Easy Yummy Pineapple Muffins

These muffins prove you don’t need a long ingredient list to bake something worth waking up for. Crushed pineapple is the star, doing double duty: the fruit adds bright tropical sweetness while its juice keeps the crumb moist and tender for days.

The batter comes together fast in one bowl, no mixer required. It’s flexible, too. You can swap the pineapple for chopped apples when you want a cozier, autumn-leaning muffin instead.

As with any muffin, the trick is to stir just until the flour disappears; overmixing builds gluten and leaves you with tough, peaked muffins full of tunnels. Spoon the batter into the cups and bake until the tops spring back and turn lightly golden. Warm from the oven with a smear of butter, they’re hard to beat.

Kitchen Tips

• Drain the crushed pineapple lightly but leave a little juice; that moisture keeps the muffins soft.
• Mix only until the flour is just combined. Overmixing makes muffins dense and tunnel-y.
• Fill the cups about two-thirds full so the muffins dome instead of overflowing.
• They keep well for a couple of days in an airtight container, thanks to the pineapple’s moisture.

Variations

• Swap the pineapple for chopped apples and add a pinch of cinnamon.
• Fold in shredded coconut or chopped macadamias for a pina colada vibe.
• Sprinkle coarse sugar over the tops before baking for a crunchy lid.