Whether you’re camping, brunching or just itching to bake something, these Bold Ginger Mango Muffins with Sesame Streusel are a delicious break from the ordinary. Greek yogurt and buttermilk give these muffins a rich, well-balanced crumb. And they are packed with fresh mango, crystalized ginger chips and sesame seeds in every bite. So delicious!

If you’re looking for a muffin with a tropical flare, this recipe for Bold Ginger Mango Muffins with Sesame Streusel may just become your new favorite.

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Ginger, mango and sesame bring flare and balance to this muffin recipe

A muffin tray full of Bold Ginger Mango Muffins with Sesame Streusel wait to be baked. — Topped with streusel and ready to bake!

A lot of breakfast muffins can be overly sweet. For this reason, I turned to fresh mango and crystalized ginger to offset the sweetness, and sesame seeds to provide a flavor layer of nutty goodness in this bake. One of the things I love about the combination of mango and ginger in this recipe is that it brings balance to these muffins. The batter still contains a fair amount of sugar, but the tart, citrus-like notes of the mango add fruity complexity, while the ginger lifts and brightens the overall flavor of the bake.

In this recipe, I use The Ginger People Crystalized Ginger Chips for added texture and a little burst of warm, ginger flavor. They come chopped and are perfect for baking. They also make a nice snack when you just want a little something sweet to nibble on. I also like to use these ginger chips in my recipe for Chewy Triple Ginger Cookies. If you love all things ginger, consider giving them a try as well.

Ginger and sesame are two flavors that pair beautifully with mango, and are often found in Asian or Indian cooking. One of my favorite resources for information on tried and true as well as forward-thinking flavor pairings is the CIA website – that’s the Culinary Institute of America for those less obsessed with food than others. Even though the site is geared toward professional chefs, it’s still packed with videos, recipes and articles of interest to foodies of all levels.

Which butter is best in this recipe for Bold Ginger Mango Muffins with Sesame Streusel?

For these Bold Ginger Mango Muffins with Sesame Streusel, I prefer European-style butter over American butter. European butter has less water and a higher fat content than its American counterpart. The end result is a more tender, moist cake crumb.

I can be pretty intentional about which butter I use in a bake. Cultured European butters can vary in taste, with some lending an aggressively tangy flavor to baked goods. For this reason, I prefer using Unsalted Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter in this recipe. It has a relatively mild flavor, and the added richness from this European-style butter delivers a better texture and more tender crumb.

Can I have a muffin now? How ’bout now?

A tray full of Bold Ginger Mango Muffins with Sesame Streusel are baked, cooled and ready to be eaten- finally! — Ready to eat!

I got this question a lot during the development phase. The muffins can be eaten once completely cooled. I know it’s tempting to want to dig in while they are still hot out of the oven, but because this is a fairly wet batter with a lot of fresh mango in it, the muffins really do need a full hour or more to cool. If you can stand the wait, you’ll find the overall taste and texture of the muffins improve as they transition from hot to warm to completely cooled and set.

Although it may seem cruel to ask people to wait an hour or two before diving into these muffins (or any baked good for that matter), there’s actually a scientific basis for it. As the muffins cool, the moisture within them evaporates and becomes more evenly distributed throughout. This is especially the case with any bake that uses fresh fruit.

The extra time allows the taste and texture of the muffin to improve and the sharpness of the mango and ginger to soften. Even the nutty flavor of the sesame seeds in these Bold Ginger and Mango Muffins with Sesame Streusel changes as they cool. So be patient. Trust me, it’s worth the wait.

Bold Ginger Mango Muffins with Sesame Streusel

Recipe by Maria Ostrander Course: Dessert, SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Greek yogurt and buttermilk give these muffins a rich, well-balanced crumb.

Ingredients

For the muffins
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted European-style butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt, room temperature
3 tsp. sesame seeds
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups sifted bread flour (see note below on the importance of sifting before measuring)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup crystalized ginger
1 1/2 cups fresh mango, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes (approximately 1 large mango)
For the streusel topping
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. bread flour
1 Tbsp. crystalized ginger
3 tsp. sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Directions

Prepare the streusel topping
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, sesame seeds and ginger.
Add the melted butter and combine with a fork until a crumbly mixture forms. Set aside.
Prepare the muffins
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper cups and set aside.
In a 5 quart stand mixer over medium speed, combine the butter and sugar. Cream until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the almond extract, sesame seeds and eggs, one at a time. Mix until well incorporated and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions.
Add the buttermilk and Greek yogurt and mix over medium low speed until thoroughly incorporated.
In a separate bowl, combine the sifted flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk together to combine.
Toss the mango and ginger into the flour mixture to coat the fruit. Add the flour/fruit mixture to the wet ingredients. Over medium low speed, combine until a smooth batter forms, but be careful not to over mix. See Notes section below on why it’s important to toss the fruit in the flour mixture.
Divide batter evenly among the baking cups. Top with the streusel mixture.
Bake at 325 degrees F. for approximately 30 – 35 minutes. Muffins will be light golden brown on top and a toothpick will come out dry when inserted into the center of a muffin.
Transfer muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store covered in an airtight container for up to 3 days (room temperature) or in the refrigerator for one week.

Notes

NOTE: It’s important to sift the flour first before measuring. Flour becomes compacted as it sits and settles. If you add the flour before sifting, you are essentially adding more flour than you really need – which yields a heavy, dense muffin. Sift first them measure for the perfect texture.
Why do I have to toss the fruit in the flour mixture before adding to the wet ingredients? Tossing the fruit in the dry ingredients helps to ensure the fruit and ginger will remain suspended throughout the batter during the baking process. Sometimes when you add wet ingredients like fruit into a wet batter, they have a tendency to sink to the bottom. The coating of flour ensures the fruit stays evenly distributed throughout the batter.
The size of your muffin papers will determine the final yield of this recipe. Larger baking cups will yield 18 medium-large muffins. Smaller, traditional cupcake baking cups will yield upwards of 22 muffins. If using a smaller muffin cup, the baking time will need to be reduced to 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean.