These muffins are quick to make, incredibly moist, and a delicious change from the standard blueberry muffin. The yogurt is a fantastic addition and not to be omitted (though I don’t see a problem with substituting it for dairy-free coconut or soy yogurt if you prefer). The same goes with substituting the melted butter with a non-dairy solid fat like coconut oil or baking margarine.

I’d imagine these would be even better with almond extract instead of the vanilla, and a few flakes of slivered almonds on top of each muffin, if you like that sort of thing. I decided to forego the slivered almonds and instead pop a whole cherry on the top of each muffin just before they went into the oven. Apparently I like the angry butthole look, go me. But(t) they were super delicious, so truust me…I’m a doctor baker.

Cherry Yogurt Muffins

YIELD: 14 muffins | PREP: 10 mins | BAKE: 15 mins

• 2 cups/250g AP flour
• 1 tsp/5g baking powder
• 1 tsp/5g baking soda
• ½  tsp/3g salt
• ¾ cup/140g granulated sugar (can sub with vanilla sugar if desired)
• 1 cup/245g plain full-fat yogurt
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• ¼  cup/57g unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp/5g nutmeg
• ½  tsp/2.5mL almond extract (optional)
• 1 cup/155g frozen or fresh cherries, plus one extra cherry for decorating tops of each muffin
• ¼  cup/27g slivered almonds for decorating muffin tops (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375° F/190°C and place racks in middle of oven. Prepare one 12-cup standard muffin tins and a 6-cup muffin tin (or 1 24-cup muffin tin) with paper muffin liners, or spray with non-stick baking spray.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a second, larger bowl, combine the sugar, yogurt, eggs, melted butter or oil, nutmeg and almond extract, and whisk until thoroughly combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix JUST until barely combined. Do not overmix.
5. Gently fold in cherries (no need to defrost, just make sure cherries are not sticking together), reserving the extra cherries for decorating the tops. Using a large ice cream scoop (best) or a large spoon, spoon batter into muffin liners up to two-thirds full. Decorate tops with extra cherries and almond slivers if desired.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, rotating pans halfway through bake time. Check for doneness with a toothpick or cake tester, then remove from oven onto cooling racks. If using muffin liners, you can remove the muffins from the tin right away to cool on racks; otherwise, wait five minutes before lifting out.

Store muffins in a sealed container or ziploc bag for up to four days.