Goat Cheese Muffins with Strawberries: A Sophisticated Treat

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Sneak Preview: Try these Goat Cheese Muffins with Strawberries for a quick muffin with a sophisticated flavor profile. They will remind you of the ones sold at the Central Market Bakery.

Strawberry, Balsamic Muffins with Goat Cheese with one muffin spread with jelly.Pin

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Do you have a bag of frozen strawberries languishing in the freezer or some fresh ones that need to be eaten soon? Here’s a great idea that won’t require much work. Make a quick strawberry-balsamic sauce in the microwave and add it to these goat cheese muffins.

Goat cheese crumbles take these muffins to a new level. But if you’re not a goat cheese fan, substitute feta cheese or leave it out. Add some chopped toasted pecans instead.

Happy Bakers Speak Up

“I was trying decide between yours and another recipe for strawberry goat cheese muffins, and your strawberry balsamic “jam” won me over. I’m really glad I made these, they were great and the texture of the cooked down strawberries were perfect.”–CALLIE

Creating the Recipe

The inspiration for these muffins comes from the strawberry balsamic muffins I used to buy from the Central Market Bakery in Ft. Worth.

I’m not claiming to have the authentic recipe. However, after much experimentation, this muffin comes close. No matter what, it is delicious on its own merits.

Making the Strawberry Balsamic Sauce

A few weeks ago, I shared my super quick and easy method for making a strawberry-balsamic sauce using fresh or frozen strawberries. It has two ingredients and cooks in only 6 minutes. I often use it to make my Creamy Strawberry Yogurt Salad Dressing and these tasty muffins.

microwave strawberry reduction in a pyrex measuring cup.Pin
To make the strawberry-balsamic sauce, chop 1½ cups of frozen or fresh strawberries. Place in a 1-2 quart Pyrex dish. Add ¼ cup balsamic vinegar. Cook in a microwave, UNCOVERED, for 5-6 minutes, no stirring required.

The result is similar to strawberry preserves but not as thick or sugary. Cooked strawberries won’t leave soggy spots inside your baked muffins, which sometimes happens with fresh berries.


Ingredients and Substitutions

ingredients needed for goat cheese muffin recipePin
  • BUTTER: Use salted or unsalted butter. If using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Please note that butter should be softened before adding it to the recipe.
  • FLOUR: Use all-purpose, bleached, or unbleached flour.
  • SUGAR: Granulated sugar is specified. The recipe has not been tested with any other sweeteners.
  • GREEK YOGURT: Any unflavored Greek yogurt, regardless of the fat content, is appropriate. You could substitute vanilla, strawberry, or lemon Greek yogurt, but remember to decrease the sugar according to the sweetness of the yogurt. If you want to substitute regular yogurt, drain it for about 30 minutes to make it thicker.
  • EGG: I use large eggs in all my recipes. Be sure they are at room temperature.
  • STRAWBERRIES: Make these muffins with fresh or frozen berries that I cook in the microwave. I like how it gives the muffins strawberry flavor without leaving wet and mushy spots inside the muffin.
  • GOAT CHEESE: Goat cheese crumbles give these muffins a distinctive flavor.  The recipe shows a range of amounts, so you can customize it according to your love for goat cheese. Buy crumbles if you can get them to save you the trouble of crumbling the cheese yourself. If you want a milder-tasting muffin, try substituting feta cheese for goat cheese or leave out the cheese altogether.
  • SANDING SUGAR: Coarse sugar makes a pretty and decorative topping. Substitute regular sugar, or leave it off if you don’t have sanding sugar.

Tips for Making Muffins

  1. Mix muffins by hand, but don’t over-mix. Stir just until the flour disappears. Over-mixing can result in tunnels.
  2. Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature beforehand, including the butter, eggs, and yogurt. According to Epicurious, this can make or break your muffins.
  3. Preheat your oven. The quick change in temperature between your kitchen and the inside of your oven activates the baking soda and baking powder.

