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Sun-ripened seasonal strawberries pair perfectly with decadent dark chocolate in these irresistible strawberry dark chocolate muffins that celebrate spring's sweetest berry. Enjoy them for breakfast, a mid-day snack, or dessert!
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What makes this recipe special
As soon as it gets remotely close to strawberry season, I get overly excited. Since I'm in California, I luckily get fresh sweet berries before I go to other states. However, seeing that it's only March, it's been a hit and miss. Fortunately, the last batch I purchased happened to be extra sweet strawberries. So, naturally, I went back to the store and bought several boxes.
The first thing on my list, other than eating them raw, was to bake some strawberry dark chocolate muffins. These muffins combine my two favorite things, strawberries and dark chocolate, to make some beautiful muffins. It doesn't get any better than this!
Ingredients
- Whole wheat flour: Provides structure and stability to the muffins while adding a nutty, wholesome flavor. You can substitute all-purpose flour in equal amounts. The muffins will have a lighter texture and color, but the recipe will still work perfectly.
- Cinnamon: Adds a warm, aromatic spice note that complements both the strawberries and the chocolate.
- Buttermilk: Contributes acidity that activates the baking soda, creating a chemical reaction that helps the muffins rise. The tangy flavor balances the sweetness, while its thickness and fat content create a tender, moist crumb.
- Strawberries: The star ingredient that provides bursts of juicy sweetness, natural moisture, and vibrant color throughout the muffins. If using frozen strawberries, there's no need to thaw them first - add them frozen to prevent excess moisture and color bleeding.
- Dark chocolate: Offers rich, slightly bitter flavor notes that contrast beautifully with the sweet strawberries.
Substitutions and variations
- Chocolate: For a sweeter variation, use semisweet chocolate chunks or white chocolate for a fun twist.
- Fruit: Try this recipe with another berry, such as raspberries or blackberries. You can also create a mixed berry muffin using a combination of strawberries and raspberries or any other mixture.
- Add-ins: You can add chopped walnuts or pecans for added texture or shredded coconut for a tropical twist.
Recipe
Strawberry Dark Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour (195 grams)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (135 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup buttermilk (125 ml)
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (75 ml)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen strawberries, cut into large chunks (220 grams)
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chunks (100 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line muffin tin with liners.
- Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl including whole wheat flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Gently fold in chopped strawberries and dark chocolate chunks.
- Fill the muffin pan with batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool the muffins completely on a wire rack.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Prepare strawberries
The thing I love about muffins is how easy they are to make. These strawberry dark chocolate muffins are no different. Plus, it's like a dessert and breakfast in one, and who doesn't want that?
The sweeter your strawberries are, the better these muffins will be. If your strawberries are bland, they'll get overpowered by the dark chocolate. I personally prefer fresh, but you can also use frozen.
Chop the strawberries into fairly big chunks. Don't cut them too small, or they will get lost in the muffins.
If using frozen, purchase sliced frozen strawberries and cut them into chunks.
Step 2: Make muffin batter
Now it's time to make the batter. The process is straightforward: mix the dry ingredients, then the wet ingredients, and combine them all.
I used whole wheat flour, but you can also use all-purpose or white whole wheat flour. The whole wheat flour adds a lovely nutty flavor and heartier texture that retains the moisture from the strawberries. I've also tried this muffin using half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose with great success.
Whisk together the wet ingredients, including buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla. By using oil, you can skip the process of creaming, which is only required when you use butter. You also end up with almost guaranteed moist muffins.
Buttermilk also helps ensure that these strawberry dark chocolate muffins will be moist and tender. If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own! Add 1½ teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to ½ cup of regular milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.
As for dark chocolate, use good-quality chocolate. Dark chocolate bars are always best, but if you must, you can use semisweet chocolate chips. If you want those chocolate puddles on top, save a couple of chunks and place them on top of the muffins.
Step 3: Bake
Fill your muffin pan with paper liners and divide the batter into 10 cups. I know most muffin recipes say to fill the cups ¾ full, but I filled them to the top to get that nice muffin dome.
Bake the strawberry dark chocolate muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
I could not have been more excited about these muffins. One bite, and I was in love. I had to give away most of the muffins so I wouldn't devour all of them, but now...I'm sad that I did...
For more fantastic muffin recipes, check out these blood orange walnut streusel muffins, chai spiced pear muffins, and blueberry cheesecake muffins!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: These muffins come together quickly, so there's not much preparation you can do before baking them. However, you can bake them earlier in the day and let them cool before serving.
- Store: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Frequently asked questions
Try tossing your strawberry chunks in a tablespoon of the flour mixture before folding them into the batter. This helps prevent them from sinking.
Use the toothpick method, inserting a toothpick in the center of the muffin. If it comes out clean, the muffins are ready!
You can freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
More strawberry dessert recipes
Looking for more treats with strawberries? Try these:
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