Wow - these got an "excellent" from Jeff, and he's not a huge cherry fan.  I love that these use bing cherries, so it's another way to use them during cherry season.  Yum!

Cherry Muffins

Author: Mary Ellen @ That's My Home

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  18 mins

Total time:  33 mins

Serves: 16

A perfect summer calls for sweet cherry muffins.

Ingredients

• 3½ cups flour
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup oil
• 1½ cups brown sugar, tightly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla
• ½ teaspoon. almond extract
• 1¼ cups buttermilk
• 2 cups pitted, quartered, sweet cherries
• coarse sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pit the cherries and cut into quarters.
2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add the oil and brown sugar to a mixing bowl. When thoroughly combined add eggs. Mix well. Add the vanilla and almond extract.
4. Add the buttermilk and stir until combined.
5. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Stir in the cherries.
6. Use a large scoop and put the batter into cupcake tins that are lined with papers almost to the top. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
7. Bake muffins at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Turn oven down to 375 degrees. Bake for another 10 - 13 minutes.