Serving Up {Muffins}: Bran Flax Muffins

In the world of recipe searches, I am sure "bran flax muffins" ranks nowhere near all the sugar laden treats that are posted every 2.5 seconds.  But maybe after all those sugar laden treats you should consider indulging in these as a truly delicious, guilt-free breakfast option.  They are packed with flax seed and oat bran and apples and carrots and are crazy moist (even better the next day) without an ounce of oil in the mix.

May I suggest whipping up a batch and throwing them in your freezer for those hectic mornings when a ready-made option would save the day.  That is what I do when I make these muffins and just yesterday they surfaced as breakfast for half the gang, they surfaced for my lunch and at least two kids ate them as an after school snack.  Okay, so they may never make your freezer, but you have got to feel good about what is being eaten!

One Year Ago: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

BRAN FLAX MUFFINS      
(recipe from Bob's Red Mill)
printable version

1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup flaxseed meal
3/4 cup oat bran
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded
2 apples, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup raisins or craisins (optional)
1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together flour, flaxseed meal, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in carrots, apples, raisins and nuts (if desired). Combine milk, beaten eggs, and vanilla. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix.
Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
This recipe makes approx. 15 medium-sized muffins

Serving Up {Muffins}: Cinnamon Ripple Muffins

I have mentioned before that Sunday mornings are our family Muffin Mornings so, as a result, we go through a lot of muffin recipes.  Not many recipes get made more than once.  And even fewer get posted to the blog. These muffins were a pleasant surprise (my daughter found the recipe on a kid's website so I didn't have high expectations) and an instant hit.  Everyone was in agreement that we needed to add this recipe to the weekly rotation and luckily I snapped a photo before all the muffins were eaten!

These muffins taste just like miniature coffee cakes, complete with the little cinnamon swirl (or ripple as per the name).  The key to making them is to add the cinnamon ripple to the batter and then only fold it in a couple of times - you DO NOT want to mix it into the batter completely.  The result is the ripple of cinnamon, buttery goodness that makes these muffins a hit!

One Year Ago:  Favorite Mint Brownies

                          Roasted Asparagus

CINNAMON RIPPLE MUFFINS     

(recipe from Family Fun)

printable version

Cinnamon Ripple

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 Tbs. butter, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

Muffin Batter

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare 12 muffin cups by greasing or lining with muffin papers.

Combine all the cinnamon ripple ingredients in medium bowl and use an electric mixer to blend them well.  Set the mixture aside.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Continue to beat and add each egg, buttermilk and vanilla.  Stir in the dry ingredients by hand just until the batter is blended.  Sprinkle the cinnamon ripple over the batter and use a spatula to fold it in a couple of times.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups and bake for 12 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean.  Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serving Up {Muffins}: Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Our family has muffins nearly every Sunday.  Couple our muffin frequency with my love of anything cinnamon and frosted and it should come as no surprise that we have tried Cinnamon Roll Muffins.  In fact, we have tried a number of Cinnamon Roll Muffin recipes.  There is one recipe in particular that seems to pop up frequently on blogs and/or pinterest (like here) that we tried, and while it did taste like cinnamon rolls, it requires the process of rolling out the dough, spreading a topping over the dough and then rolling the dough into a log.....etc.  Well, if I wanted to go through all of that I would just make the real deal cinnamon rolls and skip muffins altogether.

This recipe is not as pretty and it doesn't look like cute little miniature cinnamon rolls, but it has got the taste down!  It helps that the recipe calls for yeast, which I think adds a sweetness that makes the finished product taste more authentic.  But there is no kneading, no rolling pins, no floury mess to clean up.  You fill the muffin tins (I used paper lines, but would suggest just greasing the muffin tins and skipping the paper lines for this recipe), you sprinkle the topping mixture, you swirl the topping mixture and you bake.  Then you enjoy the smell of cinnamon goodness and giggle an evil laugh knowing your cinnamon roll fix only took 10 minutes from start to oven!  It doesn't get any better than that!

CINNAMON ROLL MUFFINS     Pin It
(recipe from Amandeleine)
printable version

Dough
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tsp. yeast
2/3 cup warm milk
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

Filling/Topping
2 Tbs. butter, room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp.cinnamon

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 oz. softened cream cheese
1-2 Tbs. milk or cream

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt.  Dissolve the yeast in a measuring cup filled with the warmed milk, then stir milk mixture, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and egg into the flour mixture. Mix well, until very smooth. Let rest for 15 minutes.

While the dough rests, mix together butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl using a fork until all the butter has been incorporated into the sugar and mixture is crumbly.

Divide the batter between 12 greased muffin cups. Sprinkle the topping over the dough mixture and press the  swirl slightly with a knife.

Place the muffin pan into a cold oven, then set the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for about 20 minutes, until bread is lightly browned at the edges and the center of the bread springs back when lightly pressed. Some of the sugar mixture on top may still be bubbling.

Cool for at least 30 minutes before whisking the powdered sugar, milk and cream cheese together to form an icing and drizzling it onto the bread.  Serve immediately.

Serving Up {Muffins}: Banana Crunch Muffins

I really ought to turn this post over to my 11 year-old daughter to write because this is her recipe.  That's right.  I have officially handed off the Sunday morning muffins to her and we are both a bit giddy with the arrangement.


I think it is pretty great because...

• I get to take a hot shower while she is slaving over the muffins.
• I don't have to mediate the disagreement over the flavor of muffins.
• She is just so stinkin' cute!

She thinks it is pretty great because...

• she gets to choose what flavor of muffins to make, which means we are eating cupcake-like muffins every week :)  
• she gets to choose what flavor of muffins to make, which means extra "media time" because she has to search for muffin recipes on the internet.
• she gets to choose what flavor of muffins to make, which means she has control that her brothers do not.

