Strawberry Muffins with Lemon Zest

Name: Strawberry Muffins with Lemon Zest
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 43 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 eggs; ¾ cup (180 ml) melted butter; ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil; 1/2 cup (120 ml) water; ¾ cup (150g) sugar; 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon zest; 1 ¾ cup (210 g) flour; 2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder; ½ tsp (2.5ml) salt; 1 cup (150g) fresh strawberries, diced; 2 tbsp (30 ml) turbindao (raw) sugar; Dusting Powdered Sugar

Published June 10, 2020, Updated January 23, 2021 by Beth Le Manach 37 Comments

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These Strawberry Muffins are so light and moist, and flavored with just a hint of lemon zest! They are a fantastic summer muffin recipe for a warm-weather brunch or casual breakfast. Simple enough even for beginners, this is a muffin recipe that requires no electric mixers and can be whipped up in a jiffy!

These muffins employ my “Essential Muffin Recipe” techniques which can also be found in my Classic Blueberry Muffins, Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins, and Banana Muffins.

How To Make a Light and Fluffy Muffin?

TIP#1: Use a combination of fats. Melted Butter + Oil. The butter will give you the flavor and the oil is a pure fat and will provide the most moisture.
TIP#2: Use water, over milk! This will create a lighter muffin over milk. The same principle is applied in my light and fluffy Banana Bread and Pumpkin Bread recipes
TIP#3: Don’t overdo the flour! And use a whisk to gently stir it in!

Follow these tips and you cannot go wrong!

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STEP#1: Mix The Wet Ingredients

This recipe calls for a combination of melted butter, oil, and water. I have found it’s the butter that gives the flavor, but the oil preserves the moisture. Too much butter and the muffins will be a bit dry, too much oil and the muffins will be bland. Combining the two is just right!

Over the years I’ve received a lot of push back on my water addition! While sure you can add milk instead if you really want to, you just won’t get the same lightness! Milk will weigh the muffin down, creating a denser muffin, while water will create a light and airy muffin. Trust me, the water is the way to go!

STEP#2: Mix together the dry Ingredients

A muffin’s worst enemy can be flour! Add too much and you have a little rock on your hands, not enough and they fall apart. This recipe calls for just 1 3/4 cup of flour which I think is just right!

There are a lot of ways to measure flour, but for all my recipes I use the scoop method. So I scoop my measuring cup into my canister and shake off the access. So no packing down. Keep it light and your muffins will thank you!

Then gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, in thirds, with a wire whisk. Nothing against wooden spoons, but I find it’s easy to over mix that way. If you over-mix muffin batter, you’ll end up with tough muffins! A wire whisk will combine the flour gently and quickly so you won’t be tempted to over mix.

STEP#3: Add the Strawberries!

I love this muffin recipe because it’s so versatile! You really can use it as a base and then use any fruit you like. Once the batter is made, gently fold them into the batter.

Other great combinations include:

Blueberries + Orange Zest
Cherries + Almond Extract
Raspberries + Almond Extract
Blackberries + Lime Zest

STEP#4: Use Muffin Papers

Another way to preserve the texture of your light and fluffy muffin is to use muffin papers! Otherwise, the muffin will become overbaked against the metal tin and create a tough exterior.

STEP#5: Sprinkle with Turbinado Sugar

Just before baking, I like to add a little sprinkle of Turbinado sugar on top of each muffin. This creates a wonderful crunch to the tops.

I also like to bake these muffins at a high temperature, 425F, this will force them to rise quickly, and dome on top.

STEP#6: Allow your Muffins to Cool

The strawberries get really hot, once baked inside the muffin so it’s best to let them cool before serving. I also find the flavor is more pronounced as well if they are served just warm or at room temperature.

Then give them a dusting of powdered sugar. It’s a pretty finish that adds a touch more sweetness on top.

Can I Freeze Muffins?

Yes! These muffins also freeze beautifully! Allow them to cool completely, and then pop them in a ziplock bag and freeze. Then reheat in the microwave for 45 seconds and they’ll taste like they were freshly baked!

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