Cherry Almond Muffins

So a couple weeks ago I need a girls weekend...like BAD.  So I went to see my friend Maryann (The Cookie Artisan) because she only lives like 3 hours away from me....and the drive to her house is like 75MPH the whole way so....sweet-borrowing-my-hubs-fast-car-action.  Anyway, while we were there she, being a perfect hostess of course (would you expect less?), made us blueberry muffins for breakfast.  Ok, so I usually hate blueberry muffins...the blueberries are always gritty and I dunno...but I was hungry.  So I ate one....then two....then stuck a couple into my suitcase...

Basically I was a blueberry muffin converter....

After I got home however and ran through my stash I needed more muffins....and I needed them BAD.  They were just so soft and moist and fluffy...and juicy...and sweet and perfect...and comforting....

Yes I AM talking about muffins still....

So I called my BF Google and asked him to make me some fluffy muffins, preferably in bed with some hot tea.  He said he was a little busy at the moment but found a recipe I could use.  My BF Google is a bit of a deadbeat boyfriend sometimes...but ya know...He looks good on those national holidays...and he always has the answers to all my weird nerd questions....he helps me cheat at trivial pursuit via the phone under the coffee table....and always knows the best places to find waffles...so I guess I'll keep him.

Anyway, he lead me to Sally's Baking Addiction.  Apparently she uses a "Master Recipe" which I think is super cool and convenient...So I made blueberry muffins per her directions exactly and, tho they were very tasty, they weren't exactly what I was looking for so I adapted it a little bit.  Then started experimenting...and well ya know...

Cherry Almond Muffins
adapted from this recipe
Makes 12 regular muffins

3 c flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c sugar
1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 c dried cherries
slivered almonds
sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.  Then whisk your eggs and sugar together till pale and thick.  Skip your upper body workout for the day....this will do it because you will be whisking for about a good 2 minutes.  Arms....so....tired....tea.....second wind....moving on....

To your egg mixture, add milk, sour cream, oil, and extracts.  Whisk until blended.

Make a well in your dry ingredients.  Ten add your liquid.  I like to use a silicone spatula for this.  Gently fold and kinda stir your wet and dry ingredients together....when you think it's almost there, add your cherries.  A couple more folds or rotations should do the trick.  This should not be smooth.  It should be quite thick and lumpy.

Place your paper liners in your muffin tin.  I use a cookie scoop and start portioning the batter out evenly between the 12 cups.  This will make EXACTLY 12 muffins.  Fill the batter to the very top.  These will rise up and make really pretty muffins.  I think it's the baking powder.  I know it seems like a lot but it works.  I think that Sally is on to something....crafty Sally...

This is where you go nuts with the sugar.  Coarse sanding sugar is super pretty...oooo sparkles!!  so just go bananas on them.  The tops will become your favorite part...in fact my daughter leaves a trail of muffin bottoms around the house...all decapitated and gruesome...I wont go on for fear of offending the sensitive nature of my readers...

I mean muffin massacre....cherries and crumbs EVERWHERE!  The HORROR of it all!

Then sprinkle with some slivered almonds and pop them in the oven...middle rack.

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes...until the edges are just getting golden.

Let them cool in the pan for a little bit....not for any particular reason except to avoid being scalded by a molten hot cherry....I mean I'm assuming that would happen.... not that it would happen to me....of course....

Then you could remove them gently and place them on a pretty cake plate under a dome...decorate your counter top....or you can just dump them in a muffin basket like they do all slow motion on the commercials....tho I tried that once and it wasn't near as pretty and cool as it was on TV....

Nothing ever is....

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.  These have taken the place of the usual blueberry muffin in this house and they can be made all season long!

I haven't tried them with fresh cherries but if one of you do tell me how it goes m-kay??