Butterscotch Crumb Muffins

I found this recipe on About.com, it was posted by Peggy Trowbridge Filippone. But one of the reviewers on that site said that it was originally a Julia Childs recipe. I'm reposting it here because the other site isn't open for reviews. I've made this recipe, and it is amazing, the muffins are rich and moist. I had trouble getting them out of the paper liners, and the were a little concave, but incredibly delicious.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 18
• Yields: 18 muffins

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups flour
• 2  cups brown sugar
• 2⁄3 cup butter flavor shortening, cold
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup buttermilk
• 2  large eggs
• 1  cup  butterscotch chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and position oven rack in center of the oven. Line muffin tins with papers.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour and brown sugar until no lumps remain.
3. Add shortening and cut in until the mix resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Reserve 1/2 cup of the flour/sugar/shortening mix and set aside to use as the crumb topping.
5. To the remaining flour/sugar mix, add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Using a fork, combine well.
6. Add buttermilk and beaten eggs.
7. Using a large spoon, mix just until flour is moistened, it will be lumpy.
8. Fold in butterscotch chips.
9. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle tops with about 1 teaspoon of reserved crumb topping mixture and gently tamp down into batter.
10. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until they test done with a toothpick.