Tag Archives: muffin

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Banana-Yogurt Muffins

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Muffins, ya’ll.

Sometimes a girl–or dude–just wants to bake something that’s homemade, but stress free. Muffins are both of those things and they almost never disappoint.

My favorite thing about the humble, homemade muffin is that it can be almost-healthy to actually-healthy–using flours and germs and brans and fruits and healthy fats to boost the health factor. See, most store-bought varieties are packed with enough sugar and other stuff that makes them basically cake. I mean, cake is delicious and sometimes makes the BEST breakfast, but even I can’t go for cake-breakfast everyday. That’s why I love a muffin. It’s a quick bread in a cupcake outfit.

These muffins are of the almost-healthy variety. They use pantry staples and fresh, ripe banana for tenderness and flavor. The sunflower seeds are in there for some crunch–because I can’t resist adding texture to most things. The batter comes together by simply folding the whisked up wet ingredients into the sifted dry ingredients, and uses only a few dishes. The baked muffins are ultra-moist due to the combination of yogurt, banana, and olive oil. The dusting of powdered sugar is totally optional but makes for a pretty and slightly sweeter muffin.

Banana-Yogurt Muffins

Adapted from Donna Hay Modern Classics Book 2

Makes 12 regular muffins. 

For tender and light muffins, be sure to mix the batter until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Lumpy batter is okay, over-mixing the batter until it’s completely smooth will result in a chewy and dense muffin. 

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup sunflower seeds plus more for sprinkling (optional)

1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used greek yogurt)

2 very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork

2 eggs

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Spray/grease or line a muffin tin with paper cups.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Toss in the sunflower seeds and mix to combine. In a large measuring cup whisk together the yogurt, banana, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Add the yogurt-banana mixture to the dry mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. Divide the batter between the 12 prepared muffin cups and bake in the center of the oven for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

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Double Chocolate + Pistachio Muffins

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Sometimes you want need chocolate for breakfast. Sometimes it’s a perfect pair with your third cup of coffee. Sometimes it’s just what you needed to make a gloomy morning seem brighter.

Chocolate muffins always make me happy–it’s like dessert for breakfast without actually being dessert. These muffins keep it real with healthful yogurt, a touch of olive oil, some nutty wheat germ, a bit of cocoa, some nuts for crunch, and a handful of chocolate chips for good measure. They aren’t too sweet, so go ahead and smear some berry jam on there. Or, if you want need to, a smear of nutella or cookie butter would be amazing–I totes won’t judge.

Double Chocolate + Pistachio Muffins

Makes 8 standard size muffins.

Adapted from this recipe. 

You could definitely leave out the pistachios and make these nut-free, or switch them out for another nut. 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

7 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons wheat germ (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachios, plus 1-2 tablespoons for topping

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line a muffin tin with 8 paper liners.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, wheat germ, salt, baking powder, and soda. Fold in the chocolate chips and 1/4 cup nuts.

In a large measuring cup whisk the egg, whisk in the yogurt, oil, milk, and vanilla to combine well. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold until just combined. Divide the batter between muffin cups and sprinkle remaining nuts over the tops of each muffin. Bake in the center of the oven for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.

 

 

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Eggnog Streusel Muffins

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Hello, December!

The holidays are in full swing over here, as this is my ever-fave time of the year. One of my favorite holiday flavors is Eggnog. The thing is…I’m not so much into drinking it. In a latte? Totally. In ice cream, hell-to-the-yes. Cookie, cakes, etc…yup.

Even though eggnog is basically melted ice cream–drinking it is just too much for me. The viscosity gets to me every time. I love to add eggnog to a baked good–like these super soft cookies or this pretty cake. It replaces the dairy in many recipes like a dream. The richness and subtle nutmeg spice is perfect for holiday baking. I threw these muffins together, using my favorite recipe as the starting point, over the weekend. The muffin is tender and fragrant with eggnog flavor. The streusel has hints of nutmeg and the sugary crunch is perfection in top of the tender muffin. They come together quickly and are perfect with a cup of coffee on grey-sky mornings.

Eggnog Streusel Muffins

adapted from this recipe. 

Makes 8 standard or 24 mini muffins.

1 cup all-purpose flour

6 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 egg

1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons eggnog

3 Tablespoons browned butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Streusel:

2 Tablespoons browned butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

tiny pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350*f and line your desired muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

Brown the butter for the muffins and streusel. Melt 5 Tablespoons of butter in a small pan. Heat over medium until the butter becomes foamy, continue heating–swirling or stirring the butter–until the milk solids become dark golden brown and fragrantly nutty. Remove from heat and divide accordingly into two bowls. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl mix the streusel together by combining the 2 Tablespoons of browned butter with the flour, sugar, nutmeg, and salt. Set in refrigerator until ready to use.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg.

