Sweet potato muffins are a must – Check out this recipe from Maggie Heyn Richardson

Like many of you, I’ve got a stash of local sweet potatoes in my pantry. My mother-in-law brought us a box from a farmer near Alexandria, and the generous haul has been great inspiration. Determined not to waste, I’ve used them to make sweet potato French fries, roasted sweet potato nuggets with fresh rosemary, sweet potato-Greek yogurt smoothies, shredded sweet potato-cumin quesadillas and these tender sweet potato muffins.

They’re perfect for lunch boxes, snacking and for the breakfast table. The buttermilk is essential; it keeps the muffins light and moist. Rolled oats add nice texture, and the topping provides fragrant orange crunch. Check out the recipe below.

Sweet potato buttermilk muffins with oatmeal orange crumble
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ˝ teaspoons cinnamon
˝ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Ľ teaspoon Kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 Ľ cup cooked mashed sweet potatoes (about three small)
1 egg
˝ cup buttermilk

Topping (optional):
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Ľ cup all purpose flour
Ľ cup rolled oats
Ľ cup brown sugar
Ľ cup chopped pecans (optional)
˝ teaspoon orange peel

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine first eight ingredients in a bowl. Cream butter and brown sugar in a separate bowl using a hand or standing mixer. Add sweet potatoes and mix well. Add egg and mix until just combined. Alternatively, add flour mixture and buttermilk, starting and ending with flour mixture. Fill to nearly full 12-cup muffin tin.

For topping: mix all ingredients with fork or mixture. Top each filled muffin tin with mixture. Bake muffins and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until springy to touch and cooked through.