How To Make Goat Cheese Muffins with Strawberries

Preheat oven to 375˚F.

strawberry-balsamic reduction in a microwave-safe cupPin
Step 1: Make the Strawberry-Balsamic Sauce. Set aside to cool. (You need 1/2 cup for the muffins. You could make a strawberry dressing with the remainder or serve it over ice cream.)
melted butterPin
Step 2: Melt the butter in a microwave-safe dish for one minute on HIGH. Set aside to cool.
dry ingredients in a bowlPin
Step 3: Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and soda in a medium mixing bowl.
yogurt, egg and melted butterPin
Step 4: Combine yogurt, egg, and melted butter in a separate bowl.
adding wet ingredients to the dry.Pin
Step 5: Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Do not overmix.
Folding goat cheese and strawberries into the muffin batter.Pin
Step 6: Lightly fold in cooled strawberry-balsamic sauce and goat cheese.
batter in muffin cups--sprinkling with sanding sugar.Pin
Step 7: Use a spoon or ice cream spring dipper to fill muffin cups. Sprinkle liberally with sanding sugar.
baked muffins on a tray with strawberry preserves on the side.Pin
Step 8: Bake for 20-22 minutes (depending on the size of the muffins). Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes, then place them onto a cooling rack to avoid soggy bottoms.

FAQ

What does goat cheese taste like?

Goat cheese has a complex flavor that varies according to its age and origin. It is often described as earthy, tangy, and slightly acidic. It offers the perfect equation of fruit and cheese when combined with strawberries.

What type of goat cheese is best for muffins?

I like to use crumbled goat cheese. In addition to being readily available, it’s easy to fold into the muffin batter. Break up any big chunks if you don’t want white, moist lumps in your muffins.

Can I make the muffin batter ahead of time?

Make the batter the night before, then cover and refrigerate.

How do I store muffins?

Muffins are best right after they are baked. If you have leftovers, store them at room temperature or freeze them. Double-wrap them to prevent freezer burn.


Parting Thoughts: Serve these muffins warm with strawberry preserves for maximum strawberry flavor. Or take these muffins to a new level with homemade creme fraiche. It only takes about 8 hours, a cup of heavy cream, and a tablespoon of plain yogurt.


Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.

strawberry balsamic muffinsPin
Yield: 9 muffins

Goat Cheese Muffins with Strawberries Recipe

An easy strawberry-balsamic sauce combines with goat cheese to make a memorable breakfast muffin that is a copycat of the one sold at the Central Market Bakery.

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5 from 6 votes
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Video

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • cup (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (100 g) sugar
  • teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon soda
  • ½ cup (143 g) unflavored non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 (50 g) large egg
  • 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter
  • ½ cup (118 g) strawberry-balsamic sauce See the recipe notes
  • 1-2 ounces (57 g) goat cheese crumbles
  • Sanding or sparkling sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375˚ F (190˚C).
  • Make the strawberry balsamic sauce (see recipe notes) and let it cool.
  • Melt 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter in the microwave for one minute on HIGH. Allow butter to cool.
  • Whisk 1½ cup (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, ½ cup (100 g) sugar, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon soda in a medium mixing bowl.
  • Combine ½ cup (143 g) unflavored non-fat Greek yogurt, 1 (50 g) large egg, and 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter in a separate bowl. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Do not overmix.
  • Lightly fold in cooled ½ cup (118 g) strawberry-balsamic sauce and 1-2 ounces (57 g) goat cheese crumbles
  • Portion evenly into a muffin pan that has been greased and floured. (I use an aerosol flour/butter mixture.) Muffin pans vary, but I usually end up with 8 or 9 muffins. Sprinkle liberally with Sanding or sparkling sugar for sprinkling on top.
  • Bake for 20 minutes. Allow baked muffins to stand for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. They will get soggy bottoms if you leave them in the pan too long.

Notes

To make strawberry-balsamic sauce:
Chop 1-½ cups fresh or frozen strawberries. Place in a 1-2 quart Pyrex dish. Add ¼ cup balsamic vinegar. Cook in a microwave, UNCOVERED, for 5-6 minutes, no stirring required.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com

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22 Comments

  1. I was trying decide between yours and another recipe for strawberry goat cheese muffins, and your strawberry balsamic “jam” won me over. I’m really glad I made these, they were great and the texture of the cooked down strawberries were perfect. I did increase the sugar a bit and was generous with granulated sugar on top to create a crust. Looking forward to making these again soon!

    1. Callie,
      Fantastic! I’m sure a little more sugar made them even better. Thanks for writing.

  2. 4 stars
    I was just looking for a good recipe to use up some extra stuff in my fridge (yogurt and strawberries) and this turned out to be perfect! I didnt add the cheese simply due to lack of it, however, I bet it would be delicious!

