Healthier Cherry Muffins

Did you know that sour cherries are a key ingredient in many authentic German desserts? If you’re looking to enjoy the delightful taste of these tangy fruits without diving into complicated baking, I’ve got the perfect recipe for you.

These muffins are a delightful option for lunch that your little ones will love, and you'll feel great knowing they’re not loaded with sugar. Packed with wholesome ingredients, they provide a satisfying treat without the guilt.

Yogurt & Sour Cherry Muffins

Where can I buy Sour Cherries?

Lidl and Aldi offer great cherries at low prices. Wegmans has them too, but higher priced. If cherries are unavailable, blueberries work as a sweet, colorful substitute.

Sour Cherries are used in many German desserts such as Black Forest, Donauwelle or Poppyseed Desserts.

Sour Cherry Muffin Recipe
If you’ve tried making these muffins, please leave a comment below! I’d love to hear about your experience. Did you make any tweaks to the recipe?

Ingredients

• 250 g all-purpose flour

• 125 g granulated sugar

• 125 g soft unsalted butter *

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 eggs

• 6 tbsp milk

• 1tsp vanilla extract

• 200g greek plain yogurt **

• 1 glass of sour cherries ***

• Additional Ingredients:

• Rum ( I enjoy incorporating a splash of rum into the batter for an added depth of flavor)

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with paper liners or lightly grease it. ****
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well combined.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a different bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth, then incorporate the eggs one at a time until fully blended. Finally, mix in the yogurt and vanilla extract.

4. Combine Mixtures:Add the flour and milk gradually, alternating between the two, gradually incorporating them until everything is blended well. Continue mixing until you achieve a smooth batter.

5. Fill Muffin Cups: Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
6. Add Cherries: Make sure your cherries are drained and check that no pits are left. Then, press 5-7 cherries into each muffin with your fingers. Push some deeper into the batter and place a few on top.

7. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
8. Cool: Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Serve: Enjoy these muffins warm or at room temperature. They can be stored in an airtight container.

Tip:

Feel free to dust with powder sugar before serving, but keep in mind because of the moisture of the yogurt and the cherries the sugar will melt easily so make sure you only do so before serving.

These muffins freeze exceptionally well. We love to prepare them in advance, as they provide an ideal solution when we don't have bread or quick meals on hand.

Notes:

*If you only have salted butter, simply omit the salt specified in the recipe. **I’ve also substituted vanilla whole milk yogurt; just be sure to eliminate the vanilla extract. Keep in mind that this will result in your muffins having a higher sugar content. ***If you can't find the specific cherries, regular cherries or blueberries work well too. When using cherries from a glass jar, ensure they have been sufficiently strained to remove excess liquid. ****Additionally, I've used a muffin pan that produces about six larger muffins.