In a large measuring cup whisk together the egg, eggnog, 3 Tablespoons of the cooled browned butter, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry and fold until just combined. Divide the batter evenly among muffin cups, divide streusel evenly over the tops of each muffin and bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean–about 13-15 minutes for minis and 16-20 for standard muffins. I would check them both after the earliest suggested time and go from there. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

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Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

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I do this fun thing when I’m sleeping…and by fun, I mean obnoxious.

Throughout the night I will either kick blankets or hoard them. I may start out the night kicking the blankets right off the bed and onto the floor. Then, I will wake up in the wee hours of the morning, shivering, only to roll myself up into a burrito of warmth. Add my tendency to sleep-talk, and I am a dream (read, nightmare) of a bedmate. I just want to have it all, all at once–blankets, no blankets, conversation, and sleep. I mean, at least I don’t sleep-walk…anymore, right?

These muffins came to be because of my inherent desire to have it all. Yesterday, mid-morning, all I wanted was something warm, pumpkin-y, spiced, streusel AND glaze topped. I wanted the perfect fall muffin–not too sweet so I could glaze it, slightly healthy (pumpkin AND wheat germ, holla!), moist yet sturdy, spiced without getting face-punched, a muffin with a hint of brown butter and a bit of crunch. I made it happen and got my way… as it often goes around here when it comes to muffin baking and blanket-hoarding/shunning.

So, tell me, are you a sleep kicker, blanket stealer, talker or walker? Or, are you the type who, once your head hits the pillow, you’re there to stay?

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins w/ Cream Cheese Glaze

Makes 12-14 muffins (depending on how you fill the cups).

Adapted from Damn Delicious. 

I reduced the flour from the original recipe and added wheat germ for health and science. I also tinkered with the spices and browned up the butter for good measure. These muffins–sans glaze–are not very sweet, which is how I think a muffin should be. While the insides are moist and tender, a pat of butter smeared on a warm muffin would be totally appropriate. I like to place the streusel in the refrigerator while assembling the batter–I find it encourages more pebbly/rocky streusel as opposed to a crumbly/sandy topping.

Spice Mix:

1/2 heaping teaspoon kosher salt

2 hefty teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Streusel Topping:

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, browned

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup vanilla sugar (or plain or brown)

3 Tablespoons sunflower seeds (optional)

1 teaspoon spice mixture

Muffin batter:

3 Tablespoons wheat germ

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sugar

remaining spice mixture

1 cup plain pumpkin puree

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, browned

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:

2 ounces softened cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1-3 Tablespoons milk

Preheat your oven to 350*F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.

Begin by browning your butter, 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons, divided. Jessica from How Sweet It Is recently posted this great step-by-step. Set aside the butter to cool slightly.

Make the streusel: Mix together 2 tablespoons of the browned butter with flour, sugar, spices, and sunflower seeds, until the mixture clumps together when pinched between your fingers. Place the streusel topping in the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the wheat germ, flour, baking powder, sugar, and remaining spice mix. Set aside and in a seperate bowl whisk together pumpkin, remaining butter, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry and fold until just combined. Fill the prepared muffin cups 3/4 full (I did 2/3, making them a litte under filled). Sprinkle with the streusel mixture and bake in the center of the oven for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before glazing. While muffins cool, make the glaze by stirring the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together, adding milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Best enjoyed warm from the oven. Can be kept in an airtight container for 3 days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Recipe: Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins

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I love muffins.

I think that’s because muffins are similar to cupcakes–they look alike and share that tender cake-like quality. Though muffins and cupcakes dress in the same outfit, muffins make the perfect breakfast by being less sweet, un-frosted, and they should beg for a pat of butter or smear of jam.

These muffins are a new favorite, I baked up a batch this week AND last. I love to make muffins on a Sunday so we have an easy and quick breakfast bite throughout the week. This recipe contains yogurt and olive oil–making for a moist and tender crumb. There are dried sour cherries and bits of chocolate in there for a little decadence in the morning, as well as a little (white) whole wheat and wheat germ–you know, for a bit of health and science. My favorite thing about this recipe is probably the quantity, it makes 8 perfectly sized muffins–just enough so we can have them for more than one breakfast, but not so many they don’t turn stale and we don’t get bored.

Treat yo’self to a muffin in the morning. It’s just breakfast dressed up as a cupcake, after all.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Adapted from Taste of Home

I used White Whole Wheat flour from King Arthur and White Lily Flour. White Lily is a bit softer than regular all-purpose…I’d liken it to cake flour. You can use cake flour or regular all-purpose–either way, use a light touch when mixing to ensure a tender muffin.

3/4 cup cake or all-purpose flour

6 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup white whole wheat

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1/2 cup plain yogurt

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

scant 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup dried sour cherries

Preheat oven to 350F and line 8 cups of a standard muffin tin with paper liners.

In a medium bowl whisk together flours, wheat germ, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large measuring cup whisk together egg, yogurt, oil, milk, and extracts.

Toss chips and cherries in the flour mixture to coat. Create a well and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir/fold into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Divide batter among the 8 muffins cups. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Sprinkle hot muffins with additional chopped chocolate chips if desired. Cool on wire racks, can be eaten warm or cooled completely and stored in an airtight container for 4 days.

