Soft, tender and full of fresh peaches, these easy peach muffins bake up with domed, bakery-style tops. Perfect for a summer breakfast, brunch or an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee.
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Why I Love These Peach Muffins
These peach muffins with fresh peaches are one of my favorite summer recipes because they are quick, simple and full of juicy peach flavor. There is no mixer needed, just two bowls, a whisk and a few stirs.
Starting the muffins at a higher oven temperature and then lowering the heat helps them rise beautifully. The recipe also makes a small batch of eight, which is perfect when you don’t want muffins sitting around all week.Â
The brown sugar crumble is optional, but I think it makes them even better, just like it does on my banana crumb muffins and lemon muffins with a crumb topping.
Recipe Ingredients
- Pastry or cake flour: This gives the easy peach muffins a softer, more tender crumb than regular all-purpose flour.
- Cinnamon: Adds a hint of warm fall spice that pairs beautifully with the sweet, fresh peaches.
- Granulated and brown sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness, while brown sugar brings extra moisture and a light caramel flavor.
- Oil: Vegetable oil keeps the muffins soft and moist. Melted butter can be used instead for a richer flavor.
- Egg and egg yolk: The extra yolk adds richness and helps give the muffins their tender texture. Bring to room temperature so they mix in evenly with the batter.Â
- Fresh peaches: Use about 2-3 ripe but still firm yellow peaches so they hold their shape while baking. You can peel them or leave the skin on.
- Brown sugar crumble: The topping is optional, but the buttery crumble and chopped nuts add extra texture and flavor.
How to Make Fresh Peach Muffins
Start by whisking the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the sugars, oil, egg and egg yolk with a whisk or fork until well combined. No mixer needed!
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined, about 14 or 15 stirs. Count them if you have to, because overmixing is what makes muffins tough and dense. The batter will be thick and a little lumpy, and that is exactly how it should be.
Gently fold in the chopped peaches, then spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the brown sugar crumble over the tops now, if you are using it.
Bake until golden. That first blast of heat helps the muffins rise tall instead of baking flat. Check them with a toothpick, then let them cool in the pan for a bit before moving them to a wire rack.
Tips for Perfectly Fluffy Peach Muffins
- Cake or pastry flour makes a difference. It has less protein than all purpose flour, which is what gives these muffins their soft, tender crumb. If you don’t have it, swap 2 tablespoons of each cup of all purpose flour for cornstarch and sift well.
- The batter is supposed to be thick. Lumps are okay, so don’t stir them out. If it seems extremely thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk, no more.
- Chop the peaches small. Pieces around half an inch fold in evenly, and because the batter is so thick there’s no need to toss them with flour to keep them from sinking.
- Don’t over bake. Start checking with a toothpick at the 12 minute mark after lowering the heat. If it comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached, they’re done.
Variations
These muffins are easy to change up, and if you love playing with mix-ins my homemade basic muffin recipe is made for that.
- Try other stone fruit. Nectarines work perfectly since they don’t even need peeling, and plums or apricots are delicious too. Keep the total at 1 cup of chopped fruit.
- Add vanilla. Stir a teaspoon of vanilla extract into the wet ingredients for a little extra warmth.
- Or almond extract. Almond flavor and peach are made for each other. Use just ¼ to ½ teaspoon, a little goes a long way.
- Make smaller muffins. Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups instead of 8 for a smaller size. They’ll bake a little quicker, so start checking a few minutes early.
These Peach Muffins are soft, tender, and filled with juicy peaches in every bite, making them perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack. They’re easy to make and a wonderful way to enjoy fresh summer peaches, but just as delicious any time of year. Serve them warm with a little butter or enjoy them as they are for a simple homemade treat everyone will love.
- 1½ cups pastry/cake flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 10 tablespoons oil (vegetable or melted butter)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1 cup chopped peaches
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Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C), grease and flour or line muffin tin with paper liners (this recipe makes 8 muffins).
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Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
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Beat the sugars, oil, egg and egg yolk together in a separate bowl. Add to the flour mixture and stir just until combined (about 14 or 15 stirs). Fold in chopped peaches.
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Spoon muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 5 minutes then lower the heat to 350F (180C), continue to bake for approximately 12-15 minutes, check for doneness with a toothpick. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes in the pan then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Crumble topping (optional)
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar (55g)
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped nuts
In a small bowl combine the sugar and flour cut in the butter until the mixture resembles large crumbs, then stir in the nuts. Top the muffins before baking.
How to Store: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
They can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, but I find that tends to dry them out. To freshen them up, pop a muffin in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds.
For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature.Â
Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 128IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg | Phosphorus: 48mg
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