Introduction

Oh, friends, gather ’round! Do you ever get that craving for something sweet, comforting, and bursting with fresh flavor? I’m talking about those mornings when a warm, homemade muffin just feels like a hug from the inside out. Well, I’ve got just the recipe for you today – Strawberry Crumble Muffins! These aren’t just any muffins; they’re a delightful little treat that tastes like sunshine and makes your whole kitchen smell amazing. Seriously, they’re so easy to whip up, you’ll be making them on repeat!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: Perfect for busy mornings or spontaneous baking sessions.
Easy: No fancy techniques needed, just simple steps anyone can follow.
Giftable: Package them up for a thoughtful homemade gift or a sweet surprise for neighbors.
Crowd-pleasing: From kids to adults, everyone adores the combination of tender muffin, sweet strawberries, and crunchy crumble.

Ingredients

For the Muffins:

¼ cup unsalted butter, softened: Make sure it’s soft enough to cream nicely, but not melted!
¾ cup granulated sugar: For that perfect touch of sweetness.
1 large egg, room temperature: This helps bind everything together beautifully.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract: The classic flavor booster we all love.
1½ cups all-purpose flour: The base for our tender muffin.
2 teaspoons baking powder: This is the magic that makes them rise tall and fluffy!
½ teaspoon salt: Balances out all that sweetness.
½ cup buttermilk or whole milk: Buttermilk adds a lovely tang and tenderness, but regular milk works too!
1½ cups diced fresh strawberries, divided: The star of the show! Fresh is best here for that vibrant flavor.

For the Crumble:

½ cup cold butter, diced small: Keeping the butter cold is key for that perfect crumbly texture.
½ cup all-purpose flour: Works with the butter to create our delicious topping.
¼ cup light brown sugar: Adds a lovely caramel note.
¼ cup granulated sugar: For that extra sweet crunch.

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get baking! Grab your apron and let’s do this together.

Preheat and Prep: First things first, let’s get that oven ready! Preheat it to 375°F (190°C). While it’s heating up, line your muffin tin with pretty paper liners or give them a good grease.
Make That Crumbly Topping: In a medium bowl, toss together your cold butter, flour, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Now, get your hands in there (or use a pastry blender if you have one!) and work the butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse crumbs. Think little pebbles of deliciousness. Set this magic aside.
Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a big bowl, take your softened butter and that ¾ cup of granulated sugar and cream them together. You want it to get nice and light and fluffy – this is where you’ll really see it lighten in color.
Add the Egg and Vanilla: Now, beat in your room-temperature egg and that teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix it all up until everything is happy and combined.
Whisk the Dry Ingredients: In a separate, medium bowl, give your flour, baking powder, and salt a little whisk together. This just makes sure everything is evenly distributed.
Combine Wet and Dry (Part 1): Pour about half of your dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix them gently until they’re just combined. Don’t overmix here – we want tender muffins!
Add the Buttermilk: Pour in your buttermilk (or milk) and mix until it’s just incorporated. You might see a few little lumps, and that’s perfectly okay.
Combine Wet and Dry (Part 2): Now, add the rest of your dry ingredients. Gently fold them in until there are no more streaks of flour. Again, go easy on the mixing!
Strawberry Time! Gently fold in 1 cup of your diced fresh strawberries. Try not to mash them up too much – we want those lovely little pops of fruit in our muffins.
Fill the Muffin Cups: Spoon your batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about two-thirds full.
Crumble On Top: Now for the best part! Sprinkle that gorgeous crumble topping generously over the batter in each muffin cup.
Add More Strawberries: Scatter the remaining ½ cup of diced strawberries over the crumble topping. This gives you even more fruity goodness in every bite.
Bake to Perfection: Pop them into your preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Cool Down: Let your beautiful muffins cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes. This helps them firm up a bit before you carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Oh, the aroma!

Substitutions & Additions

These muffins are fantastic as is, but if you’re feeling adventurous, here are a few ideas:

Different Berries: Blueberries or raspberries would be absolutely divine in this recipe, either on their own or mixed with strawberries!
Lemon Zest: A little bit of lemon zest (about 1 teaspoon) in the muffin batter can really brighten up the strawberry flavor.
Oats in the Crumble: For an extra heartiness and crunch in your crumble, try adding about ¼ cup of rolled oats to the crumble mixture.
Almond Extract: If you love almond flavor, a tiny splash of almond extract (about ¼ teaspoon) along with the vanilla can be lovely.
Nutty Crumble: Chop up some pecans or walnuts and mix them into the crumble topping for a bit of nutty goodness.

