Mix up these healthy Strawberry Muffins in just about 30 minutes and serve a delicious breakfast or snack packed with whole grains, fiber, vitamins. They have a fresh burst of lemon flavor, and they store well in the fridge or freezer if you want to make them ahead.
Healthy Strawberry Muffins
I love it when I find berries at affordable prices at the store, either fresh or frozen. And while my kids tend to gobble them up fresh, I love to bake with them when there are extras.
These easy Strawberry Muffins pack in a lot of nutrition but are also tender and naturally sweet enough to nourish and please the kids.
They have a nice hit of lemon flavor, which is so good with the fresh berries. (Lemon is great with Lemon Blueberry Muffins too!) And a mix of whole grain flour and oats to add fiber, without weighing them down. They’re one of our favorite muffins for kids to make for the whole family.
You can make them ahead and tuck them into the fridge or freezer and serve as a quick breakfast or snack throughout the week. We also love to pack them in kids lunches for kindergarten.
(You may also like my Strawberry Cupcakes, Berry Muffins and Berry Breakfast Cake.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
The ingredients in these muffins are very straightforward and include the following ingredients from the pantry and refrigerator.
- Whole wheat flour: This makes a hearty base for the muffins with fiber and complex carbs.
- Rolled oats: These are sometimes called “old-fashioned” oats at the store. I use them here to add a whole grain. (You can substitute all-purpose flour if you prefer.)
- Baking powder and baking soda: A mix of these leavening agents ensures that the muffins bake through and rise properly.
- Maple syrup: I use maple syrup as the sweetener in this recipe. You can use honey (for kids over age 1), too.
- Unsalted butter: You’ll melt the butter and let it cool slightly before adding to the batter. I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt.
- Eggs: I bake and cook with large eggs, so that’s what I use here.
- Vanilla extract: You can use pure or artificial vanilla extract here according to your preference.
- Milk: I use whole milk, but low-fat would work, too. You can also use nondairy milk if you prefer.
- Strawberries: I show using fresh berries here, but you can use frozen ones too. Either way, the muffins will bake through best if the berries are finely chopped.
- Lemon zest: Fresh lemon zest adds fresh flavor to the muffins.
Ingredient Swaps
Use a cup-for-cup style of gluten-free flour in place of the wheat flour.
Trade in honey for the maple syrup.
Use vegetable oil or melted coconut oil in place of the butter.
Use nondairy milk if needed.
Add cinnamon instead of using the lemon (though the lemon is really great).
To use frozen strawberries, let the berries sit at room temp for a bit to soften, then cut into small pieces with kitchen scissors.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the easy process for making these muffins so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Stir together the dry ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients.
- Add the lemon zest (I use a fine microplane).
- Stir batter together.
- Divide among a muffin pan.
- Bake and let cool.
TIP: Dice the berries up into small pieces so they are easy to bite into when eating the muffins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Here are the substitutes in case you have an intolerance or allergy in your house. Instead of the egg, use 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed and ¼ cup water. Use an unsweetened plain nondairy milk for cow’s milk. Use maple syrup instead of honey.
Yes and it’s simple to do too. Instead of the whole wheat flour, use this cup-for-cup gluten-free flour mix. And use certified gluten-free oats.
Once cooled, you can store the muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve chilled or warmed slightly. Or, store in a zip top freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw one at a time for 15-30 seconds in the microwave or at room temp.
Yes, use ½ cup all-purpose flour instead and bake as directed.
Serving Suggestions
We often have these as a simple breakfast, snack, or even lunch component with a side of fruit. If I’m feeling fancy I may add some cheese or a toddler smoothie. Really anything goes!
You can also top them with a little butter, almond butter, or cream cheese for additional flavor if you’d like.
What makes these muffins “healthy”?
Everyone uses that word to mean something different and there’s no one single definition. For me, I use it to signify that these include whole grains, less added sugar, and more fresh fruit than most other standard Strawberry Muffin recipes.
How to Store
Store fully cooled muffins for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Warm for 15 seconds to serve or serve at room temperature. You can also freeze for up to 6 months in a zip-top freezer bag in the freezer. Try to remove as much air as possible before sealing to help prevent ice crystals from forming.
Thaw at room temperature, overnight in the fridge, or in 15-second increments in the fridge.
These are a really great muffin to make ahead and use as a freezer meal or to share with a family in need through a Meal Train.
Best Tips for Success
- Dice the berries into small pieces to ensure the batter around them holds together well as they bake.
- If using frozen berries, let them thaw enough that you can separate them and cut them into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces with kitchen shears. Stir into the batter while still frozen.
- To make without oats, omit the oats and use ½ cup all-purpose flour instead.
- Use the fresh lemon to add bright flavor.
