These almond and fresh apricot muffins are incredibly moist and fluffy. Golden brown muffins are baked to perfection and come with a lovely golden crumb and a soft and airy interior. The ‘’cherry’’ of this recipe is beautifully baked sugar apricots on top. Quick and easy recipe ready in 30 minutes.
Baked goods are often an easy way to enjoy something delicious for a quick afternoon snack or your morning coffee.
From plum torte, apple galettes to lemon muffins, these apricot muffins are sure to become your new favorite!
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Why You'll Love This
- Luscious apricot burst. These muffins are a celebration of fresh apricots, and refreshing orange flavor, infusing every bite with juicy, fruity goodness. The apricots add a delightful natural sweetness and a burst of flavor that's both refreshing and satisfying.
- Buttery almond goodness. These muffins feature almond flour and a hint of almond extract, providing a rich, nutty flavor that beautifully complements the apricots. The almond flour also adds a unique texture and wholesome protein, ensuring a delightful bite every time.
- One-bowl wonder. Everything is prepped in one bowl, minimizing cleanup hassles while maximizing flavor.
🛒Ingredients
- Fresh apricots - apricots provide a burst of fruity flavor to the muffins. If apricots are out of season or unavailable, you can use dried apricots. Alternatively, you can experiment with other fruits like peaches or nectarines for a similar stone fruit essence.
- Eggs - use large eggs to effectively bind the almond flour.
- Unsalted butter - butter adds richness and moisture to the muffins. If you prefer a dairy-free option, you can substitute it with plant-based butter or coconut oil.
- Granulated sugar - sugar provides sweetness to the muffins. You can substitute it with brown sugar for a slightly different flavor profile or use a sugar substitute if you're aiming for a lower-sugar option.
- Eggs - eggs act as a binding agent and contribute to the muffins' structure.
- All-purpose flour - this flour provides structure to the muffins. For a gluten-free option, you can use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- Almond flour - almond flour adds a nutty richness and contributes to the muffins' moisture.
- Baking powder - baking powder helps the muffins rise and become fluffy. Ensure it's fresh for the best results.
- Orange zest - orange zest adds a bright citrusy flavor to the muffins. You can replace it with lemon zest for a different citrus twist.
- Yogurt - just plain unsweetened yogurt (not greek as it is too thick) or sour cream. Yogurt provides moisture and a creamy texture. If you're dairy-free, you can use coconut yogurt or a dairy-free yogurt alternative.
- Almond extract - almond extract enhances the nutty flavor in the muffins. If you don't have it, you can omit it or use vanilla extract as a substitute.
- Granulated sugar or brown sugar - the sugar topping adds a sweet, slightly caramelized finish to the muffins. You can choose between granulated or brown sugar based on your preference.
🥣Instructions
Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C) and prepare a standard 12-cup muffin tin by lining it with muffin liners.
Next, halve the apricots and remove the seeds, setting them aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until they become smooth.
Gradually add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture becomes fluffy. Stir in the almond extract, yogurt, and orange zest.
Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt, being careful not to overmix to avoid dryness and stickiness in the muffins.
Now, evenly distribute the muffin batter among the 12 muffin cups, placing one apricot half on top of each.
Sprinkle a bit of granulated sugar on the top of each muffin.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, and check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into a muffin; it should come out clean when they're ready. Enjoy warm!
For the full list of ingredients, please scroll down to where you'll find the recipe card.
Flavor and Texture
These muffins have a very soft inside and crumbly exterior with a slight nutty flavor to them. These muffins are fluffy and moist and not dry.
⏲️ Recommended Equipment
- 12-cup Muffin Pan
- Muffin Liners
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Airtight Food containers
- Mixing Bowls
- Food Processor or Mixer
- Cooling Rack
📋Tips
- Mix cautiously. Don't over-mix the batter; it should be thick and perfect as is.
- You can also make mini muffins, halving the cooking time.
- Elevate your muffin experience by topping them with nut butter, ghee, or classic butter.
- Almond flour choice. It's important to use almond flour, not almond meal, for this recipe. Almond flour is finely ground and performs better.
- Watch for browning. Almond flour can brown quickly if the oven is too hot or if baked for too long.
- Mix-ins. Get creative with mix-ins like shredded carrots and raisins (sultanas), blueberries, chocolate chips, diced cherries, to personalize your muffins.
Storage Instructions
- 🍱To Store. Keep your muffins fresh by placing them in an airtight container at room temperature. They'll stay delicious for up to 3-4 days.
- 🥶Freezing. To extend their shelf life, consider freezing muffins for up to 3 months. Just remember to thaw them at room temperature before reheating using your preferred method mentioned above.
- 🔥To Reheat. You can reheat muffins in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
What Is Almond Flour?
There are two types: blanched almond flour, made from skinless almonds and ideal for baking, and almond meal, made from almonds with skins, which is coarser and less suited for baking.
In theory, you can use both of these here, but I highly recommend flour rather than almond meal as it will leave too gritty texture in these muffins.
You May Also Like
For all tasty treats, scroll through our Desserts archives.
🤷Frequently Asked Questions
No, you don’t need to peel them, just make sure to wash the apricots properly and pat dry.
To make muffins rise better, use fresh leavening agents, avoid overmixing the batter, and incorporate acidic ingredients like yogurt. Preheat the oven to the correct temperature, fill muffin cups appropriately, and don't open the oven door while baking to achieve a light and fluffy texture.
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📖Recipe
Super Moist Fresh Apricot Muffins
Ingredients
- 6 small apricots
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoon orange zest
- ⅓ cup plain unsweetened yogurt or sour cream
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar or brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C) and prepare a standard 12-cup muffin tin by lining it with muffin liners.
- Next, halve the apricots and remove the seeds, setting them aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until they become smooth.
- Gradually add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture becomes fluffy. Stir in the almond extract, yogurt, and orange zest.
- Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt, being careful not to overmix to avoid dryness and stickiness in the muffins.
- Now, evenly distribute the muffin batter among the 12 muffin cups, placing one apricot half on top of each.
- Sprinkle a bit of granulated sugar on the top of each muffin.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes, and check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into a muffin; it should come out clean when they're ready.
Video
Notes
- Flavor & Texture -These muffins have a very soft inside and crumbly exterior with a slight nutty flavor to them. These muffins are fluffy and moist and not dry.
- Mix cautiously. Don't over-mix the batter; it should be thick and perfect as is.
- You can also make mini muffins, halving the cooking time.
- Watch for browning. Almond flour can brown quickly if the oven is too hot or if baked for too long.
- To Store. Keep your muffins fresh by placing them in an airtight container at room temperature. They'll stay delicious for up to 3-4 days.
- To Freeze. To extend their shelf life, consider freezing muffins for up to 3 months. Just remember to thaw them at room temperature before reheating using your preferred method mentioned above.
- To Reheat. You can reheat muffins in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
Enjoy fluffy and moist muffins made with fresh apricots!