Good Morning Muffins

My mom discovered this recipe for breakfast muffins from Joanne Chang’s cookbook, “Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe,” and we just love them. They are healthy, sweet, light, and filling. The combination of ingredients are perfect for each other: apples, zucchini, raisins, coconut, pecans, oats…what more could you ask for in a muffin? I love topping each one with a squirt of honey for an added sweetness.

Joanne Chang describes these muffins best in this excerpt from her cookbook: “Morning glory” muffins used to be all the rage. They boasted a fiber-rich assortment of ingredients that was supposed to give you a good start to the day. I always liked the idea of them, but I was often disappointed at how heavy and greasy and overly sweet they could be. When I decided to put a morning glory-type muffin on the breakfast menu at Flour, I wanted it to be filled with wholesome, good-for-me ingredients but still be light, moist, and delicious. So, I adjusted the traditional roster of ingredients and then added a few of my own twists to create an updated version. It’s breakfast-on-the-go and the perfect start to a good morning, indeed.”

Enjoy!

Good Morning Muffins
Ingredients
1/4 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup hot water
1 small zucchini, grated (about 1-1/2 cups packed)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped, toasted
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 1 cup)
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick cooking)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a standard 12-cup muffin tin, cot with nonstick cooking spray, or line with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the wheat bran and hot water until the bran is completely moistened. Add the zucchini, raisins, pecans, coconut, and apple and stir until well mixed.
3. using a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment, beat together the sugar and eggs on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and lightens. (If you use a handheld mixer, this same step will take 6 to 8 minutes.) On low speed, slowly drizzle in the oil and then the vanilla. Don’t pour the oil in all at once. Add it slowly so it has time to incorporate into the eggs and doesn’t deflate the air you have just beaten into the batter. Adding it should take about 1 minute. When the oil and vanilla are incorporated, remove the bowl from the mixer stand.
4. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon until well mixer. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and fold carefully just until the dry and wet ingredients are well combined. Then add the bran mixture and fold again just until well combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly and filling the cups to the rim (almost overflowing.)
5. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the muffins are lightly browned on top and spring back when pressed in the middle with a fingertip. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove the muffins from the pan.
6. The muffins taste best the day you bake them, but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you keep them for longer than 1 day, refresh them in a 300 degree F oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Or, you can freeze them, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 1 week, reheat, directly from the freezer, in a 300 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Yield: 12 muffins
Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe by Joanne Chang

Moist Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is only the second time I’ve eaten a chocolate and banana combination. My first experience was at my mom’s house when we made chocolate chip banana bread. I’m still not completely sure if I like the combination. Honestly, I think I’d opt for the plain-ole banana nut muffins, sans the chocolate.

However, for chocolate lovers out there who could eat chocolate on everything including steak, you will probably love these. These moist banana chocolate chip muffins fulfill exactly what their name suggests… MOIST! Trust me, you will not be disappointed with a dried out muffin. These are very moist, sweet, and have plenty of banana flavor in them. The recipe calls for chocolate chips, but all I had were chunks, so that is the one substitution I made. The only complaint I have is the lack of “crunch” in these muffins. Next time I would definitely add some toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts!

My little nephew Bear, absolutely loved these. The funny thing is that Bear doesn’t really like sweets. However, he LOVES my White Chocolate Cranberry Dream cookies and these moist banana chocolate chip muffins. I guess I’m a pretty good aunt! haha. Enjoy!

Sift together the flour, salt, soda, and cinnamon.

Mash the bananas.

Add the mashed bananas to the flour mixture. Next add the sugar, eggs, melted butter, and milk.

Stir in the chocolate chips (and next time I make these…chopped pecans.)

Pour into prepared muffin cups.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in pan 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Moist Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1 /4 cups mashed bananas (about 3 large)

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup milk

2 small eggs

1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used chocolate chunks because it was all I had)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups or line with muffin papers.

2. Sift first 4 ingredients into a large bowl.

3. Combine bananas, sugar, butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Mix into dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over-mix. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, fill it until 3/4 full.

5. Bake until muffins are golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, for about 25 minutes (10 to 15 minutes for miniature muffins.) Cool muffins in tray for 5 minutes before transferring muffins to cooling rack to cool completely.

Yield: 12 muffins

Recipe from: Curious Foodie

Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins

My sister made these muffins a while back for a cross country runner at Oklahoma State University. Unfortunately I was in Washington D.C., so I did not get to try these decadent looking muffins, but I heard they were excellent.

These fruit-filled muffins come from one of my new favorite cookbooks called The Sono Baking Company Cookbook by John Barricelli. They offer both a crisp top and a tender, buttery inside infused with a hint of lemon. You can use cranberries instead of blueberries as a substitute. Serve warm with a drizzle of honey or a pat of butter. Enjoy!

Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups plus 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (unthawed) blueberries

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp coarse salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1/2 cup sour cream

Coarse sanding sugar, for finishing

*Tip: the blueberries in this recipe are tossed with flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom. The thin flour coating allows the blueberries to “float” throughout the muffin or cake rather than all ending up on the bottom

Directions

1. Set the oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a standard 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray, or generously with softened butter; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and baking soda; set aside. Toss the blueberries in a sieve with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour; set aside.

3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest.

4. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, beating just until the flour is absorbed. Add the sour cream, beating until combined. Gently fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula.

5. Use a 2-inch (1/4 cup) ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the sanding sugar.

6. Bake, rotating the pan about two-thirds of the way through the baking time, until the tops of the muffins spring back when touched and a cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

7. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Use an offset spatula or table knife to gently lift and turn the muffins on their sides in the muffin cups. Let cool completely in the pan.

