Name: Brown Butter Cherry Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: makes 12 muffins
Cuisine: Slovenian
Ingredients: 120 g butter (1 stick + 1 tsp); 4 egg whites; 60 g all-purpose flour (1/2 cup); 140 g sugar (2/3 cup); 80 g ground almonds (3/4 cup); 1 tsp lemon zest, freshly grated; 1 tsp vanilla essence; 150 g pitted cherries or sour cherries (2/3 cup)

Brown Butter Cherry Muffins

Muffins were the first dessert I’ve ever made. That was a lot of years ago. My brother gave me a book titled “Muffins” for Christmas, and I loved it. I made almost every muffin recipe from that book, and it made me feel so proud and excited that I was able to make a recipe from start to finish. Not only that, muffins looked petit and cute. I was so proud of myself. Sure, not every muffin was delicious; let’s be honest. But what stayed with me was that feeling that anyone can make such a simple dessert, no matter the age or cooking ability. There are endless flavor possibilities when it comes to muffins, but today we decided to focus on muffins with (sour) cherries + brown butter + almonds. A beautiful nutty and fruity combination that works every time.

Brown Butter Cherry Muffins

Oh, they are so good. We could easily call them Cherry Friands or Cherry Financiers, but we like to keep it simple and simply call them muffins. These are the perfect little treats to take on a picnic or to make for special celebrations like birthday, Valentine's Day, or Mother's day. But not only that, they are perfect for slow and lazy weekends, when you crave something sweet but don't really want to spend the whole day in the kitchen. We love:

the exterior is crunchy and golden-brown
the interior is soft and delicious
it will only take 40 minutes to make this recipe
great for kids and adults
serve them for breakfast, brunch or dessert
the nutty and fruity flavor that is ohhh my so good!
simple recipe, for beginner bakers or those more advanced

How to make Brown Butter Cherry Muffins

Even though cherries and sour cherries are only in season in summer, you can still make these muffins throughout the year. Use fresh cherries if they are in season, otherwise, grab frozen cherries or sour cherries, just make sure they are pitted. Making these muffins is quick and easy:

Melt the butter, cook for a few minutes until it is nutty and brown
Brush the muffin pan with brown butter
Using a hand whisk, gently froth the eggs whites - don't overwork it
Combine all ingredients for the muffins in a bowl
Divide the muffin batter between muffin cups, add the cherries
Bake and quickly try one

How to store or freeze Brown Butter Cherry Muffins

Store cherry muffins in a bag or airtight container. Keep them at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can transfer them to freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months as well. Defrost the muffins by placing them at room temperature for about 30 - 60 minutes, or until soft and delicious again.

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Ingredients

Brown Butter Cherry Muffins

120 g butter (1 stick + 1 tsp)

4 egg whites

60 g all-purpose flour (1/2 cup)

140 g sugar (2/3 cup)

80 g ground almonds (3/4 cup)

1 tsp lemon zest, freshly grated

1 tsp vanilla essence

150 g pitted cherries or sour cherries (2/3 cup)

Tools and equipment

saucepan

kitchen brush

muffin pan

hand whisk

bowl

METHOD

brown butter

Add butter to a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. In about 5 minutes, the butter will become brown, with a beautiful nutty aroma - don't stir it. Using a kitchen brush, gently brush the muffin pan with the brown butter. Place the muffin pan in the fridge for 5 minutes. The butter will harden, which will help prevent the muffins from sticking to the pan once baked. Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 430 °F.
muffin batter

Using a hand whisk, gently beat the egg whites until they become frothy - make sure not to overbeat them. In a separate bowl, stir to combine all-purpose flour, sugar, ground almonds, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Add frothed egg whites to the flour mixture and stir to combine to get a smooth batter. Gradually, in two additions, incorporate brown butter and vanilla to the flour mixture.
bake and serve

Spoon the muffin batter into muffin cups, filling them to about two thirds (2/3). Arrange three sour cherries or cherries on top of each muffin batter. Transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes at 190 °C / 375 °F or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Transfer the baked muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.