Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Muffins

November 11, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

A flawless combination: dried cranberries and white chocolate. These muffins are loaded with both. Soft and fudgy on the inside, and wonderfully crunchy on top. Every bite is dense, sweet, and buttery. Pure heaven.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Muffins (makes 18)

1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups of flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of dried cranberries
3/4 cup of white chocolate chip

For sprinkling on tops:
1/4 cup dried cranberries
¼ cup white chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line it with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix brown sugar and butter.
3. Add to the brown sugar and butter mixture, the egg, milk and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly.
4. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
6. Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips.
7. With an ice cream scoop, fill muffin cups ¾ full with batter.
8. Sprinkle tops with extra dried cranberries and white chocolate chips (optional).
9. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes.

Apple Cider Muffins

November 6, 2014November 5, 2014 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

Apple Cider Muffins

Whether it’s apple season or not, these muffins are reminiscent of the flavors of Autumn. Right out of the oven, they taste like earthy, spiced, sweet apple cider with cinnamon.

The crumbly Streusel Topping is made with a small amount of delicious butter, but some kids might be turned off by the grainy texture.

For adults, add finely chopped walnuts. For kids, instead of the Streusel Topping you might dip the tops of the baked muffins into melted butter first, and then roll the tops in a mixture of cinnamon sugar.

You will want to dunk these into your morning coffee. These smell heavenly and are freezer-friendly if you happen to have any leftovers. And remember, the streusel topping makes crumbs (you won’t care after you taste them!)

Apple Cider Muffins (makes 12)

1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup apple butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup apple cider
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil

Streusel Topping

2 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed
4 tsp whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
2 Tbsp walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. Prepare Streusal Topping: In a small mixing bowl, mix brown sugar, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, and walnuts (optional). Mix in pieces of butter. You can use your fingers to make mixture like coarse crumbs. Set bowl aside.
3. Muffins: In a large mixing bowl, whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk egg and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in apple butter, maple syrup, apple cider, yogurt, and oil.
5. Make a well in the dry mix; add the wet ingredients to the dry mix and stir until just combined.
6. Use an ice cream scoop to spoon batter into muffin cups.
7. Sprinkle muffin cups with the Topping.
8. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack.

Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins

October 12, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin Mama1 Comment

Instead of crying over the pantry full of baby food that my toddler had outgrown, I incorporated the “passé” puree into a sophisticated muffin.

I love giving sweet potato muffins to my family, guilt free. The Vitamin A in the sweet potato and the fiberous whole wheat flour compensate for the bursts of the delicious sweetness of the chocolate morsels. These speckled muffins are beautiful-looking and will complete the Halloween-inspired playdate.

Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins (makes 30)

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup (16 oz.) mashed or pureed sweet potato (without butter, salt, or milk)
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 – 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (1 12 oz. package)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, sweet potato, milk, and oil until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients, and stir just until combined.
5. Fold in chocolate chips.
6. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, until 3/4 full.
7. Bake 16 to 20 minutes.
8. Cool on wire rack.

Grandma’s Pumpkin Muffins

October 6, 2014February 6, 2015 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

Just the smell of my grandmother’s pumpkin cake recipe brings memories of Autumn that make me think about apple orchards, the first day of school, and carving Jack-O’-Lanterns. I have turned her cake into nutritious muffins by adding a mix of golden and dark raisins and chopped nuts. If you bake these for Halloween, you might want to omit the nuts and raisins for young children. The recipe makes a great cake in a 10-inch Turk pan.

Grandma’s Pumpkin Muffins (makes 30)

2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 can pumpkin puree (16 oz)
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dark raisins
1 cup chopped nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, and pumpkin.
3. Add eggs 1 at a time and whisk well after each.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Make a well in the mixture.
5. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture. Mix until just blended.
6. Wash and dry raisins and then sprinkle with flour and then shake in sieve to remove excess flour.
7. Stir in raisins and nuts.
8. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

October 3, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

These self-contained, portion-sized muffins are ready to be reheated at a moment’s notice. Top with spaghetti sauce or ketchup, Parmesan or breadcrumbs. These make an excellent dinner if you’re short on time. They also freeze well for quick meals on the run. To add a splash of color or sweetness, add dried cranberries or serve with a side of cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving dinner.