    I also had to add some milk because my batter was a little more like stiff dough without it.

    Nonetheless, great, easy recipe! Thank you.

  3. 5 stars
    okay, I made them. I used regular yogurt and I also put them in cupcake papers. They didn’t come out neatly- but maybe that was the yogurt substitution OR the reason Paula used greased muffin pan.
    They were YUMO. I went with maximum amount of goat cheese. You don’t have to be a goat cheese lover to adore these! I actually cored the middle and made a filling of strawberry jam, the leftover balsamic mixture and cream cheese (light). Delicious!

  4. I just made these muffins. The only changes I made were using 2 T of honey in the sauce (Heavenly) and using the goat cheese crumbles over the top before baking, instead of inside the muffins. Oh, and I added a tsp of vanilla to the recipe. I wish you could see them! They are very good and I thank you for the recipe. The batter WAS stiff, but it stayed moist in baking.

    1. Hi Deb,
      Glad you liked them. Love the idea of putting the goat cheese on top. Sounds very pretty. I will try the honey too. Thanks for writing.

  5. 4 stars
    I was just looking for a good recipe to use up some extra stuff in my fridge (yogurt and strawberries) and this turned out to be perfect! I didnt add the cheese simply due to lack of it, however, I bet it would be delicious!

    I also had to add some milk because my batter was a little more like stiff dough without it.

    Nonetheless, great, easy recipe! Thank you.

    1. Glad you liked them, Ivy.

  6. Simply Life says:

    what a fabulous idea for muffins! I would never think to make something savory like this but I can imagine how good it tastes!

  7. I discovered your blog a few weeks ago when your “salad in a jar” video made its way to my Pinterest page. I have since done that and found it to be THE KEY to eating salads. When the lettuce is “at the ready,” there is no excuse to not have a salad. Thanks for sharing that great tip.

    Anyhow, these muffins sound delicious. I’ve pinned the recipe to my page. A muffin with a piping hot cup of Earl Grey would be a delightful morning treat.

    Thanks…have a blessed day,
    Patti

    1. Hi Patti,

      Thanks for taking the time to write. Glad you like the salad. It is so convenient to have it ready to grab and eat! pr

  8. 5 stars
    okay, I made them. I used regular yogurt and I also put them in cupcake papers. They didn’t come out neatly- but maybe that was the yogurt substitution OR the reason Paula used greased muffin pan.
    They were YUMO. I went with maximum amount of goat cheese. You don’t have to be a goat cheese lover to adore these! I actually cored the middle and made a filling of strawberry jam, the leftover balsamic mixture and cream cheese (light). Delicious!

    1. Scarlett,
      I like the way you bake. Adding jam and cream cheese to the middle would absolutely put these muffins over the top!

      I do not generally use cupcake papers for the very reason you stated. They are just so much neater and prettier coming out of non-stick muffin pans. Thanks so much for coming back to tell me about your success. pr

  9. Can I use another yogurt if I do not have the greek?

    1. Scarlett,
      Yes, you won’t need quite as much if you use regular yogurt. I imagine you could even use buttermilk or sour milk but would need to experiment with the amount. pr

  10. Great way to start the day.
    Mimi

  11. Yum sound delicious, Paula what if your not huge fan of goat cheese what could you use instead? maybe cream cheese?

  12. I’m not a fan of goat cheese but if the flavour was not overwhelming in these muffins I’d be willing to give them a go. They look delicious Paula.

  13. A great trinity of flavors, for sure. And “spring” strawberries are beginning to show up in supermarkets now.

  14. cocidodesopa says:

    Great, great, great!! These muffins must be terrific. We love the combination of goat cheese and sweet ingredients.

    Lovely.

    Thanks for sharing. Cheers!

  15. Betty @ scrambled hen fruit says:

    I have oodles of strawberries in my freezer left from last spring, and need to use them before strawberry season rolls around again. These muffins look really tasty! I’ve never had goat cheese in a muffin, but the combination of the cheese with those sweet balsamic strawberries has my mouth watering! 🙂

  16. hummmm, Don’t think I have ever tasted goat cheese. These muffins look great and I really need to do something different for my valentine besides chocolate. This may be just the recipe for the special ones in my life. I just might take these on. Happy Valentine’s and again as always thanks for the motivation of trying something new and exciting.