Taylor Ann Spencer is the assistant food editor at Delish, where she develops recipes, creates recipe videos, and styles food. With a background in writing and theater as well as professional cooking, she enjoys sharing her love for global flavors and all things baking through informational posts, hosted videos, and just plain everyday conversations. When she's not cooking, she's brainstorming her next culinary mash-up. Mac 'n' cheese chili rellenos, anyone?
Blueberry muffins may get the majority of the spotlight when it comes to classic muffins, but when we have fresh, seasonal strawberries, these muffins are difficult to beat. Packed with jammy summer fruit and bright lemon zest, these pillow, tender muffins are perfect whether you’re serving them for Mother's Day brunch (with mimosas, please!), a tea party, or just as an extra-sweet breakfast.
Top tips for moist, tender (and flavorful!) muffins:
— The key to lemony flavor. For the best bright, citrusy flavor, rub the zest into the sugar with your hands—it’ll infuse the sugar (and the batter) with the peel’s essential oils.
— Use room temperature butter. If you’re a regular at making muffins, you might be surprised to see room temperature butter rather than melted butter. Rubbing it into the dry ingredients makes for a super tender—not dense—crumb. If you'd rather not use your hands to do this step, you can use an electric mixer instead.
— Spoon the batter first. To achieve that beautiful dome and evenly distributed berries, spoon a bit of plain batter into each cup before folding the fruit into the rest of the batter.
The topping.
For a gorgeous shimmer and a tasty crunch on top, you'll sprinkle sparkling sugar over the batter just before baking. Sparkling sugar is coarse-grained sugar that won't melt or disappear while it bakes, and leaves just a hint of a crust with a little extra sweetness on every bite. It’s not necessary, but does provide an extra-special topping to these sweet muffins.
Storage.
Due to the fruit, these muffins are best eaten day-of, but extra muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Made these muffins? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
- Yields:
- 12 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 15 mins
- Total Time:
- 55 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 231
Ingredients
- 2/3 c.
granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp.
lemon zest
- 2 1/4 c.
all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp.
baking powder
- 1/4 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1/2 c.
(1 stick) unsalted butter , cut into ½” cubes, at room temperature, plus more for the tin
- 2
large eggs, beaten
- 2/3 c.
whole milk
- 1 1/2 c.
chopped strawberries (about ½" pieces)
- 2 tbsp.
sparkling sugar, optional
- Nutrition Information
- Per Serving (Serves 12)
- Calories231 Fat9 gSaturated fat5 gTrans fat0 gCholesterol53 mgSodium119 mgCarbohydrates32 gFiber1 gSugar15 gProtein4 gVitamin D0 mcgCalcium86 mgIron1 mgPotassium87 mg
- Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.Powered by
Directions
- Step 1Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a muffin tin with butter or line with baking liners.
- Step 2In a large bowl, combine sugar and zest. With your hands, rub zest into sugar until evenly combined.
- Step 3Whisk in flour, baking powder, and salt. Use your hands (or an electric mixer) to rub in the butter until the mixture is evenly combined and no large pieces of butter remain. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the eggs and milk until just combined.
- Step 4Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into each prepared muffin well, then fold the strawberries into the remaining batter and divide evenly among the muffin wells. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with sparkling sugar.
- Step 5Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins are firm to the touch and a wooden pick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 5 minutes before removing.