Foodie Friday: Allspice Crumb Muffins

One of my favorite bakers is Dorie Greenspan. About a year ago, I had discovered one of her videos on the New York Times online food section, and fell in love with her passion for baking.

So when I was digging for a autumnal/wintry-feeling muffin recipe, Dorie’s recipe for Allspice Crumb Muffins won over all my senses. The scent of these muffins baking fills the house. They look absolutely decadent, and the lightly spiced flavor makes me feel warm and cozy!

I think you’ll love them too.

Dorie’s Allspice Crumb Muffins

(Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s cookbook: Baking – From my home to yours)

For the streusel:

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup packed light brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground allspice

5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

 

For the muffins:

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs ¾ cup whole milk

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

*Optional: Grated zest of 1 lemon (Even though I’m a nut for lemon, I opted to keep these muffins pure, and left it out.)

Center a rack in the oven, and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Fit regular-size muffin pan with paper muffin cups, or butter or spray molds.

To make the streusel:

Put the flour, brown sugar, and allspice in a small bowl and sift them through your fingers to blend. Add the bits of cold butter and toss to coat, then use your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until you’ve got irregularly shaped crumbs. Set aside in the fridge. (You can make the crumb mixture up to 3 days ahead and keep them covered in the fridge.)

To make the muffins:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, allspice, and salt. Stir in the brown sugar, making certain there are no lumps.

In another bowl, whisk the melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. The batter will look lumpy. Now’s the time to stir in the lemon zest if you’re using it. Divide the batter among the muffin cups.I usually fill only 9 of the 12 cups, because I like big and plump muffins!

Sprinkle streusel over each muffin, them use your fingertips to gently press the crumbs into the batter. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

Store in an air-tight container. To warm up a muffin, I pop into the microwave for 22 seconds, and it tastes like it’s fresh and hot from the oven!

Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa!

Love, Nora