Strawberry Muffins Crumble Topping (Printable Version)

Fluffy muffins packed with fresh strawberries and topped by a golden, buttery crumble—great for breakfast or snacks.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Muffin Batter

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
05 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
06 - 0.75 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 - 1.5 cups fresh strawberries, diced

→ Crumble Topping

11 - 0.33 cup all-purpose flour
12 - 0.25 cup granulated sugar
13 - 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
14 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each cup.
02 - In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Add cold butter cubes and rub between your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk melted butter with sugar until well combined. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla extract; whisk until smooth.
05 - Pour dry ingredients into the wet mixture and gently fold together until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb structure.
06 - Gently fold diced strawberries into the batter.
07 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each approximately three-quarters full. Generously sprinkle crumble topping over each muffin.
08 - Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
09 - Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The crumble topping stays golden and crispy even after cooling, which honestly surprised me the first time.
  • Fresh strawberries fold in so gently that they stay whole-ish and don't turn the batter into jam.
  • These taste better the next day when the flavors settle, so you can actually make them ahead without guilt.
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that overmixing is the enemy—it makes the crumb tough and creates those weird tunnels, so resist the urge to beat the batter smooth.
  • Using truly cold butter in the crumble topping is non-negotiable if you want that texture, so I cut it into cubes and keep it in the fridge until the last second.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly, so pull your eggs and milk out an hour before baking if you think of it.
  • A toothpick test is your friend—if it comes out completely clean, you're golden; if it has thick batter clinging, give it another minute or two.
Return