If you’re craving a fresh, fruity, and downright delicious treat, this Strawberry Shortcake Muffins Recipe is an absolute must-try. These muffins have a tender crumb with juicy bursts of ripe strawberries and a delightfully crisp sugary top that just makes you want to take another bite (or three!). Whether it’s strawberry season or you find some good ones at the market, I promise you’ll love how effortless they are to whip up and how quickly they vanish from the table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bursting with Fresh Strawberries: Each bite is packed with juicy fruit that makes these muffins truly special.
- Simple Ingredients: You won’t need any fancy items—just basics you probably already have at home.
- Perfect Balance of Moist and Crumbly: The cold butter trick gives these muffins the ideal shortcake texture.
- Quick and Easy to Make: From start to finish, you’ll have these beauties baked in under 40 minutes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The magic of this Strawberry Shortcake Muffins Recipe comes from the classic pairing of buttery crumb and sweet, fresh strawberries. When picking your strawberries, try to grab ones that are ripe but firm so they hold up nicely in the batter.
- All Purpose Flour: Provides the perfect structure for muffins; you want the standard, not self-rising.
- Baking Powder: This little powerhouse helps your muffins rise beautifully with a light texture.
- Salt: Just a pinch to balance sweetness and enhance flavor.
- Butter (cold): Cutting in cold butter creates those tender, flaky bits—you’ll love the texture it gives!
- Granulated Sugar: Used in the batter and sprinkled on top to add sweetness and a crisp crust.
- Heavy Cream: Adds richness and moisture, making the muffins beautifully tender.
- Vanilla Extract: Elevates the flavor profile with a warm, sweet aroma.
- Large Egg: This binds everything together and helps with the rise.
- Fresh Strawberries: Chopped into about 1-inch pieces—try to keep them roughly the same size for even distribution.
Variations
I love tweaking this Strawberry Shortcake Muffins Recipe depending on the season and what I have on hand. Don’t be afraid to switch things up a bit—you might discover a new favorite twist!
- Use Frozen Strawberries: When fresh ones aren’t available, thawed frozen strawberries work well—just drain excess juice to keep the batter from getting too wet.
- Add Lemon Zest: A little lemon zest in the batter lifts the fruity flavor and adds a fresh zing I personally adore.
- Gluten-Free Version: Swap all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend; just be mindful of texture and tweak baking time slightly.
- Make Mini Muffins: Perfect for parties or lunchboxes—reduce baking time to about 12–15 minutes.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Muffins Recipe
Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Muffin Tin
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C). While it warms up, grease your muffin tin or line it with paper liners. I usually use liners because cleanup is a breeze, and the muffins come out perfectly shaped every time.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients and Cut in the Butter
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and ⅓ cup of sugar. Then add the cold butter, cut into small pieces. This part is fun—I use my fingers or a pastry cutter to rub the butter into the flour until you get a crumbly texture, almost like coarse sand. This step is key to the shortcake texture and makes all the difference.
Step 3: Whisk the Wet Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined. This creamy mixture will help give moisture and flavor to your muffins.
Step 4: Combine the Batter and Fold in Strawberries
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring just until the batter comes together. It will be lumpy and that’s perfect—overmixing will make your muffins tough. Gently fold in your chopped strawberries, making sure they’re spread out evenly.
Step 5: Fill the Muffin Cups and Bake
Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups and sprinkle each with the remaining tablespoon of sugar—this gives a lovely sweet crunch on top. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Resist the urge to open the oven door too much while baking, as this can mess up the rise.
Step 6: Cool and Enjoy
Once out of the oven, let your Strawberry Shortcake Muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This lets the muffins set up nicely without becoming soggy. I find it’s best to enjoy them slightly warm, but they’re delicious at room temperature, too.
Pro Tips for Making Strawberry Shortcake Muffins Recipe
- Keep Butter Cold: I learned the hard way that warm butter makes mushy muffins; always chill until just before mixing.
- Don’t Overmix Batter: Mixing until just combined means tender crumb—lumps are your friends here!
- Even Strawberry Pieces: Cutting your strawberries into similar sized pieces prevents some muffins from being berry overload while others have none.
