One of the sweetest signs of summer is the arrival of strawberry season, and the excitement never gets old – especially when it means baking up treats like these Strawberry Yogurt Muffins.  Loaded with fresh, juicy strawberries and made with creamy yogurt, these muffins bake up incredibly soft, moist, and bursting with berry flavour in every bite. Topped with a sparkling sprinkle of lemon sugar, these bakery-style muffins bake up tall and golden, with perfectly domed tops and a zesty-sweet crisp finish.  Whether you’re picking strawberries at a local farm, bringing home a basket from the farmers market, or simply loading up on peak-season berries at the grocery store, this easy strawberry muffin recipe lets those fresh strawberries shine.  The yogurt adds richness and tenderness, while the strawberries provide natural sweetness and beautiful pops of colour.  Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or lunchboxes, these homemade Strawberry Yogurt Muffins are a delicious way to make the most of strawberry season.
Oh, hello strawberry season – you’ve been worth the wait!  There’s nothing like bringing home a basket (or ten!) of fresh, sweet strawberries and finding new ways to enjoy every last berry.  One of my favourite ways to celebrate the season is with these Strawberry Yogurt Muffins – soft, moist and bursting with juicy strawberries in every bite.  When I get to The Lakehouse for the summer, this is going to be one of the first recipe I make.  On my way to the lake, I’ll stop at the farm stand and buy as many baskets of juicy strawberries as I can carry.  The next morning, I’ll bake a batch of these fresh beauties, then head down to the dock with coffee and strawberry muffins to sit in the morning sunshine and toast the start of summer.  Whether you’re looking for a simple strawberry muffin recipe, a way to use up an abundance of fresh strawberries, or a wholesome homemade treat the whole family will love, these Strawberry Yogurt Muffins are sure to become a favourite.  Best of all, they come together quickly with simple pantry ingredients and basic kitchen equipment (no mixer needed!), making them perfect for quiet mornings, and for baking at the cottage, the lakehouse or at a beach rental.
What goes in Fresh Strawberry and Yogurt Muffins?
These strawberry yogurt muffins come together with everyday baking ingredients you likely already have on hand, plus plenty of fresh, juicy strawberries.
- Butter: Melted butter adds rich flavour and helps create a soft, tender crumb in these strawberry yogurt muffins.
- Vegetable Oil: A small amount of vegetable oil ensures a soft, fluffy texture and helps the muffins stay fresh for longer.
- Sugar: Â Granulated sugar sweetens the muffins and helps create a soft, tender texture with beautifully golden tops. Â Mixed with lemon zest and vanilla, it also makes the delicious lemon sugar topping that gives these muffins their irresistible citrusy-sweet and crunchy tops.
- Greek Yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt plays a crucial role in these muffins, contributing to both their texture and flavour, while also enhancing nutritional value.  Its protein content strengthens the batter, giving the muffins a slightly firm yet fluffy crumb.  When combined with baking powder, the added natural acidity of the Greek yogurt reacts to create carbon dioxide, which helps the muffins rise.  This results in a light and airy texture with a satisfying richness.  I typically use Greek yogurt with 2-4% milk fat.  Avoid fat-free yogurts as they don’t perform as well in baking.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds a warm, sweet flavour that enhances the overall taste and aroma of the muffins.
- Zest of a Lemon: Lemon zest adds a bright, fresh citrus taste. Â For the best flavour, zest only the bright yellow outer layer of the lemon peel. Â Avoid the pale yellow and white pith underneath, as it can add a bitter taste. Â A Microplane Zester works well for removing the zest in fine pieces, allowing the citrus flavour to be distributed evenly throughout the batter.
- Lemon Juice: Â These muffins have a tangy, sweet and crisp top, thanks to the lemon sugar mixture sprinkled over each muffin before baking. Â To make the lemon sugar, you need just granulated sugar, a touch or vanilla and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Â
- All Purpose Flour: Â Nothing fancy here – this recipe needs just pantry staple All Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder: Baking powder is the leavening agent that helps these muffins rise and develop a light, tender texture.  Because its effectiveness decreases over time. it’s important to use fresh baking powder to ensure it produces enough gas to properly lift the batter.  Old baking powder can result in muffins that are dense, heavy and fail to rise as expected.  If you find a container of baking powder at the back of the cottage cupboard and you’re not sure how long it has been there, it’s worth taking anymore to test it before baking to avoid disappointment.
How To Test If Baking Powder Is Still Good To Use: Â Drop a teaspoon of baking powder into a half cup of warm water. Â If it starts to bubble and fizz, the baking powder is still active. Â If there is little or no reaction, the baking powder has likely lost its potency and should be replaced. Â Once baking powder has been opened, it lasts about 6 months before starting to lose its effectiveness. Â To avoid the guessing game, write the purchase date on the baking powder container when you bring it home, making it easy to track its age.
- Cinnamon: Just a little ground cinnamon adds a subtle warmth.
- Kosher Salt: Â I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt in my recipes since it has a clean taste and lower sodium per volume than most other kosher salts. Â Look for Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt at good grocery stores, fine foods shops and butcher shops, or buy it online.
- Fresh Strawberries:  These muffins are a treat that I make during strawberry season, when  juicy and sweet local berries are available.  I don’t recommend using frozen berries in this recipe since they tend to make the muffins soggy. Â
Is your fridge overflowing with sweet, juicy strawberries, like mine is? Here are some popular strawberry recipes to help you put them to good use!
Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- zest of a lemon
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, diced
Lemon Sugar Topping
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Line 16 muffin pan cups with paper lines, then spray the inside of the liners with cooking spray. You will need two muffin pans, or you can bake in batches.
- Make the topping: In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp vanilla until it looks like wet sand. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, oil and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring until fully incorporated. Add the yogurt, lemon zest and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, folding these dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined, with no streaks of flour remaining. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the chopped strawberries just until evenly distributed throughout the batter. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each to the top. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a generous amount of the lemon sugar mixture, pressing it down slightly so it sticks to the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 7 minutes then without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 375F. Continue to bake the muffins for another 10-12 minutes, until fully baked and tops are golden. Cool the muffins in the tins for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. These muffins are best the day they are made, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Lightly pressing the lemon sugar topping into the batter will prevent it from rolling off the top of the muffins during baking and burning on the hot pan.
- To keep these muffins fresh in the freezer, place in a resealable plastic bag and press out all the air. Â Freeze for up to 2 months. Â
