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Baking recipe · from the recipe book

Pesto Swirl Muffins with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

Tender, green-flecked muffins that taste boldly of fresh basil pesto, with nutty walnut-parmesan notes and juicy roasted tomato halves on golden tops.

Pesto Swirl Muffins with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients

  • 2¼ cups270 gAll-purpose flour
  • 2⅛ tsp10 gBaking powder
  • ½ tsp2 gBaking soda
  • ¾ tsp4 gSalt
  • ½ tsp1 gBlack pepper
  • 1⅔ cups leaves40 gFresh basilleaves only
  • 3½ tbsp chopped25 gWalnutslightly toasted
  • 2 cloves6 gGarlicroughly chopped
  • ⅓ cup grated40 gGrated Parmesandivided
  • 2 tsp10 gLemon juice
  • ⅓ cup70 gOlive oildivided
  • 2 large100 gEggsat room temperature
  • 1 cup (240 ml)240 gWhole milkat room temperature
  • ⅔ cup90 gCherry tomatoeshalved

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Make the pesto: in a small food processor or blender, pulse the basil, walnuts, garlic, the lemon juice, about two-thirds of the parmesan and about 40% of the olive oil into a coarse, bright green paste. Set aside the remaining third of the parmesan for the tops.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and black pepper.
  4. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and the remaining 60% of the olive oil until smooth.
  5. Spoon about three-quarters of the pesto into the wet mixture and whisk until evenly green.
  6. Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour shows; a few lumps are fine.
  7. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Dot the remaining quarter of the pesto over the tops and swirl it in with a toothpick.
  8. Press two or three cherry tomato halves, cut side up, into each muffin and sprinkle with the reserved parmesan.
  9. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until the tops are golden, the tomatoes are blistered and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  10. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then move the muffins to a rack and cool at least 15 minutes more before serving.

Food safety: Don't taste raw dough or batter: raw flour and raw eggs can carry germs.

Contains: Milk, Egg, Tree nuts, Gluten.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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