Strawberry Muffins Crumble Lemon (Printable)

Fluffy strawberry muffins topped with buttery crumble and fragrant lemon zest for a delightful treat.

# What You Need:

→ For the Muffins

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

→ For the 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 thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Stir in milk, sour cream or yogurt, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth.
05 - Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Fold diced strawberries into batter.
07 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each approximately three-quarters 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 emerges clean.
11 - Cool muffins in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These muffins stay tender and moist even days later, which means you can actually bake them ahead without that stale regret creeping in.
  • The lemon zest wakes up your taste buds in a way that makes every bite feel special, not heavy or overly sweet.
  • That crumble top gives you something to look forward to the moment you bite in, plus it hides any imperfections in the muffin itself.
02 -
  • The difference between these being tender or tough comes down to not overmixing once you add the dry ingredients; fold gently and stop the moment you see no flour streaks, even if there are little lumps.
  • Cold butter in the crumble is absolutely essential because room temperature butter won't create those pockets that melt and give you texture; pull it from the fridge right before you need it.
03 -
  • Grate your lemon zest the day before and let it sit in a small container uncovered in the fridge so the oils concentrate and the flavor becomes more intense.
  • If your muffins are browning too fast on top but the center isn't baking through, loosely tent them with foil halfway through and extend the baking time by a few minutes.
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