After delivering the last two wedding cakes, I started flirting with the idea of an all-raw diet. Or meat-only. Anything that didn’t involve butter, flour, eggs or sugar.

Then I remembered that my friend Kayte of Grandma’s Kitchen Table was hosting this week’s Tuesdays with Dorie baking challenge!  So, I decided to crank up the oven just long enough to bake a half-batch of her pick, Dorie’s Allspice Crumb Muffins.

Oh, I should have made the full dozen.

These muffins smell like Christmas morning. They’re light and cakey, with a crunchy topping that’s all sugar and spice. They are … scrumptious.

And you’ve probably got the ingredients right now.

Allspice Crumb Muffins

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s “Baking: From My Home to Yours”

Streusel:
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

Muffins:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a muffin pan with nonstick spray or butter, or fit it with paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.
2. For the Streusel: Put the flour, brown sugar and allspice in a small bowl, and whisk to blend. Add the bits of cold butter, and toss to get oddly shaped crumbs. Set aside in the refrigerator.
3. For the Muffins: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, allspice and salt.
4. Stir in the brown sugar, making sure there are no lumps.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract.
6. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, and gently but quickly stir to blend. (The batter will be lumpy.)
7. Stir in the lemon zest, if you’re using it.
8. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle streusel over each muffin, and use your fingertips to gently press the crumbs into the batter.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.
10. Transfer the pan to a rack, and cool for 5 minutes before removing each muffin.

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