Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins stuffed with fresh, juicy berries and white chocolate chips will be your new favorite breakfast. Topped with crunchy almonds and coarse sugar, they are perfect anytime you’re craving a sweet treat.

 

This is the best time of year to take advantage of the fresh berries that are showing up at farmers’ markets. It doesn’t matter if it’s blueberries, strawberries, blackberries or raspberries, I always use extra in-season produce as an excuse to experiment in the kitchen. If you’ve got all of the above, then make a mixed berry muffin, but if you’re craving raspberries, then you’ve got to give these a try.

Raspberry white chocolate muffins are sweet, buttery muffins that are simply irresistible. Their fluffy interior has the perfect ratio of juicy raspberries and white chocolate chips. Buttermilk adds moisture and crushed raspberries create a pretty pink batter.

This delicious raspberry muffin recipe is great for an early office meeting, make them the night before and they’ll still be moist the next day. They’re also a perfect muffin to serve for brunch or to have on hand for a mid morning snack. Not in the mood for a muffin, then try a raspberry ricotta cake.

The best muffins have some crunch and these are no exception. Rich white chocolate in each bite along with sliced almonds and raw sugar sprinkled over the top before baking adds contrast to the extra soft insides.

Served with a generous slather of honey butter, no one can resist these bakery-style white chocolate muffins. As an added benefit, they make the house smell amazing!

Muffins are always a hit for breakfast and brunch. Here are a few favorites for when you’re craving something sweet:

What is the secret to soft and moist muffins?

I like muffins with crunchy tops, moist interiors and a good amount of add-ins for texture and flavor. For the most tender muffins, mix the batter until just combined. If you over-mix, they’ll be tough and may not rise as much. 

Don’t over bake them either, as this will only dry them out and make the tops too brown. For best results bake them at a high temperature to begin with and then lower the temperature. This gives them a nice lift and light texture, just like bakery-style muffins.

The muffins are done when a toothpick or skewer comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.

Why you’ll love them

• Lots of berries in every bite make these fluffy muffins extra-moist. 
• The tops are sweet and crunchy with sliced almonds and coarse sugar.
• Chunks of white chocolate along with sweet raspberries are the best
• Serve them warm with a generous slather of honey butter.
• Pop leftovers in the freezer for fresh muffins anytime.

When are raspberries in season?

Raspberries are in peak season from June through August. In the US they grow mostly in California, Oregon and Washington because they like a cooler climate. Sadly, we don’t see many raspberries in the South, it’s just too hot.

Raspberries do not ripen once they’ve been picked, so when choosing raspberries look for ones that are firm and not mushy.

What you’ll need for white chocolate muffins

Raspberries – if you can’t find fresh, you can substitute frozen raspberries.

White chocolate chips – if you want to make these decadent, you could chop up a white chocolate bar. Whatever you do, don’t use almond bark, it’s not white chocolate and will not taste good in these muffins.

Flour – you’ll need almond flour and all purpose flour. Almond flour adds a great flavor to the muffins.

Buttermilk – use store-bought or if you’re out, make your own by placing a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a 1 cup measuring cup and filling it with milk. 

Butter – melted butter is used in the muffins instead of vegetable oil which gives them a rich buttery flavor. More butter is mixed with honey for a honey butter spread that is scrumptious but optional.

Honey – for the muffin batter and for making honey butter.

Almonds – use sliced almonds for the topping.

Demerara sugar – this raw, coarse sugar has a crunchy texture and helps if your raspberries are a little tart.

Pantry staples – eggs, butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder and salt.

How to make raspberry white chocolate muffins

Step 1:

Start by heating your oven to 425°. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or place paper muffin liners in the tins.

Step 2:

Whisk the wet ingredients – melted butter, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and honey – in a large mixing bowl.

Step 3:

In a separate bowl whisk the dry ingredients – flour, almond flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.

Step 4:

Using the back of a spoon, mash 1 cup of fresh raspberries in a small bowl. Fold the berries and white chocolate chips into the muffin batter.

Step 5:

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin tins. Press fresh whole raspberries into the tops of the batter. Then sprinkle the top of each muffin with the sliced almonds and demerara sugar if desired.

Step 6:

Bake for 5 minutes at 425°. Then, without opening the oven, turn the temperature down to 350° and bake an additional 20 minutes. Once the tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, the muffins are done.

Step 7:

To make the honey butter, combine softened butter with honey and salt. Spread on the warm muffins.

Pro tip: If you substitute frozen raspberries for fresh, it’s up to you if you want to thaw them before baking. If you add them while they are frozen, they won’t bleed into the batter. If you want the muffins to be a pretty pink color, thaw one cup of raspberries before adding to the other ingredients. The ones pressed into the top can be used frozen since they will hold their shape better that way.

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