What’s the difference, really, between a muffin and a cupcake? Where’s the tipping point? Evidently it’s not the addition of chocolate, or even frosting (if it is, tell that to Dunkin’ Donuts).
Personally I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the occasional sweet bakery treat for breakfast – hello sticky buns, coffeecake, and my personal favorite, leftover apple pie. (Hey, it’s a fruit serving!)
These Raspberry Crumb Muffins have a coffeecake vibe with their streusel topping and all those raspberries forming pockets of tart juiciness throughout.
Raspberries are fragile. To keep them from breaking down into mush and staining the batter red, don’t stir them in. (And don’t use frozen raspberries!) Once the batter is completely mixed, dump the raspberries on top, and then gently scoop the batter into the cups, picking up a few raspberries with each spoonful.
Scatter a generous amount of crumb topping over each muffin.
I have a couple of professional-grade muffin tins made by Chicago Metallic. Heavy and thick, they retain heat well and help the muffins cook evenly. But the best thing about them is that they have a lot of space between the cups, which means you can fill the cups fuller and make bigger muffins. If I had used regular paper liners (the kind that only come up as high as the side of the cup), the batter would have spread up and out creating a classic, mushroom-shaped cap. With this pan, there’s enough room for each muffin to form a big crown without sticking to its neighbors.
You can also do as I did here and use tall paper liners that keep the batter contained and push the muffins up instead of out. To summarize:
- To make 9 large muffins, use a professional-grade muffin tin with or without the tulip shaped liners, or a standard muffin tin with the tulip liners.
- If you’re using a standard muffin tin with regular (low rise) liners, make 12 smaller muffins.
See how nice and high these come up, over the edge of the cups?
Go ahead and split one open hot from the oven, and let a pat of butter melt into the soft, sweet, raspberry-studded center.
Making these ahead and what to do with leftovers:
- These muffins will stay fresh for 3 days, so make them ahead or keep leftovers (in an airtight container) within that time frame. To freeze them, remove the paper liners and individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap, then store in freezer-safe zip-lock bags for 1 month.
Raspberry Crumb Muffins
This recipe makes 9 large muffins if you use a professional-grade muffin tin with plenty of space between the cups, and/or tall liners that form tall muffins rather than spreading ones. If you're using a standard muffin tin with closely-spaced cups and standard, short muffin liners, make 12 smaller muffins.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (6 ounces or ¾ cup) unsalted butter (preferably European-style), room temperature, divided
- 2¾ cups (330 grams or 11 5/8 ounces) all-purpose flour, divided
- 3/8 cup (6 tablespoons) brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
- 6 ounces (½ pint) fresh raspberries
Directions
- Step 1 Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 9 to 12 cups of a muffin tin with paper liners. The number of muffins you can make depends on the type of muffin tin you have as well as the kind of liners you’re using. See the recipe note and post for guidance.
- Step 2 Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup (90 grams) of the flour with the brown sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of kosher salt. When the butter is melted, add it to the dry ingredients and toss it first with a fork and then use your fingers until it forms into moist clumps. Set the mixture aside.
- Step 3 In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt if using Diamond Crystal brand, or ¼ teaspoon of Morton’s. Stir with a whisk until well mixed
- Step 4 In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and the granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
- Step 5 Add half the flour mixture, then the milk, and then the remaining flour mixture, beating on very low speed after each addition just until the ingredients are combined – don’t overmix.
- Step 6 Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and use a rubber spatula to stir in the last bits of flour around the edges of the bowl. Dump the raspberries on top of the batter but don’t stir them in. You don’t want to crush the raspberries. Use a large spoon to scoop the batter into the paper lined cups, carefully picking up a few raspberries with each spoonful.
- Step 7 Sprinkle the crumb topping over the muffins, dividing evenly.
- Step 8 Bake the muffins for 25 to 40 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned and a tester inserted deep into the center comes out clean. (Expect to go to the longer end of the time range if making fewer, larger muffins.) Remove the hot muffins from the tin immediately and cool them on a rack for 10 minutes before serving, or cool them completely before storing.
