Pineapple Cream Muffins with Macadamia Nut Streusel

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line 18 regular size muffin cups with paper liners or spray them with nonstick cooking spray. Set the pans aside.

For the macadamia streusel, in a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt. Mix with a fork until well combined. Add melted butter and chopped macadamia nuts. Continue stirring with a fork until well combined and the mixture is crumbly. Set the streusel aside.

For the muffin batter, in a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and instant pudding mix until well combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg and Greek yogurt until well mixed. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, vanilla, butter extract and pineapple extract, whisking until well combined. Stir in undrained pineapple.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the pineapple mixture in the well and fold in with a spatula just until all the ingredients are combined. Do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pans. An ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop works really well for this. Sprinkle the top of each muffin liberally with the streusel.

Bake at 375ºF for 15–18 minutes, or until a pick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean. Let sit in the pans for 5 minutes. If you didn’t use paper liners, run a knife around the edge of each muffin and use it to gently lift the muffins from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 16-18 muffins, depending on the size of your muffin cups.

Note: The pineapple flavor in these is very subtle—if you’re a pineapple lover, add more pineapple extract to suit your taste.

Recipe adapted from The American Country Inn and Bed and Breakfast cookbook.