Vegan Strawberry Muffins

These moist, fluffy, and tender vegan strawberry muffins are probably my most beloved muffin recipe. The sweet nostalgic strawberry flavor, combined with the beautiful red color, is a real winner. Best of all, it’s one of the few healthy, vegan recipes for muffins that doesn’t use banana as a sweetener. We’ll use sugar, but not too much, and we’ll make sure it doesn’t overpower the flavor of the batter. Top it off with an irresistible crumb topping, and your friends and family will love you.

During strawberry season, this strawberry muffin recipe is particularly delicious. There is nothing like fresh ripe strawberries to bake the best muffins. My family and I pick fresh strawberries every year, a highlight of the summer season. We bake muffins and other baked goods, but we also freeze strawberries for use in recipes during the winter months. You can make vegan strawberry muffins with frozen strawberries in the off-season. The batter is simple and made with simple ingredients easily found in your local grocery store.

These vegan strawberry muffins can be made with frozen strawberries in the off-season. They are made with simple ingredients easily found in your local grocery store.

Other Recipes You Might Like:

• Fresh Strawberry Pie
• Strawberry Jam Scones with a Lemon Glaze
• Almond Strawberry Bites Dipped in Carob or Chocolate
• Strawberry Sorbet
• Vegan Pavlova
• Vegan Crepes

What are Vegan Strawberry Muffins?

A muffin is a small domed cake or quick bread made from a batter through baking. Traditionally the recipe is made with milk and egg, this vegan version uses plant-based milk, lemon, and applesauce to create a fantastic light and tender vegan muffin. Like other vegan muffin recipes, it is free from butter and other animal products. Muffins are usually a breakfast food and incorporate fruit and nuts, such as strawberries and almonds.

Vegan Strawberry Muffins – Ingredient List:

Strawberries:

• Strawberries are sweet, delicious berries, rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. A fantastic berry to add to your diet. Did you know that just a few strawberries give you more vitamin C than an orange?
• Unfortunately, strawberries can retain pesticides, so whenever possible, buy organic or from reputable farmers who are careful with pesticides for all your vegan baking.
• Strawberries add a unique flavor and texture to these muffins, especially compared to more common ingredients like banana. It brings me back to childhood and the memory of picking wild strawberries during the summer months for strawberry muffins. My grandparents taught me how to thread the tiny strawberries on grass straws, and it is one of my fondest memories.

Flour:

I use all-purpose flour and almond flour for these delicious vegan strawberry muffins. You can make them healthier by substituting some of the flour for whole wheat flour or adding a tablespoon of ground golden flaxseeds.

Sugar:

Use all-natural cane sugar. White sugar is filtered through bone char, which means it isn’t a vegan ingredient. Other types of sugar are OK so long as they are vegan. I would recommend choosing a type of sugar that hasn’t been refined or bleached much, as refining processes are not typically vegan friendly.

Salt:

Use sea salt or Himalayan pink salt. They contain trace minerals that are not present in regular table salt, which makes it a great addition to any vegan diet.

Cardamom: Cardamom is a spice often used in Norwegian baked goods, so it happens to be a favorite in many recipes, vegan strawberry muffins included. It is a wonderful spice to have on hand when baking. It can be expensive in the grocery store, but I buy in larger quantities online, making it more affordable.

Almond Milk:

• Almond milk is a great addition to this recipe. Make sure that the milk is unsweetened. Organic milk is a great option so long as it is vegan.
• Because you want the muffins to have a light, fluffy consistency, you want the milk to curdle when adding the fresh lemon juice. Some do not curdle. They will make a denser muffin.
• I have always had good luck with organic and also with unsweetened Silk.

Lemon Juice:

Fresh lemon juice is crucial in this vegan recipe. It curdles the milk, which makes a much lighter muffin. No zest needed.

Apple Sauce:

Apple sauce is perfectly vegan and adds moisture and natural sweetness to the recipe.

Vanilla:

Vanilla and strawberries go so well together.

Coconut Oil or Canola Oil:

Today I used canola oil in my recipe, but it can easily be substituted with coconut oil for a fluffy vegan treat.

Almonds (for the crumb topping):

These nuts are rich in nutrients, protein, and fiber.

Vegan Margarine or Coconut Oil (for the crumb topping): Earth Balance (vegan margarine) or coconut oil.

