Apple Crisp Muffins

These were delicious.  The perfect taste of fall flavors.  Dad said they were the best muffins he’s ever had.  My only complaint is that the recipe only made 10!  Next time I’ll definitely be (at least) doubling the recipe!

These are super moist due to the combination of butter, oil and applesauce.  The fresh apple pieces get tender (but not mushy) and the oatmeal crisp topping adds a little extra sweetness and the perfect amount of chewy crunchiness.  You’ll definitely want to make these this fall.  They’re great fresh from the oven or at room temperature.  But if you think they’re going to last more than a couple of days, make sure you refrigerate them in a ziploc bag, since they’re so moist they won’t last long on the counter.

Apple Crisp Muffins

Makes about 20 muffins

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (2 snack pack applesauces)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups peeled and chopped apple (about 4)

Crisp topping:

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of salt

In a large bowl, mix together butter, oil, applesauce, and sugars until well mixed (the mixture might look curdled).  Add egg and vanilla and beat to combine.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add half the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until just combined.  Add half of the remaining flour and mix again until just combined.  Toss the apple pieces with the remaining flour, then carefully fold the apples into the batter.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line 2 muffin trays with muffin cup papers or grease muffin tin generously with cooking spray.

Reusing the dry ingredient bowl, mix crisp topping ingredients together until well mixed and crumbly (I find using my hands is easiest).

Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins, should be about 3/4 full (a 4oz cookie scoop is the perfect size).  Top with about 1 Tbsp of crisp topping, then bake for about 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let muffins cool in tin for about 10 minutes before removing and letting cool completely on a wire rack.

Throwback Thursday

So I haven’t had a real win in the kitchen lately, and things have been busy with starting class, so instead of a new post today I’m doing a throwback to an old favorite!  It’s September (despite my protests at the passage of time!), which means it is now acceptable to bring on the pumpkin!  This recipe is spectacular.  It’s like pumpkin pie in a mini-muffin.  These are decadent and delicious and the perfect way to welcome fall!  Still need a picture of these tasty treats, they go too quickly to get one!

Pumpkin Pie Spice Muffins  (Originally posted March 27, 2012)

Makes about 24 muffins

Adapted from the Pioneer Woman

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1  1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1  1/2 tsp salt
• 12 Tbsp (1  1/2 sticks) butter, frozen and grated
• 1 large can (29oz or about 4 cups) pumpkin puree
• 1 (regular size, I think 14oz) can evaporated milk
• 3 eggs
• 1  1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Grease two muffin tins and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.  Cut in (or grate frozen) butter into dry ingredients until fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, and vanilla.  Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture and fold gently until just incorporated.

Scoop into muffin tins, filling almost to the top (they don’t rise very much).  Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Lemon poppy seed is my favorite muffin flavor.  It’s been ages since I’ve had one, so I decided it was time to make a batch.  These were very yummy.  The glaze adds quite a bit of sweetness with a balance of tart lemon zest.  The poppy seeds give a nice little crunch to the delicate crumb.  This are great for breakfast or a snack since they aren’t too sweet.  The lemon adds a bright burst of flavor and most of the sweetness comes from the glaze on top.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Makes about 15 muffins (I doubled the recipe and got about 32)

Adapted from Annie’s Eats

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 lemons, zested
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup plain yogurt

Glaze:

• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

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

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add lemon zest and vanilla extract.  Slowly beat in the dry ingredients, alternating with the yogurt, in three batches.  Mix until just combined.

Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin (I used a 4oz cookie scoop).  Bake for 16-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool for about 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the muffins are cooking, whisk together all the ingredients for the glaze.

Once you’ve transfered the muffins to the wire rack, add about 3/4 tsp glaze to each muffin while they’re still warm.

