I used to make muffins at least once a week, but that hasn’t happened in years. Now when I make muffins, it’s usually a big batch baking day that I use to stock the freezer. I think muffins are probably one of my favorite things to have in the freezer too, because they are perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast, to toss into lunch boxes, for an after school snack, and even as a dessert in a pinch.
These Sour Cream & Jam Muffins are a special treat because they’re just slightly richer than ordinary muffins. They almost taste like bite-sized coffee cakes, without all of the extra work. That’s a big plus in my book! Oh, and they also go great with a cup of coffee!
Speaking of coffee, I’m going to go off script for a minute here. We are big (HUGE) coffee drinkers in this house. Between the two of us, Eric and I go through at least 20 cups of coffee a day. I know…that’s a lot of coffee! For a few years, we were big fans of our Keurig because we loved the convenience of on-demand coffee. We definitely felt spoiled with every cup we drank. But it slowly started to dawn on us just how much this habit was actually costing us. Eric sat down one day and did the math.
Needless to say, within a day or two, we made the switch back to a regular coffee pot. Only since we were now completely spoiled with the on-demand, fresh coffee aspect, we also bought an awesome carafe to keep up this habit. We bought the Thermos 34-oz Stainless Steel Carafe and it is honestly amazing! It holds about 8 cups of coffee and it literally keeps coffee hot and fresh-tasting for hours and hours. We’ve actually filled it up and taken it on the road with us when we drive to my parents’ house 5 hours away. And whenever it’s stormy and seems like we might lose power, making a new pot of coffee to fill up the carafe is a top priority.
All that to say, it’s insane just how much we save every month by ditching the Keurig and going old school. The last time we figured, it broke down to just under $90. Crazy, right?
Anyhow…enjoy these muffins with a cup of coffee, no matter how you brew it!
Sour Cream & Jam Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Preserves or jam of choice (I used blackberry preserves.)
- Additional sugar for topping, optional
Instructions
- Beat the butter and sugar together in a mixing until creamed, about 2-3 minutes. Add egg and beat until well combined.
- In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a second small bowl or measuring cup, combine the sour cream and vanilla. Add half the flour and half the sour cream mixture to the mixing bowl and stir just until combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and sour cream, being careful not to overmix.
- Grease and flour a muffin tin, or line with baking cups. Fill muffin cups 1/3 full with the batter. Add a dollop of jam or preserves on top of the batter and then top with remaining muffin batter. Sprinkle additional sugar over the tops of the muffins, if desired, for a crispy muffin top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes for mini muffins or 20-25 minutes for regular sized muffins.
