Muffin Mondays | Strawberry Buttermilk Muffins

Can we talk about nutmeg and springtime? I know nutmeg is more of a cozy winter kind of spice but I love nutmeg year round. The flavor of freshly ground nutmeg is magical.  It gives sweets that extra wow flavor. You know that extra special something that makes people stop and wonder what that yumminess is. I love adding freshly grated nutmeg to French toast batter or in cheesecake crust. Combining my love of nutmeg and beautiful early spring strawberries I bring you Strawberry Buttermilk Muffins for this Muffin Monday.  The batter is super easy to whip up. The buttermilk gives the muffins moistness and a nice tang that compliments the juicy strawberries. I coat the muffin pan with a nutmeg cinnamon sugar mix and then top the muffins with more nutmeg sugar sweetness creating a nice spiced sugar crust. One bite of these muffins and I’m sure you will become a nutmeg lover like me.

Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week.

Strawberry Buttermilk Muffins

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1/4 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg, divided

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cups (1 stick) butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

1 cup 1 tbsp buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh strawberries diced

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a muffin pan. Combine 1/4 cup sugar with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg; liberally sprinkle muffin tins with sugar mixture. Save remaining mixture for topping muffins.

Sift 2 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg together in a large bowl.

Add butter to flour mixture and cut in with a pastry knives. Stop mixing when butter pieces are pea-sized and smaller.

Whisk buttermilk, eggs and vanilla together in a small bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture stirring just until combined. The batter will be lumpy.

Toss chopped strawberries with remaining 1/4 cup flour and gently fold into batter. Fill muffin tins to the top and sprinkle with a generous amount of remaining sugar mixture.

Bake 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when lightly pressed in the center and/or a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

adapted from Driscoll’s