Whole Grain Strawberry Ricotta Muffins are light, fluffy, and full of juicy berry goodness. They make the perfect snack or anytime treat!
Are you a ricotta cheese fan? We would argue it's perhaps one of the most underrated cheeses out there. In fact, most people we talk to don't have a lot of experience cooking with, or eating, it! Maybe it's surprising to us, because, both growing up in Italian households, we used ricotta in everything! From lasagna to cannoli (of course!), just about every dish was enhanced by adding a little ricotta! I've personally always loved ricotta's mild, naturally sweet flavor, and light, creamy texture that can be enjoyed straight up with a spoon.
Ricotta is the star ingredient of today's Whole Grain Strawberry Ricotta Muffins. While strawberries may try to steal the show, ricotta is responsible for adding that light, fluffy texture and perfect moisture without density. We aren't here to tell you what to do, but an extra slather of fresh ricotta on these muffins is pretty exquisite. Just saying...
Recipe Tips
Traditional whole wheat flour has been our flour of choice for this recipe, with which we've had great success. That said, white whole wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour can easily sub in for whole wheat if you prefer a milder flavor and more tractional light color. Our favorite brand for whole grain flours is Bob's Red Mill. We've find their quality and grind is perfect for all styles of cooking and baking.
We find we prefer just a touch of sweetness with these muffins and have used as little as ¼ cup of honey all the way up to ½ cup. Our goldilocks level was a happy ⅓ cup. Depending on personal preference, and how sweet your berries are, you may choose to increase up to ½ cup. Don't have honey on hand? Any favorite liquid sweetener will do.
Whole Grain Strawberry Ricotta Muffins
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice
- 1 cup ricotta cheese low and full fat work well
- 1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour* + 1 tbsp for dusting strawberries
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ¾ cups diced strawberries reserve ½ cup for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, combine oil, honey, vanilla, and eggs. Whisk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together ricotta and citrus juice. Add ricotta to oil mixture and whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour to wet mixture and fold to combine, careful not to over mix.
- Lightly dust diced strawberries with extra tablespoon of flour (this will help prevent the strawberries from sinking during baking). Add 1 ¼ cup strawberries to muffin mixture and gently fold to combine.
- Spoon mixture into a lined or silicone muffin tray. Place remaining strawberry pieces on top of muffins and gently press into batter.
- Bake for 25-28 or until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was adapted from a muffin by Half Baked Harvest.
Looking for more simple muffin recipes? Check out our recipe for No Sugar Added Banana Hemp Muffins!
Can you use frozen strawberries?
Yes! You definitely can. We would recommend (carefully!) dicing the strawberries into smaller pieces and adding them in fully frozen (not defrosted) 🙂