Strawberry Muffins Crumble Top (Print Version)

Fluffy strawberry muffins brightened with lemon zest and topped with a buttery crumble.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Muffin Batter

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk
09 - 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
12 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced

→ Crumble Topping

13 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
15 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
16 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and sugar until combined. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
04 - Stir in milk, sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth.
05 - Gently fold in dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Fold in diced strawberries until evenly distributed.
07 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each approximately 3/4 full.
08 - In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Add cold butter and mix with a fork or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
09 - Sprinkle crumble mixture evenly over the batter in each muffin cup.
10 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
11 - Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They're honestly foolproof: Even when I've slightly overmixed or used berries that weren't perfectly fresh, they still turned out tender and delicious.
  • The crumble topping is the secret weapon: It adds texture and richness without making you feel like you're eating cake for breakfast.
  • Lemon and strawberry is a flavor match made in heaven: The zest brightens everything and keeps these from tasting too sweet or one-dimensional.
02 -
  • Overmixing your batter is the fastest way to tough, dense muffins: I learned this the hard way by stirring with way too much enthusiasm, and now I count my fold strokes to keep myself honest.
  • Room-temperature berries release juice into the batter, which is actually fine: I used to think this was a disaster, but a little berry juice just adds moisture and color—the real problem is if you use berries straight from the freezer without thawing them, which can make the batter cold and dense.
03 -
  • Use a microplane zester for lemon zest: It's faster, finer, and you'll actually use it for other things too, so it's worth having in your drawer.
  • Don't thaw frozen strawberries: They'll weep juice and make your batter soggy, but frozen berries go straight into cold batter and stay intact as they bake.
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