Coffeecake Muffins

I am a sucker for a good crumb topping – put it on anything and I’ll enjoy it (well, maybe not everything).  These ingenious muffins – not only have the perfect crumb topping – it is also mixed throughout the batter.  Why did I not think of this myself?   Making these also reminded me that I haven’t made my favorite coffee cake recipe in forever – so I really need to get on that stat! 

The other thing that I loved about these is that they are entirely made in the food processor.  You first make the crumb topping and then the rest of the batter – no dirtying both the food processor and mixer.  And less dirty dishes is definitely a win-win in my book. 

So grab your morning (afternoon or evening) cup of coffee and enjoy these muffins.  I know I sure did.  

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces and softened
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
2. Process nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon in food processor until nuts are the size of sesame seeds, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to medium bowl and set aside.
3. Return bowl and metal blade to food processor, add flour, granulated sugar, and salt and process until combined, about five 1-second pulses.
4. Sprinkle butter evenly over flour mixture and process until butter is oat-sized, about eight 1-second pulses.  Remove 1 cup of the flour-butter mixture and stir with fork into reserved brown sugar mixture until combined to make streusel.
5. Set aside 3/4 cup of streusel for muffin batter and remaining portion for topping muffins.
6. Add baking powder and baking soda to remaining flour mixture in food processor bowl and process until combined, about five 1-second pulses.
7. Whisk together sour cream, egg, and vanilla; add to flour mixture. Process until batter is just moistened, about five 1-second pulses.
8. Add 3/4 cup reserved streusel to flour mixture and process until just distributed throughout batter, about five 1-second pulses.
9. Divide batter among 12 muffin cups and sprinkle with streusel, pressing lightly so that streusel sinks slightly into batter.
10. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out with several crumbs clinging to it, about 18 minutes, rotating pan from front to back halfway through baking time. Cool muffin tin on wire rack for 2 minutes, then remove and cool on wire rack until ready to serve.
Source: Cook’s Illustrated as seen on Amber’s Delectable Delights
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