1 cup chopped ripe peaches
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose or white whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 extra-large egg
1 cup milk (I use skim milk)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Scant 1/4 tsp vanilla paste
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin or two muffin-top pans with paper liners, or spray with baking spray. Set aside.
Place the chopped peaches in a small bowl with the lemon juice and 1 Tbsp of the sugar. Toss well, and set aside to macerate while you prepare the batter.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
In another large bowl, beat the egg with a whisk until it turns light yellow and begins to thicken a bit. Whisk in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla paste, until the ingredients are well combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, and with a rubber spatula fold just until the dry ingredients are moist (don't overmix, or you'll end up with tough muffins, and nobody likes tough muffins!).
Divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups; I use an ice cream scoop with a release (called a disher) to make it easy. Bake 16-17 minutes for muffin tops, 22 minutes for regular muffins. Cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes, then transfer muffins to a wire rack.
Serve warm, with yogurt, for breakfast, or cool the muffins completely and serve with sweet butter and jam at tea time.