These Gluten-Free Strawberry Muffins have a fluffy texture that's bursting with chocolate strawberry flavor! They are made with one bowl and are well loved by kids and adults. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free as written, with tested options use dairy or to make them egg-free and vegan.
Don't hesitate to make these as soon as strawberries are in season! They pack all the best of spring and early summer into a single bite.
While I usually make these gluten-free strawberry muffins in spring and early summer when strawberries are fresh and ripe, they can also be made with frozen strawberries. Check the notes in the recipe card or the 'ingredients' section to learn more about the swap.
If you love gluten-free muffins, check out our other amazing varieties: Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Muffins, Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins. These muffins are all variations on a base gluten-free muffin recipe, making it super easy to make more than one variety in a single muffin pan (we do this all the time)!
For an extra decadent treat, make a fresh batch of muffins with our popular Dairy-Free Whipped Cream recipe that takes only 5 minutes! And for another strawberry brunch treat, check out my Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble, Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake, Strawberry Crumble Pie, Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, and Strawberry Basil Smoothie.
Do you or someone you care about have celiac disease? Check out our helpful celiac disease gluten free diet post!
How to make it (with photos)
Ingredient Notes
You need only 10 simple ingredients to make these Gluten-Free Strawberry Muffins.
- strawberries - These muffins are especially lovely using fresh strawberries, but frozen strawberries will work great too. If using frozen strawberries, allow them to thaw and gently pat them with paper towels to absorb extra water before mixing in -- excess water can make the muffin texture gooey rather than fluffy.
- gluten-free flour - Pick a 1-to-1 rice flour blend like Bob's Red Mill's 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour.
- vinegar - Apple cider vinegar is most traditionally used in baking, and I've used white wine vinegar in a pinch and they turned out great. You will not taste the vinegar in the final recipe. The reason we include it is because the acid in the vinegar interacts with the baking soda to create bubbles that gives these muffins excellent rise and a fluffy texture!
See the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and quantities.
Substitutions
Fit this gluten free strawberry muffins recipe to your needs with these tested substitutions.
- Dairy Milk or Buttermilk - I use almond milk when making these muffins. Regular dairy milk can be substituted 1-to-1 for the almond milk. Skim, 1%, 2%, and whole milk all work well. Still include the vinegar in this case. If you use regular buttermilk, however, omit the vinegar since buttermilk is already acidic.
- Butter - You can use real butter or dairy-free butter in this recipe and your gluten-free strawberry muffins will turn out perfectly.
- Coconut Oil - While I personally prefer the flavor of the dairy-free butter in these muffins, coconut oil works nicely too. If using coconut oil, you can substitute 1-for-1, but the texture will be slightly more dense. If you would like to preserve the original texture, use 2 ยฝ tablespoons of coconut oil and ยฝ tablespoon of additional milk or water. We make this adjustment because butter is 80% fat and 20% water, whereas coconut oil is 100% fat.
- Egg-Free and Vegan - These muffins taste excellent with the egg replacement of 1 tablespoon of corn or potato starch with 3 tablespoons of water. Add the starch in with the dry ingredients and whisk together. Then add the water with the wet ingredients.
- Peaches, cherries, or other fruits - Chopped peaches or other fruits that pair nicely with chocolate can be used in place of strawberries.
Step-by-Step Instructions
These gluten-free strawberry muffins take only 30 minutes from start to finish, and can be made in a small batch of 6 muffins or scaled up for more!
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) and grease or line 6 cups of a standard muffin pan.
- Milk and Vinegar: Combine the milk and vinegar and stir. I do this in a liquid measuring cup so the recipe needs only one mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Dry Ingredients: Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.
- Wet Ingredients: Add wet ingredients and milk mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until just combined but do not overmix -- there will still be some small flour lumps in the batter and that's okay.
- Mix-ins: Add chopped strawberries and chocolate chips. Mix until just combined.
- Assemble for baking: Portion the batter between the muffin cups. I like to use an ice cream scoop for this. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips and strawberries across the top so they bake extra pretty, if you like!
- Bake: Bake at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) for 7 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and bake for 8 minutes more. At this point, the muffins should be perfectly cooked! But you can insert a toothpick in the center of a muffin to make sure it comes out clean to double-check.
- Cool: Cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan. Then gently remove the gluten-free strawberry muffins and set on a wire cooling rack for an additional 10 minutes before eating.
Expert Tips
Make perfect gluten-free strawberry muffins on the first try with these expert tips!
Don't over-mix the muffin batter.
To get that crumbly traditional muffin texture, you want to mix the batter so that there are still some small flour lumps (about blueberry or pea-sized). Over-mixing can cause a gummy texture in gluten-free muffins.
Use less strawberries if traveling with these muffins.
