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Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes |
Ready In: 45 Minutes Servings: 12 |
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We were very lucky to have once had a home with a cherry tree that produced an abundance of fresh baking cherries. I used to make these muffins a lot when I had fresh cherries on hand, and I kept bags of them in the freezer pre-measured for this recipe. These are not sweet eating cherries - these are baking cherries. The original recipe came from a flyer from the Cherry Marketing Institute. Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups frozen unsweetened tart red cherries, pitted,divided |
1/2 cup sweet unsalted butter |
1 cup sugar |
2 eggs |
1 teaspoon almond extract |
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract |
2 cups all-purpose flour |
2 teaspoons baking powder |
1/2 teaspoon salt |
1/2 cup half-and-half cream, whole milk or 1/2 cup light cream |
Directions:
1. While cherries are still frozen, cut them into halves, then set aside to thaw and drain in a mesh colander over a bowl.
2. Cream butter and sugar using an electric mixer.
3. Add eggs, almond extract, and vanilla and beat well.
4. Crush 1/2 cup of the thawed cherries with a fork; add the mashed cherries to the batter.
5. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
6. Fold half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture using a spatula; do not overmix.
7. Add half of the cream or milk, mixing just enough to combine.
8. Add remaining flour, then remaining milk; again avoid overmixing.
9. Fold in the remaining cherry halves.
10. Fill 12 paper-lined muffin tins with batter.
11. If desired, you may sprinkle the muffins with some extra sugar.
12. Bake in a preheated 375 F oven until golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
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