Tips for Success

A few little tricks can make your strawberry crumble muffins even better:

Don’t Overmix: This is probably the most important tip for tender muffins! Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough muffins. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
Room Temperature Egg: An egg at room temperature will incorporate more easily into your batter, leading to a smoother texture. If you forget to take it out, pop it in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
Cold Butter for Crumble: For the best crumbly topping, ensure your butter for the crumble is nice and cold. This is what creates those lovely, distinct crumbly pieces.
Prep Ahead: You can make the crumble topping a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. You can also mix the dry ingredients for the muffins ahead of time and store them in an airtight container.

How to Store It

These muffins are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have any leftovers (which I doubt!), you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you need to store them longer, pop them into the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze them for up to 3 months. To reheat, a few seconds in the microwave or a quick warm-up in the oven will bring back that delicious freshness!

FAQs

Q: Can I use frozen strawberries?

A: You can use frozen strawberries, but make sure they are thawed and patted very dry with paper towels before adding them to the batter. This prevents your muffins from becoming too moist.

Q: How do I prevent my muffins from sinking in the middle?

A: Overmixing the batter is a common culprit. Also, make sure your oven is at the correct temperature. If your oven runs cool, the muffins might not set properly. Checking for doneness with a skewer is also key – baking them a little too long can also cause them to sink.

Q: Can I make these muffins gluten-free?

A: Yes, you can! You’ll need to substitute the all-purpose flour with a good quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. You might need to adjust the liquid slightly, as gluten-free flours can absorb moisture differently.

Strawberry Crumble Muffins

Easy and delicious strawberry crumble muffins perfect for any occasion, bursting with fresh flavor and a crunchy topping.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 22

Servings 12 muffins

Equipment

Muffin tin lined with paper liners or greased
Mixing bowls one for crumble, one for batter
Whisk
Wooden skewer or toothpick for testing doneness
Wire rack for cooling

Ingredients

For the Muffins

0.25 cup unsalted butter, softened Make sure it's soft enough to cream nicely, but not melted!
0.75 cup granulated sugar For that perfect touch of sweetness.
1 large egg, room temperature This helps bind everything together beautifully.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract The classic flavor booster we all love.
1.5 cups all-purpose flour The base for our tender muffin.
2 teaspoons baking powder This is the magic that makes them rise tall and fluffy!
0.5 teaspoon salt Balances out all that sweetness.
0.5 cup buttermilk or whole milk Buttermilk adds a lovely tang and tenderness, but regular milk works too!
1.5 cups diced fresh strawberries, divided The star of the show! Fresh is best here for that vibrant flavor.

For the Crumble

0.5 cup cold butter, diced small Keeping the butter cold is key for that perfect crumbly texture.
0.5 cup all-purpose flour Works with the butter to create our delicious topping.
0.25 cup light brown sugar Adds a lovely caramel note.
0.25 cup granulated sugar For that extra sweet crunch.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line muffin tin with paper liners or grease.
In a medium bowl, combine cold butter, flour, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar for the crumble. Work butter into dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
0.25 cup unsalted butter, softened
In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
0.25 cup unsalted butter, softened
Beat in the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract until combined.
0.25 cup unsalted butter, softened
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
0.25 cup unsalted butter, softened
Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Pour in the buttermilk (or milk) and mix until just incorporated.
0.25 cup unsalted butter, softened
Add the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
Gently fold in 1 cup of diced fresh strawberries.
0.25 cup unsalted butter, softened
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling about two-thirds full.
Sprinkle the crumble topping generously over the batter in each muffin cup.
Scatter the remaining ½ cup of diced strawberries over the crumble topping.
0.25 cup unsalted butter, softened
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Tips for Success: Don't overmix the batter. Use room temperature eggs. Ensure butter for the crumble is cold. Prep ahead: crumble topping and dry muffin ingredients can be made a day in advance.