calamansi muffins

Bright sunny days make me think of these citrusy muffins. I usually make them with lemons but now that we're having a steady supply of calamansi, I thought about using them instead of lemons in the recipe. Do not underestimate these tiny citrus fruits when it comes to flavor and juice content :-) They're extra juicy with a good balance of tartness and sweetness.

As soon as these muffins came out of the oven, I dipped the tops in melted butter then quickly rolled them in sugar forming a crust, as shown in the pictures below.

The highlight of every bite was the calamansi flavor which was as bright as the sunshine outside :-) These muffins will surely be a nice breakfast or snack treat for citrus lovers out there. I'm thankful for warm summer days and for our yearly fresh calamansi supply. I look forward to another harvest season next year.

For the recipe...
CALAMANSI MUFFINS

1/2 cup yogurt
3 tablespoons oil or melted butter
1/3 cup freshly squeezed calamansi or lemon juice
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
 grated zest of lemon (optional)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Grease and flour (or use baking spray) a 12-cup muffin pan. Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, mix together yogurt, oil or melted butter, juice, eggs, lemon zest and lemon extract (if using). In a bigger bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour in the yogurt mixture. Mix together until just blended. Avoid overmixing the batter. Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to fill the muffin cups. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until done. While still warm from the oven, dip the muffin tops in melted butter then roll in sugar. Serve at breakfast or snack time.