Brown Sugar Peach Muffins

Here's one more yummy peach recipe while it's still fall. Although very tasty, the peach butter definitely gilds the lily but it does add extra peach flavor (and will use up peaches if you have that need--how I wish I had that problem this year).

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Brown Sugar Peach Muffins

Source: Washington Post 

Yield: about 20

4-5 fresh peaches, preferably ripe

4 c flour, you can use some wheat flour if you like

2/3 c packed dark brown sugar

1 teas kosher salt

2 T baking powder

1 teas baking soda

1/4 teas ground allspice

2 large eggs

2 c regular or low-fat sour cream (no nonfat sour cream here)

1/2 c vegetable oil

sugar for sprinkling--Swedish pearl sugar, or demerara, something that won't melt while baking is best

Peach Butter

8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 teas kosher salt

1/2 teas ground cinnamon

1/4 teas ground cardamom

1/4 teas vanilla extract

1 teas maple syrup (optional)

Set your oven to 400F and preheat. Place paper baking cups in standard size muffin pans. If you have only one pan, you can bake the extra batter after the first batch comes out of the oven.

Remove pits from the peaches. You may peel them if you like but it isn't necessary. Cut the peaches into half inch chunks, or chop to that size, although you'll likely have less uniform bits. Save one generous cup of chopped peaches for the butter, if you are going to make it. 

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and allspice. Move mixture to the sides of the bowl to make a well.

Mix together the eggs, sour cream and oil in a large liquid measuring cup or a bowl, and pour into the well. Stir until just moistened, forming a lumpy, rather firm batter. 

Use a large ice cream scoop or a measuring cup to fill the paper baking cups, filling them to the top or mounding the batter slightly. Sprinkle with the sugar of your choice and place in the oven. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

In the meantime make the peach butter, if desired:

Place all ingredients except maple syrup in a mini food processor, or use a stick blender in a bowl. Puree all together until mostly smooth. Taste the butter and if you want it a bit sweeter, add some of the maple syrup.

When the muffins are finished (use a toothpick to test that there is no wet batter) place them on a cooling rack using tongs. If you used only one muffin tin, divide the remaining batter among paper cups, sprinkle with sugar, and bake the rest.

Serve the muffins while warm with the butter if you made it.