These muffins are especially tempting with crushed Ritz crackers on top. The sprinkle of Ritz makes an exciting impression and adds a taste that is buttery-delicious.

Tip: Use a fork to mix in order to aerate the mixture to produce a less-dense meatloaf.

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins (makes 12)

1 Lb lean ground turkey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs (or 14 Ritz Crackers, crushed)
3/4 cup marinara sauce
1 tsp onion salt
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin cups with olive oil or cooking spray, or line with paper liners.
2. In a bowl, combine turkey, egg, bread crumbs, marinara sauce, onion salt, and seasoning. With a fork or your fingers, mix all ingredients. (Use a fork to mix in order to aerate the mixture to produce a less-dense meatloaf.)
3. Distribute evenly into prepared muffin cups. Use a spoon or ice-cream scoop to pack each mound, for a more typical looking muffin-top and denser finished product.)
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

24 Karat Muffins

September 17, 2014October 15, 2014 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

Yes it’s true, a 24 karat muffin counts as a serving of vegetables! I grew up eating carrot cake at my Grandma and Zayda’s. This recipe is a family heirloom now transformed into muffins. Loaded with tasty ingredients like pineapple, golden raisins, and walnuts, the combination of carrot and pineapple is wonderfully fresh. Thanks to this recipe, my son has discovered a love of golden raisins.

These muffins are so moist and delicious, you don’t need icing!

*Note: Omit walnuts and raisins for young children. To make a full-size cake, bake for 50 minutes.

24 Karat Muffins (makes 24)

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
3 (4 oz.) jars of carrot baby food
3/4 cup canola oil (or saflower or peanut oil)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup white raisins
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 small can (8 oz) crushed pineapple (1 Cup)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin pans with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix eggs and sugar for 3 minutes. Add carrot baby food and oil.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon.
4. Add flour mixture to egg mixture (reserve a tablespoon to mix with raisins or nuts)
5. In a separate bowl, dredge walnuts and raisins in flour mixture.
6. In a separate bowl, mix vanilla and pineapple.
7. Add everything together, mixing walnuts and raisins in last.
8. Spoon batter into greased muffin pan, filling each muffin cup about 2/3 full.
9. Bake for 20 minutes.

Thai Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

August 28, 2014March 6, 2021 Muffin Mama4 Comments

This Thai-flavored recipe creates a stark contrast to the “comfort food” meatloaf that made me cringe when I was a kid. That meatloaf was not pretty, rather dry, and covered in ketchup. My own children would never fall for this, half of them detest ketchup, and the other half have an aversion to meat.

These Thai Turkey Meatloaf Muffins won’t bring you back to your childhood, but they will win over you and your modern-day family. Thai flavors infuse these super moist muffins that are protein packed with ground turkey, rice, coconut and Thai seasonings. The peanut sauce tastes delicious throughout and as a dip.

This quick-and-easy recipe is not only something else to do with ground turkey, but it’s foolproof. Throw the ingredients together and into the oven, or mix ahead of time and pop in the fridge until 30 minutes before hunger sets in. If you have leftovers, these muffins are perfect for reheating.

Thai Turkey Meatloaf Muffins (makes 12)

1.25 Lb ground turkey (preferably a mix of half dark meat and half light meat)
3/4 cup rice, cooked
1/4 tsp cilantro
1/4 tsp lemon grass
1/4 tsp scallions
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp basil
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup Thai peanut sauce
2 tsp sesame oil (or peanut oil)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat 12 muffin-pan cups with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine turkey, rice, seasoning, coconut milk, peanut sauce, and sesame oil, and mix thoroughly with hands.
3. Distribute turkey mixture into the muffin-pan cups and press into mixture with back of spoon.
4. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. Serve with peanut sauce.

Muffin Mama

Recipes for little hands (and grown-ups, too)

Category: Thanksgiving