Almond Croissant Muffins
Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod
Bakery-style Almond Croissant Muffins filled with a rich almond center, soft buttery crumb, and toasted sliced almonds. Finished with powdered sugar, they taste like a coffee shop pastry made at home.
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 323kcal
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup almond flour
For the muffins:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting on muffins
Instructions
- Prep the Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and lightly spray the liners with nonstick cooking spray. Tip, if you want a higher rise on your muffins, fill every other cup with batter. If you do this, you will need two pans.
- Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and creamy, about 1–2 minutes. Add the egg and mix until fully combined and smooth. Mix in the almond extract and vanilla extract. Add the almond flour and mix on low speed just until the filling comes together and is smooth. Place the mixture in the fridge and chill for 30 minutes.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add the Greek yogurt and mix until smooth.
- Combine the Batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Assemble the Muffins: Fill each muffin cup with a heaping tablespoon of batter. Add a spoonful of the almond filling to the center of each muffin (about 1 tablespoon), then top with the remaining batter, covering up the filing. Sprinkle the tops generously with sliced almonds.
- Bake the Muffins: Bake for 18 to 23 minutes, or until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.
Notes
- Make the almond filling first so it has time to chill and thicken before assembling.
- Softened butter is key for both the filling and muffin batter to ensure everything mixes smoothly.
- Chill the filling before using so it stays thick and doesn’t melt into the muffin batter.
- Fill each muffin cup in layers (batter → filling → batter) to create the signature almond croissant-style center.
- Add sliced almonds generously on top so they toast and give that bakery-style crunch.
- Bake until golden and just set, don’t overbake or the muffins will dry out.
- Cool slightly before removing from the pan so they hold their structure.
- Dust with confectioner's sugar just before serving for the best bakery-style finish.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage, avoid refrigeration as it dries them out.
Nutrition
Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg