Perfect Peach Muffins
These Peach Muffins are everything a good bake should be: tender, golden, and packed with chunks of sweet, juicy peach in every bite. The combination of sour cream and melted butter creates an incredibly moist crumb, while a simple high-heat baking trick gives you that beautiful bakery-style dome top.
Equipment
- 12-cup standard muffin tin
- Paper muffin liners - or non-stick cooking spray
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Kitchen scale - optional but recommended for accuracy
- Ice cream or cookie scoop - for portioning batter evenly
- Wire cooling rack
- Sharp paring knife and cutting board - for peeling and dicing the peaches
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour - 250g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar - 150g
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter - 113g, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream - 120g, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups fresh peaches - about 250g, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 medium peaches)
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar or coarse sugar - for topping (optional but highly recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well. Lightly spray inside of liners to prevent sticking from peach pieces.
- Peel peaches by scoring an X on the bottom, blanching in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transferring to an ice bath. Dice into 1/2-inch pieces and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk sugar and eggs for about 1 minute until slightly thickened. Add melted butter, sour cream, vanilla, and milk, whisking until smooth and combined.
- Pour wet mixture into the well of dry ingredients. Fold with a rubber spatula using 10-12 slow strokes until just combined, leaving a few small streaks of flour. Do not overmix.
- Add diced peaches to the batter and gently fold in with 3-4 strokes, keeping peach pieces intact. The thick batter is exactly as it should be.
- Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 to nearly full. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of turbinado sugar on top of each unbaked muffin.
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for exactly 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) without opening the door. Continue baking for 15-18 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients: Cold eggs and sour cream can cause melted butter to seize into clumps. Set them out about 30 minutes before baking.
- Do not overmix: This is the most important rule for muffins. Mix only until flour streaks disappear to prevent tough, dense results.
- Pat peaches dry: Removing excess surface moisture prevents the batter from becoming too wet and gummy.
- Fill cups generously: Filling 3/4 to nearly full creates those signature high, bakery-style dome tops.
- Two-temperature baking method: Starting at 425°F then dropping to 350°F is the bakery trick for domed tops and fully cooked centers.
- Fresh vs frozen: Thaw and thoroughly drain frozen peaches, then pat very dry before using. Canned peaches should be drained and patted dry as well.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Microwave refrigerated muffins for 20-25 seconds. For frozen, thaw at room temperature or microwave for 45-60 seconds.
- Variations: Add a cream cheese cube in the center, swap 1/2 cup peaches for blueberries, or top with a brown sugar streusel before baking.
- Sugar reduction: You can reduce granulated sugar by up to 2 tablespoons without significantly affecting texture. Use very ripe peaches for added sweetness.