 

 

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Recipe: Pear Cranberry Muffins

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These muffins are perfect for snowy mornings. They were originally a bread, that I made last week after seeing it on Shutterbean. Tracy knows where it’s at when it come to delicious things. It was so dang good, I had to have it again this week, only in muffin form. These muffins have crunch from the nuts, tang from the cranberries, heartiness from wheat germ, tender moisture from juicy pears, and little hints of spice. The first time around I made the recipe as is, this time I added a few things like fresh ginger, a bit of allspice, swapped the walnuts for pecans, and snuck in that wheat germ–for science and health.

Like I said, these are perfect for snowy mornings. The kind where you wake up to heavy tree limbs all over your yard, and a massive driveway + walkway to shovel. Maybe you weren’t even prepared for the snow and forgot that you needed a snow shovel, so you had to drive to the hardware store before the sun was even up to procure one…but, thank goodness your car is a boss in the snow. After you’re done heaving around that heavy & wet snow and chucking those tree limbs back into the forest, you can come inside to a hot cup of coffee and a tasty muffin treat. You deserve it for being so physical first thing in the AM.

For those of you that may be wondering, this isn’t my first snow-rodeo. Despite being from Nevada, I’ve had my fair share of snow…contrary to popular belief, the desert has more to do with precipitation (or lack thereof) than heat. I lived in the northern part of the state, just east of the Sierra Nevadas where it’s usually cold, hot, or windy, and always arid.  

Pear Cranberry Muffins

adapted from Shutterbean

makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons wheat germ

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 large egg

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 1/2 cups grated, peeled, ripe pear + any juices (about 2 pears)

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1 cup fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F and line or spray a muffin tin. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together egg, oil, ginger, vanilla, lemon zest and juice, and grated pear + juices. Fold wet ingredients into dry until just combined. Fold in nuts and cranberries. Evenly divide batter between muffin cups and bake fro 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Store in an airtight container after completely cooled.

 

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Chocolate Chip Muffins

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A couple of years ago, when Sean and I were still in college, we lived in a big, suburban house with 6-8  friends. I say 6-8, because there were usually a couple extra people hanging around, sleeping in someones bed or on the couch. It was both the nicest and cheapest place I’ve lived. Though there was some drama…as there always is when you pack a bunch of personalities into one dwelling…it was pretty, dang fun.

We had a sweet kitchen–shiny and brand-spanking-new–but I did hardly any cooking. Unless, of course, you consider making Rice Krispie treats cooking. Cooking wasn’t really on our minds. Our fridge was less stocked with groceries and more stocked with beers and other booze. I mean, we ate stuff, mostly convenience foods and take-out. We had the usual ramen noodles, cereal, and sometimes we even had milk. One of the things we often had were those packaged, chocolate chip, mini muffins. They were SO cheap and so TASTY. I mean, how could we resist.

We couldn’t, that’s my point.

The next year, after I graduated, Sean and I struck out on our own. He was still in school and I was at a loss of what to do with my liberal arts degree, so I worked the same job I had worked while I was in school (preschool teacher). That’s when I started this blog, and pretty much turned my back on pre-packaged baked goods. It’s been over 3 years of blogging and I am just now trying to find a replacement for those muffins. I haven’t had one in years and I’m not sure that I’d enjoy them in the same rabidly-hungry-and-hung-over manner I did then. I swear I can taste the chemicals and artificial stuff in those types of baked treats now–as enticing and pretty as they are.

These muffins are pretty darn good. I baked them in the standard muffin size, not minis…which meant I didn’t shove 3 of them in my face all at once. I did shove part of one in my face and got burned, literally…but it was worth it. Don’t be like me. Wait a few minutes for these to cool, they are great fresh and warm from the oven. They are not, however, great the next day. A little dry, a little crumbly, but still edible. Since they don’t have the lasting power I’d like–since I can’t be eating a whole batch of muffins in one day–you will probably be seeing more chocolate chip muffins ’round these parts. I hope y’all don’t mind.

Like how I got all country there at the end?

Yeah, y’all do.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Adapted from theKitchn.

I added orange zest and a little fresh nutmeg. Chocolate and orange are friends, so it worked out. Fresh nutmeg is just dang good, so it joined the party too.

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

zest of 1 orange

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

a few gratings of fresh nutmeg

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a muffin tin with 8-10 cupcake papers or grease tin well.

In a small bowl rub orange zest into sugar until fragrant.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter with orange sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping bowl and mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and combine.

In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add a few gratings if fresh nutmeg. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar/egg mixture, beating just to combine. Add milk, mix, then add the remaining flour just until it is incorporated. Using a light touch, fold in chocolate chips. Don’t overmix the muffins. Just don’t.

Fill prepared muffin cups. You can fill these pretty much to the top…none of that 2/3 full business here. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before eating. Don’t burn your face.