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, Raspberry Muffins, 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.
Can you leave out the maple syrup. Baby under 12 months should not eat added sugar.
Or should I add smashed banana instead?
You could do 1/4 cup mashed banana or applesauce. They may need a few more minutes of baking time.
Tried this recipe about a year ago and it was amazing. It worked well with our allergy friendly subs. Just tried it again and I could not get the muffins to cook up as well as I had previously. Reading the comments, I noticed you said you updated the recipe. Is it possible to see the previous recipe to get the measurements? The previous version worked AMAZINGLY and we all loved them and I would love to make them again. Thank you.
The only change I made was to reduce the flour by 1/4 cup. Hope that helps!
I searched way to many recipes before deciding to use this one and I’m glad I did. I debated because I was looking for a healthy recipe and with few ingredients, but landed on this one because of the 5 star reviews. I’m also glad I did not exclude the lemon zest! I have never added it to a recipe and it really takes these muffins to the next level. My only regret is that I overdid it with the strawberries. Added a little extra and realized I should have just followed the amount in the recipe because some muffins were too overloaded. I also used liners and did not spray them with cooking spray. Next time I will not use them at all or just spray them so the muffins do not stick to the paper. I always spray and decided not too because they can give off an oily look. Bad move on my part. This is a terrific recipe and I can understand why it has 5 stars!
I’m so glad to hear that!
These were GREAT! Made them with my 4YO and she asked to add blueberries, so we added ~1/2 cup. I didn’t change anything else and they still worked out great. It did make 18 minis and 9 regular, though. My 18MO loved these as well, and he’s usually not into baked things. Thank you!!
I’m so glad to hear it!
Great recipe and our whole family loves them! I appreciate all the detailed notes and the ability to see the ingredients for doubling and tripling the recipe!!
Great use of local strawberries. I’m going to make a batch of them for a nice gal who works at the farmer’s market. I printed out the recipe to give her. The newest one says “1-1/4 c of flour”. There are other changes, too…. Number of eggs, salt, lemon zest. Is this because you updated the recipe and I should try the new one?
I updated the recipe earlier this spring to ensure it is super moist and has great flavor, so there is less flour now. I would use this current one.
Can you freeze these?
Yes, freeze in a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 6 months.
How many calories are in a muffin?
The nutrition info is all at the very end of the recipe.
Would it be ok to add a couple tablespoons of hemp seeds to these to bump up the nutritional value?
Sure, that should be totally fine
What about minute “quick” oats?
They should work fine.
At first the toothpick came out clean but when I split the muffins open they were wet and gooey. Took a little longer to bake, I used all purpose flour. Since they came out gooey, is that maybe from the all purpose flour? Any advice is appreciated, otherwise thanks for a great recipe.
Yes, all purpose flour would likely take a little longer to bake since it doesn’t absorb quite as much liquid as fast as whole wheat. Glad they’re good otherwise!
Yum! These are delicious and my toddler and I both enjoyed them, especially warm from the oven!
A keeper – perfect wat to finish up last years frozen strawberries!
Thanks for all the love you put into all that you do for do many!
I LOVE this recipe! Tastes so yummy and not too sweet, great for my toddler and great for us parents too – perfect breakfast. When I made the first time, I used thawed frozen strawberries and no lemon since I didn’t have any. Was a little wet due to the nature of the frozen strawberries, I’m sure they’re so much better with fresh ones. Currently making my second batch but with fresh mango instead of strawberry since we have a mango tree in the backyard! This is my new go to muffin recipe.
Can I use almond flour?
This recipe is absolutely delicious with both all purpose white and whole wheat flours. Any or a combination of berries work. However I wonder the same, can I use almond flour please?
I’m so glad. This recipe won’t work the same with almond flour, but you can use this one as a base and add strawberries and a little lemon zest https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/almond-flour-muffins/
I found Amy’s almond flour muffin recipe and they are currently in the oven!
However it takes cinnamon as opposed to lemon. I love the flavour of lemon and berries. I don’t know if cinnamon and lemon would go together but will try next time.
Also wonder if I could use oats and almond flour together – muffins are the only way my kids eat oats these days
Or you can leave the cinnamon out and just use lemon there. Enjoy them!