For a more structured muffin, use ยพ cup of chopped strawberries instead of 1 cup in the batter. I choose this method when I'm traveling with these gluten-free strawberry muffins since they hold together better. But if you're eating them at home, add a full cup of chopped strawberries for a flavor-packed treat!
Recipe FAQs
Here I answered some frequently asked questions about this gluten-free strawberry muffins recipe. Don't see your question? Leave it in the comments and I'll answer it within two business days.
Store on the counter for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container lined with paper towels (to absorb moisture and prevent sogginess). Check periodically to see if the paper towels become wet. If so, replace with dry ones.
Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
The best gluten-free flour for muffins is Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour. This rice flour blend most closely mimics the weight and texture of traditional flour. It also includes xanthan gum, which helps to prevent gluten-free baked goods from falling apart.
I also tested this recipe with Pamela's All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend. The muffin was a bit denser with Pamela's than with Bob's Red Mill, but still delicious. I do not recommend using almond flour or coconut flour as a substitute for this recipe.
You can absolutely leave out the chocolate in this recipe to make classic Gluten-Free Strawberry Muffins.
Related gluten-free muffin recipes to consider...
If you love these fluffy gluten-free strawberry muffins, you'll also want to check out these awesome gluten-free muffin variations!
And for another scrumptious breakfast treat, check out my Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ๐๐๐๐๐rating in the comment field or recipe card below. Thank you!
๐ Recipe
Gluten-Free Strawberry Muffins
Ingredients
Milk and Vinegar*
- ยฝ cup + 1 tablespoon milk of your choosing , I used almond milk (133 ml)
- ยฝ tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar (7 ml)
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour , I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 (155 grams)
- ยฝ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
- ยผ teaspoon baking soda
- ยผ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (50 grams)
- ยผ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter or vegan butter, melted but not hot (40 grams)
- 1 egg
Mix-Ins
- 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries (135 grams)
- optional: ยผ cup mini chocolate chips, plus a little extra to sprinkle on top (50 grams)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees F) and grease or line 6 cups of a standard muffin pan.
- Milk and Vinegar: Combine the milk and vinegar. I do this in a liquid measuring cup so the recipe needs only one mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Dry Ingredients: Thoroughly mix all dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.
- Wet Ingredients: Add wet ingredients and milk mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until just combined but do not over mix. You want there to still be some small flour lumps in the batter.
- Mix-Ins: Add chopped strawberries and chocolate chips to the batter. Mix only until just combined.
- Assemble the muffins: Portion the batter evenly between the muffin cups. I like to use an ice cream scoop for this. Then sprinkle extra chocolate chips and strawberry pieces across the tops of the muffins if you like to make them extra pretty when they bake!
- Bake: Bake at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) for 7 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and bake for 8 minutes more. At this point, the muffins should be perfectly baked! But you can insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin to make sure it comes out dry to double-check.
- Cool: Cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan. Then gently remove the muffins and set on a wire cooling rack for an additional 10 minutes before eating.
Bri says
These tasty gluten-free strawberry muffins are so good! I used coconut sugar and loaded it with strawberries. I used chopped dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips because I didnโt have any. This is a really delicious recipe and Iโm going to make it again for my mom for Motherโs Day!
Paris says
Hi,
Just thought you'd like to know that when you use the automatic multiplier in the recipe, it does not change the flour quantity -- it stays at 1 cup. I worked it out myself because the batter was runny, but you might want to fix the bug if possible. Thanks for the recipe!
Jamie says
Thank you so much for letting me know, Paris! I will get on that right away.
JoJo says
Has anyone ever used an egg substitution? If not, would you suggest a flax egg or something else like applesauce?
Jamie says
Hey JoJo! I actually just did an egg-free trial of these muffins myself so your timing could not be better. I like 1 tablespoon of potato starch or corn starch with 3 tablespoons of water for this recipe. I add the starch in with the dry ingredients and the water when I add the other wet ingredients. You can make the same substitution for any of the muffin recipes that use a gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend on this site (I haven't tried it with the almond flour bases yet).
I have not tried a flax egg but maybe someone else can chime in if they have. Happy baking!
JoJo says
Thanks so much!I've never tried starch as an egg replacer! I will definitely give this a try!
Brooke says
I made these for an early Motherโs Day brunch and they were a hit. My mom liked them so much she asked me to pack two away before the rest of the guests could get them. No one knew they were gluten or dairy free!
Jamie says
Thank you for the kind words Brooke! I'm so glad your Mom and family loved them!
Mavis says
So much strawberry and chocolate y goodness in one bite! I love the texture too. Iโll be making these again soon!
Jamie says
Thank you so much for the review! I'm so glad you loved them!
Becca G. says
The chocolate and strawberry together is divine! I really liked the ratio of the two. Also I bet this batter makes a fluffy muffin all on its own.
Jamie says
Thank you for the kind words Becca! I have a basic gluten-free muffin recipe that's very similar to these in the pipeline too -- I bet you'll love it!