Morning Glory Muffins (Paleo)

I saw this recipe ages ago, and while I was intrigued, I was also totally skeptical…a delicious baked good without butter or oil or flour???  So when I was doing some cooking for a paleo-eating friend of mine, it was the perfect excuse to try out these muffins, and holy delicious, Batman!  These are awesome!  They’re moist and tender and slightly sweet and nutty and kind of taste like carrot cake with little bursts of tart cranberry!  I think I’m going to have to make another batch since I gave all the first batch away.  So if you’re skeptical about the whole paleo thing, or you’re following a paleo and/or gluten-free diet, or just looking for something delicious and little different, I highly recommend trying these muffins!!

These muffins use sweet potato.  Since I was lazy, I microwaved mine (stab with a fork all over, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 5 minutes, or until tender.  If you’ve got time to spend anyway, roasting them in the oven would work too (make extra and stuff them with deliciousness for your dinner!).  I’ve never used canned sweet potato but that might work as well, or substitute pumpkin if you’re feeling pumpkin-y.

Morning Glory Muffins (Paleo)

Makes about 14 (I filled a dozen muffins all the way to the top and put the remaining batter in a mini-loaf pan)

Adapted from Carrots ‘n’ Cake

• 1 1/2 cups almond meal/flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup mashed sweet potato (about 2 medium sized)
• 1 cup shredded coconut (I used sweetened because that’s what I have on hand)
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot (one large carrot)
• 1/2 cup shredded zucchini (1/2 large zucchini), squeeze out excess liquid
• 1/3 cup honey
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease very well with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk together.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin, filling all the way to the top since they don’t rise much.  Bake for 25-28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few crumbs clinging on is fine).  Serve warm or room temperature, but store in an airtight container in the fridge (with the high moisture content, these probably won’t last very long at room temperature).  Enjoy!

Butternut Squash and Feta Muffins

Holy yum, guys.  These are delicious.  They come together quickly if you have leftover squash.  You can also use pumpkin, but I’m more likely to have butternut squash on hand.  These are the perfect combination of slightly sweet, salty, doughy and tender.  I’m excited to try other variations.  I think green onions would be really good in these.  You can also swap out different cheeses…like goat cheese or gruyere would be amazing!  Will definitely be making these over and over again.  I had them with a big salad, but I think they’d go perfectly with soup.  The recipe called for spinach, but I only had arugula on hand, which turned out great.  The recipe also called for olive oil, but I completely forgot to add it and I didn’t miss it at all, they were super moist (if your squash or pumpkin seems a little dry you might add the oil).  Don’t be afraid to switch things up based on what you have on hand.

Butternut Squash and Feta Muffins

Makes about 14 muffins

Adapted from The Flour Sack

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup whole milk (I used 1 1/2 cups skim and 1/2 cup half and half)
• 1/2 cup olive oil (optional)
• 2 tsp whole grain mustard
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 2/3 cup crumbled Feta
• 1 large handful arugula, chopped
• 2 cups roasted cubed butternut squash
• 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Grease muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil (if using), and mustard.  Whisk together the dry and wet ingredients.  Gently fold in the cheeses, arugula, butternut squash and parsley.

Scoop batter into muffin tin.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden.

Kalamata Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Muffins with a Goat Cheese Center

These muffins were quite tasty.  I’m a big fan of olives, but didn’t find these to have an overwhelming olive taste (so if you don’t like them, don’t be scared; if you do like them, you might add some extra).

Kalamata Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Muffins with a Goat Cheese Center

Makes 32 muffins:  About 217 calories (7 g protein!)

Adapted from The Best Quick Breads by Beth Hensperger

• 6  3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 Tbsp yellow cornmeal
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1  1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups milk (I used skim)
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup pitted black olives, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 10 ounces plain goat cheese, cut into 32 pieces and rolled into balls

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Grease muffin pans and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat the milk, olive oil, and eggs with a whisk until well mixed.  Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until ingredients are just combined.  Do not overmix!  Gently fold in the olives and tomatoes.

Fill muffin cups halfway, place goat cheese ball in center, then spoon more batter over the top until muffin cups are full.  Bake in the center of the oven for about 15-20 minutes.  A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer.