricks and new images. I hope you love these muffins!

What says warm weather months more than strawberries and lemonade?

Not much, my friend. Not much at all.

And obviously, I’m a fan of both. (Hi, hello, Strawberry Lemonade and Vegan Strawberry Lemonade Cookies!)

… What if I told you there’s a way to combine the two in muffin form for the ultimate spring and summer recipe? And that the muffins are really, really, ridiculously delicious?

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You’d want to make them, too, right?

If so, you’re in luck! 

Why I love this recipe:

Back when I was a new mama, I joined a playgroup that involved other moms whose kids were the same age as mine.

These women and their children were a huge support network for me… and whenever we hosted playgroup at our house, I loved making new things to share with my friends and our kids.

These Lemon Strawberry Muffins, aka Strawberry Lemonade Muffins, were one of my first things to share with this group, and they worked out so nicely that I made them several more times.

These muffins taste have beautiful tart lemon flavor that mingles with bursts of strawberry. They don’t rise as much as other berry muffins like Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins or Mixed Berry Muffins because the water content of the strawberries is tricky for baking, but they taste beyond excellent.

These don’t have a classic crumb topping or a lemon glaze on top, nor are they classic Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, but let me assure you, they taste amazing.

That said, we add a sprinkle of turbinado sugar on top to give a fun crunch, as well as beautiful sparkle.

They’re also great for sharing since this recipe makes 16 full-sized muffins. They are also excellent when served as a snack or an afternoon pick-me-up, too!

More muffin recipes to try: Fresh Cranberry Muffins | Chocolate Chip Muffins | Vegan Banana Muffins | Spiced Apple Cider Muffins

What you need to make this recipe:

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• 12-cup muffin pan or tin
• Parchment paper liners for the muffin cups (cupcake liners are the same thing as muffin liners)
• Baking spray
• Zester or microplane
• Kitchen scale
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Cookie scoop or ice cream scoop
• Toothpick or cake tester 
• Wire rack for cooling
• Muffin and cupcake storage container

Here’s what you need to purchase at the grocery store or farmer’s market:

• All-purpose flour — we like to use unbleached AP flour in our household, but the regular kind works, too. I have not tried this with a gluten free flour blend.
• Leaveners — we are using a combination of baking powder and baking soda to help these muffins rise. Always make sure your leaveners are fresh. Get a new one every few months, even if you haven’t used it all. 
• Kosher salt — medium grain kosher salt is the best salt for baking. I like Diamond Crystal. 
• Granulated sugar — this is also called white sugar. Don’t swap it for brown sugar or powdered sugar because the batter will not be the same.
• Greek yogurt — a full-fat Greek yogurt will yield the best results and most flavorful muffins. Sour cream is higher in fat than Greek yogurt, but it could probably work as a swap if that’s what you have on hand. Please note that the texture of plain yogurt would change the texture of this matter.
• Oil — you can also use any neutral-tasting oil such as avocado oil or vegetable oil. Melted butter could also work as a substitute.
• Lemon — we use a combination of a lot of lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice to give lemonade flavors to these muffins. I like to purchase a large lemon (or a few smaller fresh lemons) from the store and use the zest, as well as the juice.
• Large eggs — I always say use the best eggs you can afford. Make sure they’re at room temperature.
• Vanilla extract — a high-quality vanilla extract makes a big difference in your baking recipes. Another secret ingredient so to speak! 
• Milk — whole milk is best, but use what you have. You can also use a non-dairy milk like almond milk or soy milk. 
• Fresh strawberries — use the ripest strawberries you can find, and chop them into small chunks so that they can be evenly distributed throughout the batter. I have not tried this recipe with frozen strawberries and do not recommend using that since they are frozen whole and will change the texture and appearance of these muffins.
• Raw sugar — this coarse sugar is for sprinkling over top of the muffins. It’s also known as turbinado. You can skip it if you don’t have it, but it adds the most crispy, caramelized texture on top of the muffins. You can also use sparkling sugar, if desired.

Customizations and substitutions

Gluten-free muffins: I haven’t tried this lemon muffin recipe with a gluten-free flour blend, but a 1:1 mix should work fine. Let me know if you try it! 

Mini muffins: Use a mini muffin tin to make tinier muffins. These are great for a party with more guests. You’ll need to adjust the baking time, as they won’t need as long as regular muffins. 

How to make Lemon Strawberry Muffins

First, preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a muffin tin with baking cups, then spritz with baking spray. Set the tray aside.

If you have just washed the berries, be sure to pat them dry completely with a paper towel or a kitchen towel.

Chop the strawberries into small pieces. The larger they are, the more they will impact the rise and appearance of your muffins. Place them in a small bowl, and set aside.

Measure the the flour, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside. These are the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine the granulated sugar, Greek yogurt and oil. Whisk together until fully incorporated and smooth.

Pour in the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, eggs and vanilla extract into the Greek yogurt cream mixture. Whisk to combine. 

Finally, stir in the milk until incorporated.

Pour the flour mixture into the Greek yogurt mixture (AKA the wet ingredients), mixing with a rubber spatula until just combined. 

Overmixing could cause your muffins to become tough.

Gently gold the chopped strawberries into the batter. If you do this too vigorously, you could break up the strawberries and cause the batter to become discolored.

Divide batter evenly between the prepared baking cups, filling them about 3/4 of the way full. (I added 3 tablespoons of batter to mine.) 

Sprinkle the raw or sparkling sugar over the tops of the muffins. You can also add a few extra strawberries on top of each muffin for a beautiful finish, but it’s not necessary.

Transfer to the preheated oven, and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops turn golden brown and an inserted toothpick in the center of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool for 15-20 minutes, then enjoy with your favorite breakfast beverage! We love these paired with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew, as well as a bubbly Strawberry Champagne Cocktail.

How to store and freeze:

These Lemon Strawberry Muffins are easy to keep on hand for an easy breakfast! Simply store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can toast them in a toaster oven or reheat in a microwave if you want them warm.

You can also freeze fully baked and cooled muffins. Place them on a baking sheet and flash freeze for one hour — this prevents them from sticking. Th​en put them in a freezer bag. 

To reheat, heat in the microwave for about 45 seconds to 1 minute. 

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

We love sharing muffin recipes with the people we love. They’re an easy win because they can be made in advance and also… who doesn’t love some lemony muffins studded with fresh strawberries?

In fact, this recipe was originally developed to share with my friends in our playgroup… and mamas and kids alike adore this muffin.

Here are some ways I’d make these muffins to share with our people:

• Make a double batch for a big group. Or transform them into mini muffins! 
• Serve them warm in a basket or bowl lined with a kitchen towel. This helps to preserve some heat. 
• Bring them to a party or gathering in a muffin storage container. They’ll be an instant hit. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick tips and tricks to the best lemon strawberry muffins:

• Measure out your ingredients before mixing them all together. It’s more time on the front-end, but it’s easier to knock out the baking of the muffins this way.
• Chop the strawberries finely. The larger they are, the more ungainly they are in the batter. They are easier to work with when they are smaller.
• Save ’em for later. Store these muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

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Here’s how you make these gorgeous muffins…