Bakery Style Peach Muffins with Streusel

Peach muffins are a classic breakfast treat that are filled with chunks of fresh sweet peaches and then topped with toasted almonds and a simple streusel. Baking at two different temperatures creates a classic bakery style muffin that is perfect for breakfast, brunch or an afternoon pick-me-up.

Summer means lazy mornings with family and friends and sometimes even some alone time with a hot beverage. A simple, not too sweet muffin recipe, is always great to have for those occasions.

Fresh or frozen peaches add some natural sweetness, along with a little brown sugar, for a perfectly moist and soft muffin that will melt in your mouth.

You only need a couple of peaches for these peach muffins, unlike when you’re making a peach cobbler, and if it’s past peach season, you can use frozen in this recipe.

Chunks of peaches are surrounding by an incredibly soft batter with hints of warm spices and then topped with toasted almonds before the streusel is added.

You’ll love the brown sugar streusel that adds just a bit of crunch and sweetness. The streusel makes these into a peach cobbler muffin. You can easily leave it off but everyone loves a streusel topped muffin.

Best of all, these muffins are so quick and simple to make. The batter comes together in about 15 minutes, and then just 20 minutes to bake and you have warm scrumptious muffins.

They’re full of peach flavor, and the buttermilk gives them an amazing tender texture. They’re wonderful to enjoy any time of day, whether for breakfast, brunch, or as an afternoon treat. 

Peach streusel muffins are also a fantastic addition to a brunch spread. Try serving them alongside an omelet or quiche with caramelized onions, and perfectly crispy bacon. Or, give them a try as a dessert and pair them with homemade whipped cream, for a peach cobbler like treat. It’s hard to beat a classic blueberry muffin or a pumpkin cream cheese muffin, but try adding some peaches next time.

I never get tired of peach recipes, and I’m lucky enough to live close to peach orchards so I have plenty to experiment with. Whether it’s a peach cobbler cake, Peach pancakes, peach coffee cake or peach dumplings, this is my favorite fruit to bake with.

How do you get bakery style muffins?

The trick to tall bakery style muffins is to start them off in a hot oven and then after five minutes reduce the heat. The high temperature causes the baking powder to react quickly giving you that beautiful muffin shape. This baking method will work for any type of muffin.

How do I avoid dry muffins? 

The main culprits of dry muffins are over-mixing the batter and over-cooking the muffins. When you combine the wet and dry ingredients, only mix them enough the barely combine everything together. Use a rubber spatula and fold the ingredients together. 

Avoid using a wooden spoon or a whisk. When you bake the muffins, check them a few minutes before you think they’ll be ready. Ovens can vary, and some ovens get much hotter or stay colder than their set temperature. Check your muffins a little early, and you might find that they’re already cooked through. 

Remove the muffins from the muffin tin after just a couple of minutes. They will continue to cook in the muffin tin and become dry.

Can I make peach muffins ahead of time?

These muffins are great to make ahead of time to share at brunch or enjoy as a snack. They are wonderful warm or at room temperature with a cup of tea or coffee. They can also be frozen and thawed to enjoy whenever a craving for a muffin strikes you. 

Why You’ll Love Peach Streusel Muffins

•  Quick and Easy: It takes very little time to make this recipe, and you’ll be rewarded with a tender, fluffy bakery style muffin with lots of peach flavor. 
• A flavorful treat: Juicy peaches, warm spices, and a crunchy streusel topping make these muffins amazing. 
• They’re super versatile: Enjoy them for breakfast, as a snack, or even as a dessert with a dollop of whipped cream.

Peach Muffins Recipe Ingredients

• Peaches – There’s nothing like a fresh peach during the summertime, and they’re my first choice to use in these muffins. But, sometimes you want to make these muffins when there aren’t any fresh peaches available. Frozen peaches make a fine substitute. Just thaw and drain thoroughly before adding to the batter.

• Buttermilk – Buttermilk is one of the best ingredients to put into baked goods. It adds amazing flavor, keeps things moist and tender, and reacts with baking soda to provide lift and airiness to muffins, cakes, and biscuits. If you don’t have buttermilk, this guide on how to make your own is really helpful. 

• Brown Sugar – The combination of brown sugar and peaches is simply amazing. Dark or light brown sugar would work here. If you don’t have brown sugar, you can use white sugar, but the final flavor and texture may be slightly different. 

• Spices – Ginger and cinnamon taste so good with the peaches and the streusel topping, and I really recommend putting both of them into the batter. You can also experiment with other spices – I think nutmeg would be a great addition. 

• Almonds – Almonds bring a delightful nutty crunch to the streusel topping.
  
• Pantry Staples – Flour, salt, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and butter.

How To Make Amazing Peach Muffins

Step 1: Make the streusel topping. 

In a bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, and whisk to combine. Then, add cubed cold butter and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into pea-sized pieces. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

Step 2: Mix the dry and wet ingredients. 

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. 

Step 3: Mix the batter. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir together, taking care not to overmix. This is a very thick batter. Finally, fold in the peach chunks until mixed throughout the batter evenly.

Step 4: Bake.

Scoop the batter into a lined muffin pan. Top each muffin with toasted almonds and cover with the streusel topping.

Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. For bakery style muffins, start the muffins in a hot oven and then reduce the temperature after 5 minutes.

Tips for Making Bakery Style Muffins

• Be gentle when folding in the peaches to avoid crushing them and to ensure even distribution throughout the batter.
• Don’t overmix the batter – stir just until the ingredients are combined to avoid a dense texture.
• If you don’t have toasted almonds on hand, it’s easy to toast your own slivered or sliced almonds. Place the almonds in a pan in the oven for about 3-5 minutes at 350º or place in a dry skillet over medium heat and stir until they are slightly brown.
• Don’t leave the muffins in the pan. Let them cool slightly and then remove. If they stay in the pan they will continue to cook.

Can I substitute oil with butter in this muffin recipe?

This recipe was developed to use oil, which creates a light and fluffy texture. You can use melted butter but the muffins will be flatter. Generally muffins made with butter will have a richer taste but since there is butter in the streusel, you still get that rich flavor along with a light and fluffy muffin.

Muffin FAQs

Can I make mini peach muffins instead of regular-sized ones?

Mini peach muffins would be perfect as a snack or for sharing at brunch. This recipe makes 12 regular muffins and will make between 30 to 40 mini muffins. Adjust the baking time and keep an eye on them as they bake to ensure they don’t overcook. 

Can I add a streusel topping without nuts?

Yes, the nuts are extra. They are still delicious with just the streusel on top.

Do you need to peel the peaches?

Yes, it is better to peel them first. Otherwise the peels will come off in the muffins and you’ll get bites of the peach skin.

More Scrumptious Muffin Recipes to Love

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