Strawberry Muffins Crumble Lemon (Printable)

Fluffy muffins with fresh strawberries, buttery crumble topping, and a hint of lemon zest for brightness.

# 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 Make It:

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 dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
06 - Fold diced strawberries into batter.
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 cubes and mix with a fork or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
09 - Sprinkle crumble mixture evenly over batter in each muffin cup.
10 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
11 - Cool muffins in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The crumble top gives you that satisfying texture contrast that makes people think you've done something fancier than you actually have.
  • Lemon and strawberry together feel special but never pretentious—this is comfort food that happens to taste elegant.
  • They're forgiving enough for a weekday breakfast but impressive enough for unexpected guests.
02 -
  • Folding is not just a suggestion—when you overmix the batter, you create tough, dense muffins that taste like disappointment, so fold gently and stop when you still see little streaks.
  • Cold butter in the crumble is everything; if your kitchen is warm, pop it in the freezer for a few minutes before using it, because warm butter makes the topping bake into a solid cake instead of crumbly texture.
03 -
  • Grate your lemon zest before you cut the lemon in half for juice—it's easier to zest a whole fruit, and you'll get more fragrant zest with less of the bitter white pith.
  • If strawberries are large, cut them into quarters instead of halves so they distribute more evenly throughout the batter and you get berry in every bite.
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