These vegan strawberry milkshake muffins are soft, fluffy and bursting with childhood flavours. Made with dairy-free strawberry milkshake powder and a hidden strawberry jam centre, they are a fun bake perfect for lunchboxes, birthday parties, afternoon tea or an after-school treat.
Love these? Try these Doughnut Muffins, which also have a jam centre.
They are so pretty with their delicate pink colour, but delicious too, and best of all, they are easy to make with a few everyday ingredients.
Completely dairy-free and freezer-friendly, so you can always have a treat ready to grab on busy days.
Check out my Vegan Sweet Treats page for more simple muffin recipes and other sweet snacks.
At-a-Glance - Strawberry Milkshake Muffins
⏲️ Ready in: 25 minutes
👪 Serves: 12
🍽 Calories: 213
🧾 Main ingredients: Flour, sugar, milkshake or protein powder, baking powder, plant-based milk, vinegar, mild oil & strawberry jam (or strawberry conserve)
👩🏻🍳 Suitable for: Vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, egg-free & vegetarian
Simple and quick to make, but everybody loves them with the soft sponge and surprise filling.
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⭐ Why You'll Love These Muffins
Here's why you must make these strawberry muffins soon.
- Soft and fluffy texture
- Hidden jam centre
- Pretty pink colour
- Great for kids' lunchboxes
- Easy to freeze
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- No eggs or dairy
- Perfect for picnics, parties and school bake sales too
Also try these Easy Vegan Chocolate Muffins.
🍓 How to get that delicate strawberry flavour
These simple muffins can be flavoured with vanilla extract, but it's nice to give them a subtle strawberry powder.
You can either use a dairy-free strawberry milkshake powder or a strawberry powder.
Alternatively, if you find some dried or freeze-dried strawberries, you could whizz them into a powder and add that to give the strawberry flavour.
The soft, partially dried strawberries that are chewy wouldn't work for this.
📋 The Ingredients You Need
These strawberry muffins can be made with a few simple ingredients.
- Shake powder - or protein powder
- Strawberry jam - or change up the flavours and make these raspberry muffins
- Vegan buttermilk - plant-based milk (I use oat milk, but use your regular milk) with added vinegar to thicken it and give it that sour edge
- Oil - use a mild oil like vegetable oil or a mild olive oil, you don't want to taste it in the muffins
🥛 Why use vegan buttermilk?
Many vegan bakes use flax eggs made with ground flaxseeds (linseed) mixed with water and chilled until thick and gloopy in place of eggs.
However, this technique works better with richer cakes like Fruit Cake or brownies (like these Dairy-Free Easter Brownies); it doesn't work well in light cakes.
Instead I like to use vegan buttermilk, which is plant milk mixed with some vinegar or lemon juice.
The acidity thickens the milk, gives it the sour edge, and reacts with the baking powder to produce lighter, fluffier cakes with a tender crumb.
👩🏻🍳 How to make Strawberry Shake Muffins
These step-by-step photos will show you how to make these strawberry milkshake muffins. Keep scrolling for the recipe card.
- Step 1: Line a 12-hole (or 2 x 6-hole) muffin tray with paper muffin cases. I picked pink muffin cases for these strawberry muffins.
- Step 2: Make your vegan buttermilk, by adding oat milk (or your regular millk) to a jug or bowl with a little vinegar.
- Step 3: Add your dry ingredients (flour, sugar, milkshake powder, baking powder and salt) to a mixing bowl and mix well.
- Step 4: Add the oil to the bowl or jug with buttermilk. I like to use a mild oil like a vegetable oil or mild olive oil, so you can't taste it in the final muffins.
- Step 5: Pour into the dry ingredients and fold in until just combined; don't worry about the occasional lumpy bit.
- Step 6: Half-fill the paper muffin cases with muffin batter. I use an ice cream scoop, so I get the same amount of batter each time.
- Step 7: Add half a teaspoon of strawberry jam to the muffin batter, and add it to the middle of the batter.
- Step 8: Top with more batter, until the muffin cases are ¾ full, then finish them with a few sprinkles (optional).
