A LITTLE BIT OF GOODNESS
Muffins for all tastes
BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Prep 15 Min | Total 30 Min Makes 18 muffins 1 cup whole-wheat flour 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup almond flour
1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp orange zest
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cup low fat (1%) buttermilk
1/2 cup brown sugar 6 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp orange juice 1/2 tsp vanilla
1. Position rack in the top third of oven and preheat to 400F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine flours, baking powders, baking soda, salt and orange zest. Add blueberries and toss gently to coat blueberries in flour. (This will help keep blueberries suspended in the batter so they don’t fall to the bottom.)
3. In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs, then whisk in buttermilk, brown sugar, oil, orange juice and vanilla. Don’t be concerned if the mixture looks lumpy.
4. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until most of the flour is incorporated. The mixture can be slightly lumpy; don’t overmix. Divide batter among 18 prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until muffins are golden brown around the edges.
Recipe courtesy of The Culinary Institute of America
SMOKED GOUDA DINNER MUFFINS
Prep 30 Min | Total 55 Min Makes 12 muffins Who says muffins have to be sweet? Ditch the sugar in favour of some smoked Gouda and onion. These savoury muffins are great as a snack or as a side dish at your next dinner. 1/2 cup canola oil (+1 tbsp) 2 large onions, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 Bosc pear, peeled and grated 1 cup grated smoked Gouda, divided
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1. Heat a large frying pan over medium. Add 1 tbsp oil, then onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramel coloured, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
2. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Stir flour with baking powder, pear, 3/4 cup cheese and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Whisk eggs with buttermilk, remaining 1/2 cup oil and onions in a large bowl. Stir in flour mixture just until combined. Divide batter among muffin cups. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
4. Bake in centre of oven until a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Will keep in freezer up to a month.
BAKERY-STYLE CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
Prep 10 min | Total 30 min Makes 12 muffins Easy, sugar-dusted treats you can make in a half-hour. (And they’re way better than the ones you pick up in the drive-thru.) 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 1/4 cup hot water
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
2 tsp coarse sugar 1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk eggs, buttermilk, butter, hot water and vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir into flour mixture until just combined. Stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips until combined.
3. Divide among prepared cups. Sprinkle tops with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and coarse sugar.
4. Bake until a tester inserted into centre of muffin comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
APPLE MUFFINS
Prep 15 min | Total 35 min Makes 12 muffins Topping:
2 tbsp packed brown sugar 2 tbsp all-purpose flour Pinch of salt
2 tsp unsalted butter
Muffins:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder 3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups cored, diced and peeled Gala apples, (about 2 small apples)
1. Position rack in centre of oven and preheat to 375F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Streusel: Mix sugar, flour and salt in a small bowl. Add butter and blend with fingertips until crumbly. Set aside.
3. Muffins: Whisk flours, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk egg in a medium bowl, then whisk in buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Stir into flour mixture, just until combined. Fold in apples. Divide among prepared cups, then sprinkle with streusel.
4. Bake until golden and a cake tester inserted in centre of muffin comes out with a few crumbs, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove muffins to a rack and let cool completely.
ULTIMATE CORNMEAL MUFFINS
Prep 10 Min | Total 40 Min Makes 12 muffins Cosy muffins that are perfect for snacking on, or pairing with a chunky bowl of chili. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1. Preheat oven to 375F and spray a 12-cup muffin pan with oil.
2. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat eggs, milk, sugar and butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir into flour mixture until just combined (it’s OK to see lumps).
3. Divide among prepared cups and bake until a tester inserted into centre of muffin comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm.
STREUSEL-CRUNCH SPICED CARROT CAKE MUFFINS
Prep 20 Min | Total 50 Min Makes 12 muffins There’s nothing more convenient than a grab-and-go muffin when you’re in a hurry, but the elegant loaf is better for entertaining.
Streusel:
2 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 tbsp packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp melted butter
Batter:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated carrots
2 tbsp pepitas
1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Streusel: Combine flour and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add butter and mix with hands until crumbly. Set aside.
3. Batter: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and salt in a large bowl. Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, both sugars and vanilla in a medium bowl, then stir into flour mixture until just combined. Stir in carrots.
4. Divide among cups, then sprinkle tops with pepitas and streusel. Bake until a tester inserted into centre of muffin comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove and serve warm.
Kitchen note: You can also bake this recipe as a carrot cake loaf.
RAISIN BRAN MUFFINS
Prep 10 Min | Total 35 Min Makes 12 muffins The surprisingly popular baked good you can’t get enough of.
1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 1/4 cups buttermilk 3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp fancy molasses
1 egg
3/4 cup sultana or Thompson raisins
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Stir bran, buttermilk and baking soda in a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes. Whisk oil, sugar, molasses and egg in another bowl until smooth. Stir into bran mixture until combined. Stir in raisins.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Stir into bran mixture until just combined.
4. Divide among prepared cups and bake until a tester inserted into centre of muffin comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove muffins to a rack and let cool completely.
Kitchen tip: Store muffins in resealable freezer bags and freeze for up to three weeks. Thaw at room temperature and microwave until just warm.
PUMPKIN-ALE MUFFINS
Prep 10 Min | Total 32 Min Makes 12 muffins These muffins are a fall-favourite, but if you want to make them year-round — they’re that good — and can’t get your hands on pumpkin ale, cream ale works just as well.
Batter:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin-pie spice 1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin purée 1/3 cup pumpkin ale
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
Streusel:
3 tbsp all-purpose flour 2 tbsp pepitas
2 tbsp brown sugar 2 tbsp unsalted butter 1 tbsp quick oats
Glaze:
2/3 cup icing sugar 2 tbsp pumpkin ale
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Stir flour with baking soda, pumpkin-pie spice and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Whisk eggs with brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk in pumpkin purée, 1/3 cup ale, oil and vanilla. Whisk flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined. Spoon batter into greased muffin tin.
4. Mix flour, pepitas, brown sugar, unsalted butter and quick oats, and sprinkle over batter.
5. Bake in centre of oven for 20 to 22 minutes.
6. Whisk icing sugar and pumpkin ale in a small bowl. Spoon over top of muffins.