Tender Strawberry Shortcake Muffins with a Crumbly Brown Sugar Top
These strawberry shortcake muffins are tender from sour cream and topped with a crunchy brown sugar streusel. Fresh berries stay suspended in every bite thanks to a simple flour toss. Ready in 40 minutes and perfect for spring brunch.
Equipment
- 12-cup Muffin Tin
- Parchment paper liners
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Small bowl
Ingredients
Strawberry Muffin Batter
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for coating strawberries)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, diced into ½-inch pieces
Brown Sugar Streusel
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with parchment liners.
- In a small bowl, toss diced strawberries with 1 tablespoon flour until lightly coated. Set aside.
- Make streusel: Combine brown sugar, ¼ cup flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add cold butter cubes and work with fingers or fork until coarse and crumbly. Refrigerate while making batter.
- Whisk together remaining 1 ½ cups flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk egg until pale and frothy (about 30 seconds). Add sour cream, milk, melted butter, and vanilla; whisk until smooth.
- Pour wet mixture into dry mixture. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined — a few streaks of flour should remain. Do not overmix.
- Add floured strawberries and fold 3-4 times until flour streaks disappear. Batter will be thick.
- Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups (scant ¼ cup each). Fill to the top. Sprinkle each with generous pinch of cold streusel.
- Bake in center of oven for 16-20 minutes, rotating pan halfway. Muffins are done when edges are deep golden and center springs back to touch. A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not raw batter.
- Cool in pan for exactly 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. The streusel will be dark and cracked — that is perfect.
Notes
Coat strawberries in flour to prevent sinking. Do not overmix the batter. Keep streusel cold until baking for a crunchy top. Fill muffin cups generously for a domed crown. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze individually wrapped for up to 3 months; reheat at 300°F for 8 minutes to revive streusel.