Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (250g) All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt (Fine sea salt recommended)
  • 1 cup (225g) Small-Curd Cottage Cheese (drained lightly)
  • ¾ cup (150g) Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Large Eggs, at room temperature
  • ½ cup (113g) Unsalted Butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • ½ cup Milk (Whole or 2%)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • Zest of 1 small Lemon (Optional)
  • 1 ½ cups Fresh Strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon All-Purpose Flour (for dusting berries)
  • 1 tablespoon Coarse Turbinado Sugar (Optional topping)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.
  2. Gently toss the chopped strawberries with 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl to prevent sinking. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a separate large bowl, whisk the cottage cheese until slightly smoother. Whisk in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time. Finally, gently whisk in the cooled melted butter, milk, vanilla, and lemon zest (if using).
  5. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. A few streaks of flour are acceptable; do not overmix.
  6. Gently fold the floured strawberries into the batter.
  7. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups (fill nearly full). Sprinkle the tops with coarse turbinado sugar, if desired.
  8. Bake for 5 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 15–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  9. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.