Strawberry Sourdough Muffins (Printable)

Tender, tangy muffins bursting with fresh strawberries and topped with a buttery, crunchy crumb.

# Ingredient List:

→ Muffins

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 cup sourdough starter, unfed or discard
07 - 1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/2 cup whole milk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 1/4 cups fresh strawberries, diced

→ Crumb Topping

12 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
13 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
14 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 - Pinch of salt

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Set aside.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk sourdough starter, oil or melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Gently fold diced strawberries into the batter using a spatula.
06 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each approximately 3/4 full.
07 - In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter with a fork or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
08 - Sprinkle crumb topping generously over each muffin.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10 - Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Your sourdough discard finally gets a second life instead of feeling like kitchen waste.
  • That subtle tang from the starter pairs perfectly with sweet strawberries in a way that feels sophisticated but tastes like home.
  • The crumb topping adds a textural surprise that keeps people coming back for another one, even when they promised they'd have just one.
02 -
  • Overmixing is the silent killer of tender muffins — I learned this the hard way by making dense, tough batches until I started counting my strokes and stopping as soon as the flour disappeared.
  • Your strawberries matter more than you'd think; watery berries weep into the batter and create soggy spots, so choose ripe but firm ones and dice them right before folding in.
03 -
  • Keep your butter cold for the crumb topping — if your kitchen is warm, chill the butter pieces and even the mixing bowl for a few minutes before making the topping.
  • Don't skip cooling the muffins completely on a rack before storing them, as trapped steam makes them soggy instead of staying tender and crumbly.
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