Decadent Cherry Muffins with Dark Chocolate and Browned Butter: The Ultimate Brunch Treat
Prepare to fall in love with these irresistible cherry muffins, bursting with the vibrant flavor of Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves, luxurious dark chocolate, and the comforting, nutty warmth of browned butter. This incredible combination is truly a match made in dessert heaven, making these muffins an absolutely perfect addition to your Easter brunch table or any special occasion!
My culinary journey recently led me to discover the magic of sweet cherry preserves, rich dark chocolate, and the profound depth that browned butter brings to baked goods. These cherry muffins are the delicious result of that discovery, an adventure into uncovering flavor combinations I never knew I was missing. It’s truly a revelation!
You might recall my chocolate and orange shortbread cookie revelation – a moment when classic flavors were reinvented into something extraordinary. We’re all familiar with timeless pairings like strawberry and chocolate, or the refreshing tang of lemon and blueberry, or the comforting harmony of vanilla and almond. But allow me to introduce you to a new, winning trio that will redefine your perception of deliciousness: cherry, dark chocolate, and browned butter. This combination elevates the humble muffin to an entirely new level of gourmet delight, making it a must-try for anyone seeking a fresh and exciting treat.
Hello, magnificent cherry muffin! It’s such a pleasure to finally meet you. I can already see your beautiful, tangy, fruity chunks peeking through, interspersed with those luxurious dark chocolate pieces. And the aroma! That distinct, nutty fragrance of browned butter fills the air, promising an unparalleled experience. I simply must get to know you better, one delicious bite at a time. This recipe is designed to bring joy and incredible flavor to your kitchen, making it a perfect activity for bakers of all skill levels.
Let’s start our journey to baking perfection at the very beginning.
Crafting Your Decadent Cherry and Dark Chocolate Muffins: A Step-by-Step Guide
The journey to these delightful muffins begins with a foundational step that might sound a little fancy, but is actually incredibly simple and utterly transformative: making browned butter. If you’ve never attempted it before, it might seem intimidating, but I assure you, it’s remarkably easy and infuses an unparalleled depth of flavor into almost anything you bake or cook with it. Browned butter, also known as beurre noisette, adds a complex, nutty, and slightly caramelized note that elevates these muffins from good to truly exceptional.
To brown butter, all you need to do is melt butter over medium heat in a light-colored pan (a light pan helps you monitor the color change). Swirl it gently as it melts and begins to foam. Initially, it will bubble vigorously, but keep a watchful eye. As the milk solids begin to separate and toast, the color will transition from a pale yellow to a beautiful amber, and a wonderful nutty aroma will fill your kitchen. The key is to remove it from the heat as soon as it reaches this rich amber hue and emits that distinctive nutty scent, preventing it from burning. Voila! You’ve successfully made browned butter, adding an instant gourmet touch to your baking. Allow it to cool slightly before incorporating it into your batter to prevent cooking the eggs.
Next, gather your dry ingredients: flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of kosher salt. Combine them thoroughly in one large bowl with a whisk, ensuring they are well-mixed and aerated. This step is crucial for an even rise and texture in your muffins. In a separate bowl, whisk together your wet ingredients: whole milk plain yogurt, the cooled browned butter, large eggs, and vanilla extract. The yogurt adds moisture and tenderness, creating a soft crumb that contrasts beautifully with the slight chewiness of the muffin tops.
Now comes the delicate part: combining the wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix them gently and minimally, only until they are just combined. It’s absolutely vital not to overmix muffin batter. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour too much, which leads to a tough, chewy, and less tender crumb – a texture nobody desires in a light and fluffy muffin. A few lumps are perfectly acceptable and even preferred; they indicate a properly mixed batter.
Once your batter is just coming together, fold in the dark chocolate chips. The rich, bittersweet notes of dark chocolate perfectly complement the sweet and tangy cherries. Then, carefully scoop the batter into your prepared muffin liners, filling each cup about three-quarters of the way full. And now, for my absolute favorite part – the secret ingredient that truly makes these muffins sing: take a generous, heaping teaspoon of Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves and swirl it directly into the center of the batter in each muffin cup. This creates pockets of concentrated cherry flavor that burst with every bite, adding a delightful surprise and an extra layer of fruitiness.
Beyond the incredibly delicious and unique flavor combination of sweet cherries and decadent dark chocolate, one of the things I love most about making these muffins is the star ingredient: Bonne Maman preserves. Our family has been long-time fans of Bonne Maman products, and for good reason. Their commitment to homemade taste, achieved through high-quality, recognizable ingredients, instantly makes you fall in love with them. The rich fruit flavor and perfect consistency of their cherry preserves are simply unmatched, and they truly shine in this muffin recipe, providing that authentic, robust cherry note that is so essential.
Once your batter is evenly divided among the muffin cups and you’ve, perhaps, discreetly licked your fingers clean of any delightful cherry preserve mess (it’s perfectly acceptable, I do it too – no regrets!), it’s time for baking. This recipe utilizes a clever two-stage baking technique to ensure the best possible results: perfectly domed, golden-brown muffin tops with a tender interior.
First, you’ll bake the muffins at a high temperature of 425°F (220°C) for an initial 8 minutes. This initial burst of high heat creates a rapid rise, causing the muffins to puff up beautifully and form that desirable bakery-style dome on top. After this initial bake, without opening the oven door, immediately lower the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for another 12-15 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This lower temperature allows the muffins to cook through gently without over-browning or drying out. This technique is a game-changer for achieving those irresistible, beautifully domed muffin tops.
Allow the muffins to cool slightly in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, comes the fun part: topping them! The natural choice, and one I highly recommend, is a generous dollop of freshly whipped cream. The light, airy cream provides a wonderful textural contrast and subtle richness. And, as you might have guessed, why stop there? A final flourish of extra cherry preserves swirled on top of the whipped cream adds another layer of tangy sweetness and a vibrant visual appeal. Because when it comes to these muffins, more cherry is always a good idea!
These muffins are wonderfully tangy from the cherries, beautifully sweet, and incredibly good. But they’re not just delicious; they’re also strikingly pretty, making them a fantastic centerpiece for any breakfast or brunch spread. Their rustic charm combined with their elegant flavor profile is truly captivating.
One of the many benefits of this recipe is its generous yield! You’ll get approximately 16-18 muffins, depending on how you scoop the batter. This makes them absolutely perfect for sharing. Whether you’re bringing a thoughtful homemade gift to a friend’s house, preparing a lavish Easter brunch, or simply stocking your own kitchen with delightful treats for the week, these muffins are an ideal choice. They’re substantial enough to satisfy, yet light enough to enjoy more than one.
I know for a fact that I definitely could not turn one of these glorious creations down. Each bite is a symphony of flavors and textures – the tartness of the cherry, the richness of the dark chocolate, and the subtle, nutty undertone of browned butter, all enveloped in a moist, tender muffin crumb. They’re not just food; they’re an experience.
This post was sponsored by Bonne Maman, yet all opinions expressed are my honest own! I only recommend products I genuinely love and use in my own kitchen.
Cherry Muffins with Dark Chocolate and Browned Butter
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Ingredients
- ⅔ cup butter
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk plain yogurt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup or more Bonne Maman cherry preserves plus more for garnish
- Whipped cream for garnish
Instructions
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Prepare a muffin tin with liners and preheat your oven to 425° Fahrenheit (220°C). This high initial temperature is key for creating those beautiful domed muffin tops.
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**Make the browned butter:** In a small, light-colored saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. The butter will foam and bubble as it cooks. Swirl the pan occasionally and watch closely. The butter will gradually change from a pale yellow to a deeper golden, then to an amber color, and tiny brown bits will form at the bottom. As soon as it starts to smell distinctly nutty and takes on an amber-brown hue, remove it immediately from the heat to prevent burning. Pour it into a heat-proof bowl and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
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In a medium-sized bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of kosher salt. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly to ensure they are well-mixed and no lumps remain, then set the bowl aside.
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In another separate bowl, whisk together the whole milk plain yogurt, the slightly cooled browned butter, large eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. This combination forms the rich and moist base for your muffins. Once combined, pour this wet mixture into the bowl with your dry ingredients.
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Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together using a spatula or spoon. Mix only until they are just evenly combined and no streaks of dry flour remain. Be careful not to overmix the batter, as this can lead to tough muffins. A few small lumps are perfectly fine. After the batter is mostly combined, pour in the dark chocolate chips and lightly mix again, just enough to distribute them.
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Scoop the muffin batter into the prepared muffin liners, filling each cup about ¾ of the way full. Then, take a heaping ½ teaspoon of Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves and swirl it gently into the center of the batter in each muffin cup using a toothpick or a small knife. Bake the muffins at 425°F (220°C) for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for another 12-15 minutes, or until the muffins are beautifully golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Allow the muffins to cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. For an extra special treat, serve them warm and top with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and an additional swirl of cherry preserves. Enjoy your homemade, gourmet cherry muffins!
Notes
**Substitutions:** If you prefer, you can substitute the dairy butter for a plant-based margarine or another dairy-free butter alternative to make these muffins suitable for those with dairy sensitivities. The texture and flavor might vary slightly, but they will still be delicious.
**Flavor Variations:** Feel free to experiment with other Bonne Maman preserves if cherry isn’t your favorite, such as raspberry or blackberry. You could also try different types of chocolate, like milk chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate, though dark chocolate offers the best contrast.
**Tips for Success:** Ensure your eggs and yogurt are at room temperature for a smoother, more emulsified batter. Avoid filling muffin cups more than ¾ full to prevent overflow and ensure beautiful domes.