Did you know that August is National Peach Month?  I wish I’d known this sooner!  I’ve bookmarked it in my brain for future reference.

Still, I think I’ve paid decent tribute to the peach this month, with those peach cobbler scones I made.  Whoa.  Those were seriously delicious.

These muffins are another homage to the peach and another recipe from the Joy The Baker Cookbook — which is such an awesome source of delicious inspiration.  This cookbook has helped me not only conquer my fear of the dreaded double boiler, but also introduced me to the amazing world of brown butter.  Have you made anything with brown butter?  I’ve had minimal exposure to it.

I remember my first experience though — a few years ago (has it really been that long?), I saw a recipe for Cherry Brown Butter Bars on one of my absolute favorite cooking blogs, Smitten Kitchen.  I initially thought it said, “cherry brown sugar bars,” but au contraire (Though that sounds delicious… and gets my baking brain thinking… anyway!  Back on track!).

Brown butter freaked me out.  What if I cooked it too long and it burned?  What if I started a butter fire?  What if the butter popped too much and freaked me out?  I’m such a wuss, I know.  But not wuss enough to let my irrational fear get in the way of tasty baked goods, thankfully.

Let me tell you something, friend.  Brown butter is nothing to freak out about.  It’s just letting the milk fats brown and letting the water cook out.  Stir it, watch it closely.  It only takes a few minutes.  And it adds this amazing, nutty depth to your baked goods (have I sold you on brown butter yet?).

These muffins require a bit of brown butter and a couple of fresh peaches.  Minimal input, maximum result.  They taste remarkably like peach pie — or cobbler — or any other delicious peach baked good you can think of.

More peach goodness is coming this week, wrapping up the glory that is National Peach Month.  Stay tuned.

Peach Cobbler Muffins

Recipe via the Joy The Baker Cookbook

Makes 12 muffins

For the muffins, you will need:

1 and 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. packed light brown sugar

1 and 1/2 t. baking powder

3/4 t. salt

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

7 T. unsalted butter

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1/2 c. milk

2 t. vanilla

2 large peaches, diced

For the topping, you will need:

3 T. unsalted butter, cold

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. packed light brown sugar

Pinch of salt

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1/2 t. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.  Set aside.

2. To make the muffins: in a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.  Whisk in salt, sugars, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

3. Place butter in a small saucepan, and melt until browned over medium heat.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.

4. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg, yolk, vanilla, and milk.  While whisking, slowly drizzle in the warm butter.  Whisk until well incorporated.

5. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture all at once.  Fold together with a spatula.  Once no flour bits remain, fold in the diced peaches.  Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups.

6. To make the topping: combine all ingredients in a small bowl and blend together with your fingers until crumbly.  Butter should be about the size of oats and small pebbles.  Divide the topping evenly among the muffin cups on top of the batter.

7. Bake muffins for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool in pan 20 minutes before removing.

Muffins will last, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 3 days.