Hanukkah Muffins

December 19, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin Mama3 Comments

Add a splash of blue and white to the feast as you celebrate eight nights of Hanukkah with blueberry white chocolate muffins!

Unlike the oil, these muffins will not last all eight days. Like the Israeli flag, they are blue and white – colors that are especially meaningful during the Hanukkah holiday that celebrates the Jewish victory (a “military miracle”) against the ancient Seleucid Empire, which was the center of Greek culture during the 2nd century BCE.

Light and fluffy, these muffins are bursting with vanilla and have crunchy, sweet edges. Perfect for breakfasts on-the-go, you can also serve this healthy option alongside the traditional oily foods like potato latkes and fried doughnuts.

These muffins are simple to prepare – just mix the wet ingredients in one bowl, the dry in the other, and then combine. No mixer required.

Whether you are celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa, have a delicious holiday (and enjoy these heavenly muffins)!

Hanukkah Muffins (makes 12)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup blueberries
¼ cup white chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla.
4. Pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
5. Spoon batter into greased muffin pan, filling each muffin cup about 2/3 full.
6. Prod several blueberries and white chocolate chips on the tops of each muffin.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean.

Hanukkah Doughnut Muffins

December 16, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

Instead of baking traditional jelly-filled doughnuts, enhance your repertoire (and Hanukkah table) by muffinizing—transforming doughnuts into muffins! Hanukkah muffins are healthier, easier to bake, and just as delicious as the classic, deep-fried sufganiot.

Experiment with different fillings (some pictured below), and serve alongside bite-sized “doughnut holes” (muffin cut-outs dipped in melted butter and sugar).

Happy Hanukkah!

Chocolate (chocolate frosting)

Vanilla (vanilla frosting)

Cherry (cherry jam)

Dulce De Leche (dulce de leche sauce)

Doughnut Holes (muffin cut-outs dipped in melted butter and sugar)

Hanukkah Doughnut Muffins (makes 12)

2 2/3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk

Topping:
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
12 oz jar jelly, jam or preserves

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk butter, oil, eggs, vanilla and milk.
4. Pour wet ingredients over dry mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, until muffins are golden and tops spring back when touched lightly.
6. Let muffins cool for 15 minutes, then use a cupcake corer or knife to cut a hole in the top of each. (Save the “cut outs” to make doughnut holes, if desired.)
7. Dip each muffin in melted butter, then sugar.
8. Fill each hole with jelly.
9. Dip cut-outs from muffins into leftover melted butter and sugar (optional).

Jelly Doughnut Muffins

December 12, 2014February 23, 2015 Muffin MamaLeave a comment

Every baker in Israel makes jelly doughnuts, or sufganiyot, for the eight days of Hanukkah.

Traditionally, sufganiyot, were stuffed with jelly, but today innovative Israeli bakers fill them with Nutella, lemon curd, and even foie gras. We are fans of cherry jam and dulce de leche.

I use a cupcake corer to cut a hole in the middle of the muffins, which is a lot more fun and easier and cleaner than using a knife.

You can make great use of the cut-outs by dipping them in melted butter and sugar and serving bite-size “doughnut holes” alongside the doughnut muffins.

Every bite of these muffins is the ideal (miraculous) combination of sweet-cream-sugar-and jam. They are stupendous toasted. You will want to bake and eat them specifically for Hanukkah, and year round!