3tablespoonsfirmly packed light or dark brown sugar
¼cupall-purpose flour
½teaspoonground cinnamon
¼teaspoonground ginger
½teaspoonkosher salt
6tablespoonscold unsalted butter(cut into small pieces)
For the Muffins
2cupsall-purpose flour
1 ½teaspoonsbaking powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
½teaspoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonkosher salt
6tablespoonsunsalted butter(softened)
¾cupsugar
2large eggs
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
½cupsour cream or plain Greek or whole milk yogurt
½cupwhole milk
1cupmixed berries(frozen and not defrosted or fresh)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 12-cup large muffin tin, or spray with nonstick spray, or line the cup with paper liners and give them a spritz, too. If you want to use regular-sized muffin tins, you will make 16 muffins.
Make the streusel topping: Combine the 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, the ginger, and salt in a food processor and give it a good whirl. Add the pieces of butter and pulse until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is crumbly. Do not over-process; you don’t want a paste. Set the streusel topping aside.
Make the muffins: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In another medium bowl, combine the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Use the mixture on low, or switch to a spoon and stir in half the flour mixture just until almost incorporated. Stir in the sour cream or yogurt and the milk, also just until blended. Stir in the rest of the dry ingredients, leaving the batter a bit lumpy but fairly incorporated — do not overmix. Gently fold in the berries.
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly. Distribute the streusel topping over the muffins. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until a toothpick or a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the muffins in the tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then carefully remove them and continue to cool on wire rack until warm or room temperature.
Notes
Don’t skimp on the salt in your baked goods. Salt enhances flavor, in foods both sweet and savory, and a little more salt brings a level of sweet-salty sophistication to almost anything that will come out of your oven. I like to be able to taste the salt in my baked goods (I sometimes add even a touch more than I list out in the ingredients)…not everyone does, but either way, don’t even consider skipping it!