Fruit-Filled Muffins

These are filled muffins for cooks in a hurry. Bisquick does the heavy work, so you skip measuring out flour, baking powder, and salt separately. A teaspoon of fruit preserves dropped into the center of each muffin sinks slightly during baking, leaving a jammy surprise core that bursts open with the first bite.

The glaze on top isn’t optional. A simple powdered sugar and water drizzle dresses up what would otherwise look like plain breakfast muffins, and it adds a sweet contrast that highlights the fruit hiding inside. Use a thick fruit preserve, not jelly. Preserves contain real fruit chunks that hold their position better than runny jelly, which tends to sink to the bottom of the muffin tin during baking.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t overmix. Stir only until the batter is just moistened. Lumps are fine and gluten development from overmixing gives you tough, dense muffins.
• Drop the preserves directly in the center of each muffin. Off-center filling sinks to the side and leaves a wet patch on the muffin top.
• Test for doneness with a toothpick around the edge, not the center. The jam in the middle will always come out wet on a toothpick.
• Let the glaze set 5 minutes after drizzling. Fresh glaze runs everywhere. A few minutes lets it firm up into a proper sweet coating.

Variations

• Try different jams for each muffin: raspberry, apricot, blackberry, fig, or orange marmalade for variety.
• Add a teaspoon of grated lemon zest to the batter for a brighter, more bakery-style muffin.
• Sprinkle the muffin tops with coarse sanding sugar before baking for a crunchy contrast to the soft interior.