How to Make Vegan Muffins with Strawberries:

Step 1: (optional)

• Start by making the crumb topping. This step is optional, but I would highly recommend it. Combine flour, almond flour, sugar, chopped almonds, cardamon, salt and plant-based margarine.
• Mix until the mixture resembles a crumb-like consistency.

Step 2:

• In a small bowl, add the milk and lemon juice. Set aside for 4-5 minutes until the milk begins to curdle.
• Mix the remaining wet ingredients: apple sauce, vanilla, and oil. Stir gently to combine.

Step 3:

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cardamon. Mix to combine.

Step 4:

• Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Gently stir to combine. The batter will be lumpy, and that’s the way you want it. When it goes in the oven, the batter will be lighter.
• Fold in the fresh strawberries using a spatula.

Step 5:

• Add muffin liners to a standard muffin tin.
• Divide the batter equally among 12 muffin cups.
• Sprinkle the crumb topping on the top of each muffin.
• Bake at 375F for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out almost clean. It can have a couple of tiny crumbs attached.
• Remove from pan and transfer to a cooling rack.
• Be sure to cool completely before freezing.

Vegan Muffin Recipes Variations/Substitutions:

• Other Berries: You can make these muffins by replacing the strawberries with other berries such as blueberries or raspberries. Make sure to keep the same ratio.
• Flour: You can substitute the nut flour with all-purpose.
• Healthier Version: Replace 1/2 of the flour with whole wheat flour.

Allergy-Friendly Options:

• Gluten-free: Substitute the all-purpose flour for 1:1 gluten-free baking flour in the main muffin batter and also in the crumb topping.
• Oil-free: Substitute oil with apple sauce.
• Nut-free: Replace the almond flour with all-purpose flour in the main muffin batter and also in the crumb topping. Omit the chopped nuts in the crumb topping or replace it with quick oats.
• Soy-Free: This recipe is soy-free.

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Extra Tools and Equipment Needed:

• Muffin Pan or Tin (with 12 cups)
• Muffin Cup Liners

Tips & Tricks:

How to Measure the Flour Accurately:

Stir the flour before measuring. It’s important to aerate the flour to measure an accurate amount. If you skip this step, you may get too much flour in the muffin, and it will be denser in consistency.

Use Paper Liners:

It prevents you from having to grease the pan, and they come out of the cups so easily. They are also easier to serve that way.

Curdle the Milk:

Add fresh lemon juice to the unsweetened plant-based milk and let it sit for 4-5 minutes to curdle. This will make a lighter muffin.

Be Gentle:

When stirring the curdled milk, combining the wet and dry ingredients, or folding in the strawberries, be very gentle. It will pay off in a fluffier and lighter muffin.

How to Store Vegan Strawberry Muffins:

Room-Temperature: Store at room temperature for a couple of days.

Fridge: In the fridge for 3-5 days. But be aware that the fridge tends to dry out baked goods, so as a general rule, I usually keep my muffins at room temperature for a day and then freeze the left-overs to keep them longer.

Freezer: They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How Do I Know That My Muffins are Done?

Bake until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted comes out free of wet batter (a few dry crumbs are fine), or lightly press the top of the muffin with your finger to see if it springs back. If the batter does, the muffins are ready; if not, bake for a couple of extra minutes.

Can I Use Frozen Strawberries?

Yes, absolutely. Thaw the strawberries slightly so they are at the right temperature for chopping before adding them to the batter. You want them to still be pretty frozen.

Can I Use Different Berries?

Yes, you can use different berries like blueberries or raspberries. Some people even choose other fruits like banana. Make sure to keep the ratio the same.

What Type of Flour Should I Use?

I love the King Arthur Flour company, partly because it is based here in New England, but also because they have a really good product. Use the all-purpose unbleached kind for these muffins. I also love the additional flavor the nut flour brings to these muffins.

Why Use Unbleached Flour?

Unbleached flour has aged naturally after being milled and not been chemically bleached. If you need this recipe to be gluten free, you can use a vegan gluten free flour like many grain flours on the market, as long as it says it’s not processed in facilities with milk or eggs on the package.

Can I Make these Muffins Without the Crumble Topping?

Absolutely! But the vegan crumble topping is a very nice addition. It makes the muffins look extra beautiful and add texture and flavor.

What Type of Oil Do I Use?

Any vegetable oil will work. Coconut oil and canola oil are favorites.

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