- Step 9: Bake, then check that they are cooked by inserting a toothpick; if it comes out wet, they need longer. Leave to cool.
- Step 10: Tuck in and enjoy that jammy filling!
💭 Troubleshooting
Why are my muffins dense?
- The batter is overmixed
- The baking powder is too old
- Too much flour is added
Why did my jam sink?
- Batter is too thin
- Too much jam added
- Muffin cases over-filled
Why aren't my muffins pink?
- Mine are very subtly pink
- Different milkshake powders vary in colour
- You could spoon some pink icing sugar onto each muffin
Why are my muffins dry?
- Over-baked
- Your oven runs hot (this is not uncommon)
- Flour not measured accurately enough
💭 Muffin FAQS
Fresh strawberries add extra moisture, so it's better to keep them for decoration. Add some icing to the muffins and top with half a strawberry.
The jam gives an unexpectedly sweet and fruity centre to these soft and fluffy muffins, making them taste like a jam-filled doughnut.
Homemade muffins can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Yes, freeze these muffins in a freezer-friendly airtight container for 3-4 months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
These muffins are perfect for birthday parties. Once baked, add icing and sprinkles for a pretty bake that children and adults will love.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Strawberry Milkshake Muffins
Ingredients
- 250 ml oat milk mixed with 4 teaspoon milkshake powder
- 1 teaspoon vinegar choose a clear vinegar
- 250 g plain all-purpose flour
- 100 g strawberry milkshake powder
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 5 tablespoon vegetable oil or other mild clear oil
- 6 teaspoon strawberry jam
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180c/160c fan/350f/gas mark 4.
- Fill a 12 hole muffin tray with muffin or cupcake
cases. - Make your milkshake up by mixing your oat milk and
milkshake powder in a jug, then add the vinegar, mix and set aside. - In a mixing bowl add your flour, milkshake powder,
salt, sugar, and baking powder. - Add the oil to the buttermilk and mix, then pour it
into the dry ingredients and fold in. Do not overmix! Only fold until just
combined. don't worry about the odd bit of flour mixed in. - Use an ice cream scoop (or spoon) to half fill the
muffin cases. - Add ½ teaspoon of jam to the middle of each case of
batter, then top with more batter until the cases are about ¾ full. - Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and baked
through. Use a skewer to see if they are ready. Tips in the notes below. - Remove from the oven, leaving the muffins in the
tray for a few minutes, before moving them to a baking rack to cool completely. - Enjoy!
Notes
- Use a skewer or toothpick to see if they are ready. Insert it into a muffin, if it comes out clean they are ready, if there is batter on it they need a little longer.
- The muffins can be kept in an airtight container for 3 days. If you pop the box in the fridge when they are cool, you will get another couple of days out of them.
- The muffins can be frozen in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Oh that's fabulous and yes these are perfect for kids and easy for them to make.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I am sure she will love these then. Enjoy them.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Oh she will live these and yes vegan buttermilk is easy peasy.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Haha yes to both. I hope you enjoy them.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I works really well, I hope you try it.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Oh yes they are just perfect for kids lunch boxes.
Beth says
These look so delicious and tasty! I can't wait to make these! My daughter loves anything strawberry!
pam says
My granddaughter loves all things pink and she is going to love these cupcakes!! I had no idea you could make vegan buttermilk, great tip!
Andrea Metlika says
These sound marvelous and very addictive. Can't wait to make them!
Shinta says
Love this idea! Milkshake powder is such a great idea, I need to try this out soon. Definitely bookmarking your recipe
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
What a delicious flavour for muffins! I'll definitely be making these for the kids lunchboxes!
Sue says
Delightful little muffins. The use of the milkshake powder gives such a great taste, and the pocket of jam is wonderful!
Unknown says
I made these with my daughter and she couldn't get enough of them! They're perfect addition to packed lunches too! Thank you for a great recipe x
Mahy says
These are too easy nont to make them from time to time. Delicious way to enjoy vegan yummies with your favorite flavor!
Unknown says
The flavor was so good, and I loved how strong the strawberry flavor was.