Peach Muffins with Streusel Topping
Bakery-style Peach Muffins with a tender crumb, juicy peach chunks, and a buttery streusel topping. The secret? An easy homemade peach jam swirl that packs in flavor without making the muffins soggy.
Servings: 12 large muffins, baked in a standard muffin pan
Ingredients
Jam and Muffins
- 2 cups peeled and diced fresh ripe peaches ,½-inch dice, quantity divided (see Note 1)
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar , plus 1 teaspoon additional for jam
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (312.5 grams, King Arthur)
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk (whole or reduced-fat)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Streusel topping
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (93.75 grams, King Arthur)
- ¼ cup light or dark brown sugar , firmly-packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter , cut into ¼-inch pieces
Instructions
Make the Peach Jam
- Add 1 cup of the diced peaches and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar to a small saucepan.
- Simmer over medium heat, mashing the peaches with the back of a wooden spoon as they cook, until reduced to about ¼ cup and relatively smooth, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely to room temperature.
Make the Streusel Topping
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
- Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingertips until it resembles damp sand, with small crumbs that hold together when pressed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 425°F with the rack in the middle position. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan with baking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the eggs until thick, pale, and glossy. Whisk in the cooled, melted butter and oil, then the buttermilk and extracts (vanilla and almond).
- Gently fold the remaining 1 cup of diced peaches and the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. For a tender crumb, don't over-mix; a few dry streaks of flour are ok.
- Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each almost to the top for large, bakery-style muffins. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the cooled peach preserves into the center of each and swirl gently with a toothpick. Top each with a few tablespoons of streusel (see Note 2).
- Bake for 17 to 19 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then use two forks to gently lift the muffins onto a wire rack until ready to serve (see Note 3).
- These muffins are best enjoyed slightly warm, and their texture is best the day they're baked. Once cooled, they can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. Gently rewarm before serving.
Notes
1. Peaches: Use fruit that's ripe and fragrant but still firm, with a little give. Very soft, juicy peaches will make the batter wetter than intended. To peel quickly, score an X into the skin on the blossom end, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer to an ice bath — the skins should slip right off.
2. Streusel: I like a goodly amount of streusel topping on my Peach Crumb Muffins. If you enjoy less streusel, you can halve the topping recipe, or freeze any leftover streusel in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months for use in another batch of muffins.
3. Muffin crowns: Since the wells are filled almost to the top, the muffins will crown as they bake and may touch depending on your pan. If this happens, gently separate them with a knife once out of the oven.
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated's "Best Blueberry Muffins" (May/June 2009).
Nutrition
Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 234mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 454IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg
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