Goat Cheese Muffins with Strawberry-Balsamic Swirl
Sneak Preview: Tender goat cheese muffins with a strawberry-balsamic swirl and Greek yogurt for moisture. Sweet-savory and ready in about 30 minutes.
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If you’ve got strawberries that need using—fresh or frozen—these muffins are a smart way to dress them up. The tangy swirl comes from a quick microwave balsamic-strawberry reduction, giving each bite a bright, jammy flavor without soggy spots.
Ingredients & Substitutions
FLOUR: All-purpose, bleached or unbleached
SUGAR: Granulated white sugar
BUTTER: Salted or unsalted; soften first
GREEK YOGURT: Plain; sub vanilla or lemon, but reduce sugar
EGG: Use a large egg, room temperature
STRAWBERRIES: Fresh or frozen, cooked into a microwave reduction
GOAT CHEESE: Crumbles work best; sub feta or omit for a milder flavor
SANDING SUGAR: Optional, but adds sparkle and crunch
How To Make Goat Cheese Muffins with Strawberries
⬇️ Jump to the recipe below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
Goat Cheese Muffins with Strawberry-Balsamic Swirl
Video
Ingredients
- 1½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter
- 1½ cup (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon soda
- ½ cup (143 g) unflavored non-fat Greek yogurt (room temperature)
- 1 (50 g) large egg (room temperature)
- 1-2 ounces (57 g) goat cheese crumbles
- sanding or sparkling sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease or spray a standard muffin pan.
- Make the Strawberry-Balsamic Reduction: Chop 1½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries and microwave with ¼ cup balsamic vinegar (uncovered) for 5–6 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Melt the Butter: Melt 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter in the microwave for one minute on HIGH. Set aside to cool.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: 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.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: Combine ½ cup (143 g) unflavored non-fat Greek yogurt, 1 (50 g) large egg, and the previously melted butter. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.
- Fold in the Add-Ins: Lightly fold (to avoid tough muffins) ½ cup strawberry-balsamic sauce (cooled) and 1-2 ounces (57 g) goat cheese crumbles.
- Portion and Sprinkle: 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. Use sanding or sparkling sugar for sprinkling on top.
- Bake and Cool: Bake for 20-22 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
- Strawberry-Balsamic Sauce: You’ll only need ½ cup for the muffins—save the rest for strawberry dressing or spoon it over ice cream.
- Storage Tip: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat briefly before serving.
- Freezer: Freeze fully baked muffins in a single layer until firm, then store in a sealed container for up to 1 month.
- Make-ahead: It’s best baked right away. For make-ahead prep, cook the strawberry reduction and measure out your ingredients in advance.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Final Thoughts
These muffins make good use of strawberries that are about to be forgotten and add something special to an ordinary breakfast.
p.s. Serve these muffins warm with strawberry preserves for maximum strawberry flavor. Or take these muffins to a new level and serve with homemade creme fraiche. It only takes about 8 hours, a cup of heavy cream, and a tablespoon of plain yogurt. If you have leftover muffins, consider this bread crumb pudding.
— Paula, Home Economist
Homemade Food Worth Sharing
Need help troubleshooting?
Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com — photos help!
p.s. Inspired by the Central Market Bakery muffins I used to crave.
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!
Callie,
Fantastic! I’m sure a little more sugar made them even better. Thanks for writing.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Glad you liked them, Ivy.
what a fabulous idea for muffins! I would never think to make something savory like this but I can imagine how good it tastes!
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
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
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!
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
Can I use another yogurt if I do not have the greek?
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
Great way to start the day.
Mimi
Yum sound delicious, Paula what if your not huge fan of goat cheese what could you use instead? maybe cream cheese?
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.
A great trinity of flavors, for sure. And “spring” strawberries are beginning to show up in supermarkets now.
Great, great, great!! These muffins must be terrific. We love the combination of goat cheese and sweet ingredients.
Lovely.
Thanks for sharing. Cheers!
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! 🙂
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.