- Use Fresh Strawberries When Possible: They hold up better during baking and give that fresh flavor punch.
How to Serve Strawberry Shortcake Muffins Recipe
Garnishes
I often top these muffins with a light dusting of powdered sugar or serve with a dollop of whipped cream to bring the shortcake vibe full circle. Fresh sliced strawberries or a small drizzle of honey work wonderfully, too.
Side Dishes
They pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast or snack time. If you want to make a fuller brunch, try them alongside scrambled eggs or a light fruit salad. They’re refreshing and not too heavy.
Creative Ways to Present
For a brunch party, I like to arrange these Strawberry Shortcake Muffins Recipe on a pretty tiered stand, garnished with fresh mint leaves and extra strawberries around. It instantly makes the table look festive and inviting.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature—usually good for 2 days before they start to lose freshness. If your kitchen is warm, storing them in the fridge is an option but can dry them out slightly.
Freezing
These muffins freeze beautifully. I wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then store them in a freezer bag. When I want one, I just thaw it overnight in the fridge or warm it up gently the next morning.
Reheating
To get that fresh-baked warmth back, microwave your muffin for about 15–20 seconds or reheat in a toaster oven at low heat for 5 minutes. The sugar topping stays delightfully crisp this way.
FAQs
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Can I substitute the heavy cream in this recipe?
Absolutely! You can swap heavy cream with whole milk or even buttermilk, although the texture will be a bit less rich and tender. If using buttermilk, reduce the baking powder slightly or add a pinch of baking soda to keep the muffins fluffy.
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What’s the best way to prevent my strawberries from sinking to the bottom?
Coating the chopped strawberries lightly in flour before folding them into the batter helps suspend them evenly and prevents sinking. Also, fold the batter gently and try not to overmix, which can make batter too thin.
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Can I make these muffins dairy-free?
Yes! Substitute the butter with a dairy-free margarine or coconut oil and swap the heavy cream for coconut milk or an unsweetened plant-based milk. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
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How do I know when the muffins are done?
Check for a golden top and use a toothpick inserted into the center; if it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, your muffins are perfectly baked and ready to enjoy.
Final Thoughts
I absolutely love how this Strawberry Shortcake Muffins Recipe brings a slice of summertime into any season. The combination of soft, buttery crumb with fresh strawberries and a crispy sugar topping is pure comfort in muffin form. It’s one of those recipes I keep coming back to and sharing again and again with friends because it just works—simple, reliable, and so tasty. Trust me, once you try this, these muffins will be a fast favorite in your kitchen, too!
Print
Strawberry Shortcake Muffins Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delight in these moist and dense Strawberry Shortcake Muffins, bursting with juicy sweet strawberries and topped with a crisp sprinkle of sugar for a perfect balance of soft and crunchy textures. Ideal for breakfast or a sweet snack, these muffins combine the classic flavors of strawberry shortcake in a convenient handheld form.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar (for topping)
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter (cold, cut into small pieces)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Fruit
- 1 cup strawberries (chopped into 1 inch pieces)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Muffin Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease or line 12 medium-sized muffin cups with paper liners to prevent sticking and make removal easy.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Incorporate Butter: Add the cold butter pieces to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it reaches a crumbly texture, similar to coarse crumbs.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Mix Batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry crumbly ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; the batter will be lumpy and that’s perfectly fine to keep the muffins tender.
- Add Strawberries: Carefully fold the chopped strawberries into the batter without overmixing to preserve their freshness.
- Fill Muffin Cups and Top: Evenly distribute the batter between the 12 prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of granulated sugar on top of each to create a sugary crust as they bake.
- Bake: Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove the muffins from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool before serving to ensure they set properly and maintain their shape.
Notes
- You can’t let strawberry season pass you up without making a batch of these Strawberry Shortcake Muffins.
- These muffins are moist and dense, filled with juicy sweet strawberries and topped with a sprinkle of sugar to give a crisp, irresistible top.
- Use cold butter to achieve the best crumbly texture that results in tender muffins.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the muffins light and tender.
- Fresh strawberries are preferred for the best flavor, but frozen can be used if thawed and drained well.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 247 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 240 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 58 mg