Yield: 12 muffins

The Sono Baking Company Cookbook by John Barricelli

Maple Muffins

I’m so sorry that it has been over a week since my last post! I think I almost burned myself out of cooking for a while due to the week of arctic weather we had here in Texas! I cooked every single day since I couldn’t leave my house, so when we finally got some warm weather, I was outside running, washing cars, and NOT staying inside the house!

This is a new muffin recipe my mom tried, called Maple Muffins. My dad said these are very good and that “they’re a keeper”. I’ve never had a maple muffin, so these were a nice change to the typical blueberry or banana muffin we always make. The maple flavoring is just right… not too subtle, but not overbearing either; just perfect. You can serve these with jam, butter, MORE maple syrup, or my favorite…sweet honey. I love the crunch from the walnuts or pecans in these. These muffins are a great recipe for any breakfast brunch.

We got this recipe from Sarabeth Levine’s, Sarabeth’s Bakery: From My Hand to Yours cookbook. Levine writes, “This recipe was literally forced upon me by a customer who said her family had made these muffins for more than a hundred years. She promised they would be fantastic, and she was right! Their rich, bold maple flavor and crunchy tops are simply irresistible.” Enjoy!!!

Whisk the unbleached flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.

Whisk the maple syrup, melted butter, and milk together in a another bowl.

Then whisk in the egg and yolk.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until smooth.

Stir in the walnuts (we used pecans).

Let the batter stand about 5 minutes so the dry ingredients can absorb the liquids. Using an ice cream scoop, portion the batter into the prepared muffins cups.

Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F, and bake 15 minutes more, or until tops are golden brown and wire cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Maple Muffins
Ingredients
Softened unsalted butter, for the pan
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B
12 Tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (we used pecans)

*Baker’s note: Grade B maple syrup refers to its color and flavor. It is darker and stronger than Grade A. It does not mean that grade B is inferior.

Directions
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Brush the insides of 12 muffin cups with softened butter, then brush the top of the pan. I used silicon pans and did not butter the pans.
2. Whisk the unbleached flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the maple syrup, melted butter, and milk together in another bowl, then whisk in the egg and yolk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until smooth. Stir in the walnuts. Let the batter stand so the dry ingredients can absorb the liquids, about 5 minutes.
3. Using a 2 1/2-inch diameter ice-cream scoop, portion the batter, rounded side up, into the prepared muffins cups.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and bake until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and a wire cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes more.
5. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool completely.

Yield: 12-14 muffins
Sarabeth’s Bakery: From My Hand to Yours by Sarabeth Levine

Banana Nut Muffins

These are the best tasting and easiest Banana Nut Muffins you will ever eat. I always make these when we have bananas that have have become overly ripe. The riper (mushier and darker) the bananas are, the sweeter and better tasting the banana nut muffins will be. No mixer is required, and you should have all these ingredients on hand. Unlike banana bread, these muffins cook in half the time, so you should have one from oven to plate just under 20 minutes! Enjoy!

Combine the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

Mix together the egg, brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla.

Add the mashed bananas and chopped nuts.

Fold wet ingredients into dry mixture.

Pour batter into greased muffins pan, or directly into a silicone muffin pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 18-20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Toothpick inserted in center of muffin should come out clean.

Cool in pan for a few minutes, then transfer muffins to wire rack to let cool completely. Serve muffins fresh and warm from the oven…they are best the day you make them!

I love drizzling a bit of honey on the top of mine.

Banana Nut Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas

2/3 cups packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup melted butter

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions

1. Mix together the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Combine the rest of the ingredients together, and fold in with the dry mixture.

3. Lightly butter a regular sized (12 capacity ) muffin pan and pour batter in. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.Yield: 12 muffins

Pumpkin Muffins

My mom and sister made these Pumpkin Muffins this past weekend and we all loved them! We normally don’t use pumpkin until the fall, but the season is just around the corner! These muffins have the perfect amount of spice to them and they taste great with pumpkin butter spread on top. Enjoy!!!

Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients

10 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 cups)

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup golden raisins (We omitted because the men in our family don’t like dried fruit)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil

1/4 cup molasses

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

cooking spray

2 tbsp granulated sugar (We left off because my dad would have just peeled the tops off!)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, ginger, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in raisins; make a well in center of the mixture. Combine brown sugar, canned pumpkin, buttermilk, canola oil, molasses, vanilla extract, and eggs, stirring well with a whisk. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moist.

3. Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 18 servings (serving size: 1 muffin).

Calories: 202

French Breakfast Puffs

These French Puffs really satisfied my sugar craving for today. They taste like a snickerdoodle cookie in the form of a muffin. I made them to go with a country french omelette for dinner. Watch out…these are really sweet! After cooling completely, the puffs can be frozen in plastic bags and reheated later. This recipe is from one of my favorite cooks, Pioneer Woman.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.

Cream the shortening, sugar, and eggs.

Add the milk and dry ingredients and mix to combine

Pour in greased muffin cups and bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees until golden

Dip in butter, then cinnamon, sugar mixture to coat

French Breakfast Puffs
Puffs
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Coating
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, cream together the sugar and shortening.
4. Add the eggs and mix again.
5. Alternate adding one-third of the flour mixture and one-third of the milk to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
6. Fill the muffin cups two-thirds full.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Remove muffins from the pan and set aside.
8. To make the coating, melt the butter in a bowl. In a separate container, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
9. Dip the warm muffins in the butter, coating thoroughly, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Don’t be afraid to really coat them up.

Enjoy!

Yields 12 muffins