Strawberry Jam Muffins

Who doesn’t love spreading jam on fresh-out-of-the-oven baked goods? Now you can have your jam and eat it too—inside your muffins! At the center of these genius treats is a dollop of tangy jam, which bakes right along with them. In addition to the refreshing filling, sour cream contributes to a really moist crumb.

 

Strawberry Jam Muffins

 

2 cups (10 oz./315 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (6 oz./185 g) sugar

1 Tbs. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups (10 oz./315 g) sour cream

6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) (3 oz./90 g) unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup (5 oz./155 g) seedless strawberry jam

 

Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.

 

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, butter, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add the sour cream mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy.

 

Fill each prepared muffin cup about one-third full with batter. Drop a heaping 1 tsp. of jam into the center of each muffin cup, then cover with batter until level with the rim of the cup. Bake until the muffins are golden, dry and springy to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes.

 

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes, then turn the muffins out onto the rack and let cool for a few minutes more. Serve the muffins warm or at room temperature. Makes 12 muffins.

 

Change it up—muffin fillings: Any kind of jam will do in this recipe, not just strawberry. Try raspberry, apricot or even fig. Fruit jams complement the sweetness of the muffin batter, but you could also go crazy with bacon, caramelized onion or chile jam—but in those cases, we suggest omitting the vanilla.

 

Find more foolproof recipes for everyday baking in our cookbook, Bake Good Things.