- Use a cake tester inserted into the center of the muffin to test for doneness. It should come out clean.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback if you make the recipe, so please comment below to share!
Healthy Strawberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups whole wheat flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- ⅓ cup maple syrup (or honey)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled or avocado or coconut oil)
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup diced strawberries (stems removed)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray.
- Add the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a medium bowl. Stir together.
- Add the milk, maple syrup, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, strawberries, and lemon zest, if using. Stir together gently to just combine.
- Evenly divide the batter among the muffin tin using about ¼ cup per cup.
- Bake 16-18 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven, let cool for a minute or two in the pan, and transfer muffins to cool fully on a wire rack. (Use a paring knife around the edges if needed to help you remove them from the pan.) Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post was first published April 2018.
These muffins turned out so tasty! Even my muffin-skeptic child asked for seconds. The sweetness level seems just right. Will definitely make again.
Just made these today, I added a couple chocolate chips to some of them and used unsalted butter since I didn’t have any oil on hand and they turned out so yummy! My 1 year old loves them!! (Next time I want to try to use coconut oil instead!) They are huge for her though so I was wondering for next time, how long would I cook them for in a mini muffin tin?
I’m so glad to hear that! I think around 12-14 minutes in a mini muffin tin is probably what you’d want to do.
Hi! I haven’t made these yet, but was wondering if I could just use all purpose flour? It’s all I have right now and need to use up some fresh strawberries!
TIA!
Kate
Yes, that should work fine!
The muffins were a hit in my house!!! my 2 year old loved them!!! I WILL be making them again for sure!!! the only issue was that they actually came out perfect when there was no muffin liner, the ones with a muffin liner got stuck to the bottom of the liner.
I don’t recommend muffin liners in any of my recipes since muffins usually don’t have enough fat to come off of them without sticking. Glad that they were a hit otherwise!
My daughter and I made these today and they are delicious! Thank you for the easy to follow recipe. I love your blog and Instagram!
I’m so glad and thank you!
Hi!
Would frozen strawberries work? What’s the best way to incorporate them?
Yes. Dice them up a bit with kitchen shears (while still frozen) and stir into the batter as directed. They should work the same.
First time making them with locally milled wheat flour. They were so delicious that I had to stop myself from eating them so that my son could have his share! These yielded about 24 mini muffins for me so quite a bit to help with quick breakfasts for a while. Thanks so much for these great recipes!
My 3 and 1 year old love these! This is my second time making them. I even put them in my husbands lunch as a snack. The only change I made was mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, then combined the dry into the wet. I found the first time I made them there were chunks of flour in the muffins. It’s a simple , easy, and delicious treat! Thank you!
Thanks so much for the feedback!
Haven’t made the muffins yet, but they look delicious! Just wondering if there could be any way to make these sugar free, can I leave out the maple syrup or substitute it with a granulated sweetener equivalent to sugar?
I usually don’t recommend sugar substitutes for kids and haven’t tried this recipe with anything other than what’s I mention so I can’t say for sure. Let me know if you try it!
Hello! Flavor was great and my 1 year old is devouring this but as a crumble! Clearly I messed something up! Any suggestions? I used gluten free coconut flour, coconut oil, and almond milk as substitutions? Maybe something there was wrong? Always looking to learn… thanks!
Hi! I think it was likely the coconut flour. It doesn’t absorb liquids (it actually absorbs them way more and so likely sucked up too much moisture and made the muffins crumble) the same way as a gf cup for cup flour or flours made from wheat so it’s not listed as a recommended substitution here. If you want to use up some coconut flour in the future, the best thing is to look for a recipe specifically made to use it since it works really differently than other flours!
Maple syrup is very pricey and honey is pretty expensive too, especially 1/3 cup of it. Also, my pandemic pantry is almost entirely out of honey. Do you have a sugar substitute option?
That’s understandable. I haven’t tried it, but you could add 2-3 additional tablespoons of milk and 1/4-1/3 cup regular white sugar to the batter. Please let me know if you try them that way!
Can you use frozen berries instead of fresh berries?”
Yes, just cut them into smaller pieces with kitchen shears if they are large
Hi I made these today and although they were very tasty they completely caved in in the middle . Had to eat them like a cobbler. Other than using almond flour I followed the recipe exactly. Any ideas why? Thanks!
Hi! Almond flour doesn’t have any gluten and so it doesn’t bake the same as regular flours. You can’t substitute it directly for all purpose or whole wheat flour and expect the same results. So that’s why they didn’t hold their structure. I’m glad they taste good though!
Can i make them as a cake?
You could but I haven’t tested them that way so I can’t say for sure what the baking time would be. You’d want to fill the cake pan about halfway up and bake until the edges are lightly golden brown around the edges and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly.
Thanx! I’ll try and let you know
I made this with just plain flour and they turned out excellent!