White Chocolate Raspberry Muffins
I adore muffins. I like to think of them as cupcakes’ healthier sibling. Friendly, approachable, (mostly) guilt-free. Strike that. Always guilt-free. Friendly reminder that you only live once, so eat what you want my beautiful baking souls.
Muffins are one of those snacks that I genuinely think are best when they’re homemade. More than once, I’ve gone to a bakery, coffee shop or grocery store and strolled by these gorgeous little treats. Those sprinkled-with-turbinado sugar tops. Colorful bursts of juicy fruits. Crisp streusel toppings. Then I see the calorie count. And those calories are OUT THE WAZOO.
Muffins are super simple to make at home and they’re so worth it. You can control your portion size (unlike those massive store-bought muffins), plus you can monitor what additives go into your food. Don’t worry, these homemade muffins are still absolutely delicious.
This recipe uses one of my all time favorite flavor combos — white chocolate raspberry. I first tried a white chocolate raspberry dessert last year. Silly me was skeptical, but then one bite and (cue over dramatic Anna-Nicole) I was in baked goods heaven. White chocolate raspberry is quite literally heavenly. To let this flavor combo shine, I use less sugar in the batter compared to other muffin recipes. The lovely juicy raspberries and rich white chocolate are the ingredient spotlights here. But don’t get me wrong, that moist tender crumb is pretty awesome too.
Making the Muffin
Not overmixing — Overmixing can cause the muffin to turn dense because you’ve overdeveloped the gluten in the flour. And no one likes a dense muffin when the alternative is a light and fluffy one. Always choose the latter as far as muffins are concerned.
Less sugar –– There’s a lot of natural sweetness from the raspberries and also from the white chocolate chips. I wanted to let those flavors shine through, but at the same time I didn’t want the muffin to be overly sweet. If you want to up the sugar intake try using ½ cup instead.
Oil AND Butter –– Oil makes the muffin moist. Butter adds flavor. I often have the dilemma of trying to maximize flavor in a recipe while still preserving moistness and a light texture. Butter vs. oil? Then I realize: ¿por qué no los dos? Using both is key to a superb muffin.