Strawberry Sourdough Muffins Crumb (Printable version)

Tender muffins with fresh strawberries and a crunchy crumb topping, great for breakfast or snacking.

# What You'll Need:

→ Muffins

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 cup sourdough starter, unfed or discard
07 - 1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/2 cup milk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 1/4 cups fresh strawberries, diced

→ Crumb Topping

12 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
13 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
14 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk sourdough starter, vegetable oil or melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender muffins.
05 - Gently fold diced strawberries into the batter using a spatula, distributing evenly throughout.
06 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each approximately three-quarters full.
07 - In a small bowl, combine flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold diced butter using a fork or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
08 - Sprinkle crumb topping generously and evenly over each muffin.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with no wet batter.
10 - Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That subtle tang from sourdough adds complexity without tasting sour—it's the secret handshake of the muffin world.
  • The crumb topping stays crispy on the outside while the muffin stays tender inside, which somehow feels impossible until you nail it.
  • You're using discard starter you'd otherwise throw away, so these feel almost free to make.
02 -
  • Cold butter is non-negotiable for the crumb topping—warm butter will melt into the flour instead of creating those precious crunchy bits.
  • Don't overmix the batter, even when you're tempted to—rough, lumpy batter makes better muffins than smooth, fully incorporated batter.
03 -
  • If your sourdough starter is very strong (very sour), reduce it to 3/4 cup and add 1/4 cup more milk to balance the tang.
  • Toss your diced strawberries in a tablespoon of flour before folding them in—it prevents them from sinking to the bottom.
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