This recipe has been our favorite that she has made so far.  I love all things banana (which I know I have said more than once on this blog) but it has a crunchy cinnamon topping that really makes the end product.  So pull out some ripe bananas and find yourself your own 11 year-old to do some yummy baking for you today!

BANANA CRUNCH MUFFINS     Pin It
printable version

1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
3 bananas, mashed
¾ cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
⅓ cup butter, melted
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 Tbs. flour
⅛ tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbs. butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin liners.

In a large bowl, mix together 1 ½ cup flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 Tbs. flour, and cinnamon. Cut in 1 Tbs. butter until crumbly. Sprinkle cinnamon topping over the top of the muffin batter in the muffin tin.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until they test done with a toothpick.

Serving Up {Muffins}: Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

These little muffins are like eating little doughnut holes!  You may just want to double the recipe!  They are so yummy!

The original recipe (from Martha Stewart) calls for the batter to be divided between 12 full-size muffin tins.  But we make these as miniature muffins and delight in the cinnamon-sugar to muffin ratio.  Because of the extra step after baking, of "painting" them with melted butter and rolling them in cinnamon-sugar, they make a fun afternoon activity that the kids can join in on.  I know at our house at least, my kids love a recipe that they can help with.  Having fingers coated in cinnamon-sugar when they are done is just an extra bonus!

PUMPKIN DOUGHNUT MUFFINS     Pin It
(recipe from Martha Stewart)
printable version

10 Tbs. butter, softened
3 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

Sugar Coating:
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare mini muffin pans with shortening or non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and allspice.
In a smaller bowl combine the buttermilk and pumpkin puree and whisk together.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Gradually add in flour mixture, alternating additions with the pumpkin mixture until all are combined.

Fill muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, or until they test done with a toothpick.  Cool slightly.

Meanwhile, combine sugar and ground cinnamon to make the sugar coating.

Remove muffins from the muffin pan and brush with melted butter and then toss in the sugar mixture.  Allow the muffins to then cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 4 dozen mini muffins

Serving Up {Muffins}: Pear Pecan Muffins

I get most of my fall produce from a local co-op that purchases directly from local farms and orchards.  It is a terrific option for me - I am supporting local growers and in return I get great prices and amazing produce.  Last month I bought 45 pounds of bartlett pears.  They came to me still a bit green, but after just a couple of days they were perfectly ripe.  They were soft and juicy and the flavor was divine.  We enjoyed them plain, on top of greens and I even managed to bottle about half of them (with the help of my mom).  Seriously delicious!

If you, too, have delicious pears at your disposal, this is a great recipe to make on a crisp fall morning.  You can use fresh pears (as long as they are ripe) or I have been known to use canned pears when I have wanted these muffins when pears are not in season.  When I got this recipe it was called "Pear Walnut Muffins" but I always prefer pecans over walnuts so I changed the nuts and the name of the recipe.  I guess you could leave the nuts out altogether, if you are in to that kind of thing :)

PEAR PECAN MUFFINS    

(recipe from Pam H.)

printable version

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/8 tsp. salt

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup plain yogurt (I have substituted buttermilk)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 large (ripe) pear, peeled, cored and chopped fine

Prepare your muffin tin by greasing or using liners.  Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger.

In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until moistened.  Gently fold in the chopped pear.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins.  Top with finely chopped pecans and additional brown sugar.

Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until they test done.

Serving Up {Muffins}: Coconut Banana Muffins

I really ought to dedicate a weeks worth of posts just to bananas!  I love banana bread, banana cookies, banana cake, banana bars, banana pancakes, banana muffins and even banana pudding.  Trust me, I have recipes for them all and never tire of any of them.  Stay tuned for more banana recipes to come (hopefully) soon!

In the meantime, this recipe for Coconut Banana Muffins will have to hold you over.  It's a recipe from Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa) who may just be my very favorite Food Network cook ever - though I hope I don't ever have to actually pick just one.  Her original recipe was for a Banana Crunch muffin and called for nuts and granola.  My adaption of her recipe basically dropped the "crunch" (for the sake of the kids!) and I replaced the butter with coconut oil.  We enjoy muffins each Sunday morning at our house and I frequently add coconut oil and raw coconut to our muffins to boost their nutrition.  This recipe just conveniently started with those ingredients.  These muffins are divine - super moist and the perfect balance of banana to coconut.  A bit of the tropics with each bite!

COCONUT BANANA MUFFINS     

(recipe adapted from The Barefoot Contessa)

printable version

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup coconut oil
2  eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.
Fold the diced bananas and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

Serving Up {Muffins}: Pumpkin Muffins

Sunday mornings are Muffin Mornings at our house.  They have been for a couple of years now and the kids don't let me forget!  While we have tried many different recipes, and are always on the lookout for a new muffin recipe to try, pumpkin muffins are one of the most frequently requested.

This recipe is a combination of two different recipes that I merged into one.  It's our favorite but I never seem to let it alone.  The kids never know from one Sunday to the next what I am going to "experiment" with and add this time.  We have had success with adding shredded coconut and, of course, chocolate chips are always a big hit.  If you are lucky enough to live near a store that stocks Hershey's Cinnamon Chips (I have bought them by the case on amazon.com) you must try adding them to this recipe.  It's definitely our favorite pumpkin muffin addition to date!

PUMPKIN MUFFINS     
printable version


2 2/3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup coconut oil (use cooking oil if you don't have coconut oil on hand)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare 24 full-size muffin cups.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and sift together.  In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients and whisk until well combined.  Pour liquid into the dry ingredients and mix until well moistened, but don't over mix.  If adding chocolate chips stir in at the end.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they test done.