Mini Peach Cobbler Muffins

I student teach a foods class at a junior high and I made this recipe for them and they were a big hit. However, you can't call them what they are (Fresh Peach Muffins with a Crumb Topping) or they don't like them. Mini Peach Cobblers sound so much better to them.

2 cups finely chopped fresh or frozen peaches
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided {1/2 cup and 3/4 cup to be used at different times}
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ground pecans {optional}
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons cold butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly Grease 24 (2 3/4-inch by 1 3/8-inch) muffin cups.

Place the peaches in a bowl and cover with 1/2 cup of the sugar. Mix thoroughly. Allow the peaches to sit for 1 hour. {hour, shmour--You can just let them sit until you are ready to use them.}

Using an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle, {I didn't use a paddle} cream the butter and remaining 3/4 cup of sugar until smooth and pale in color, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine 3 1/2 cups of the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and alternately fold in the milk and flour mixture, being careful not to over mix. {When my 9th graders made these, this was the step they had the hardest time following. You have three bowls: milk, flour, and creamed butter and sugar(aka wet mixture). Take turns folding in the milk to the wet mixture, then the flour to the wet mixture, then the milk, then the flour, etc. Your flour and milk should never come into direct contact with each other.}

Fold in the peaches. Spoon 1/4 cup of the filling into each prepared muffin cup. In a small bowl, combine the remaining flour, brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon. Mix well. Add the butter. Using your hands {or two knives or a pastry cutter}, mix until the mixture resembles a coarse crumb-like mixture. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the crumb mixture over each muffin cup. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with butter.

NOTES:
The recipe says it makes two dozen, but when I made them, it made almost three dozen and I ran out of crumb topping. I might not have filled them full enough. They still tasted great, though.

This recipe can easily be halved.

This is a recipe from Emeril Lagasse on the food network website. I have made some changes/notes to it in {}'s based off of the mistakes of 9th graders. I hope you aren't offended by the notes, but since these are really tasty, I would like for you to make them in the correct way, which was demonstrated to 6 foods classes and made by my two 9th grade classes.