Just the word “muffin” conjures up pans popping full of warm tasty goodness perfect anytime but especially welcome at breakfast or brunch topped with melting butter.
With that in mind, we hopes to tempt your tastebuds today with several recipes that will make that homemade treat possible anytime with easy preparation and fresh ingredients.
Visualize Apple-Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping, Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins and Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins.
Most food history websites agree that blueberry muffins are the most popular types, but today’s recipes will give that favorite a good run, including those made with applesauce, pecans, streusel toppings and more.
The all-time favorite blueberry muffin is celebrated July 11 on National Blueberry Muffin Day — and it’s very appropriate to whip up a batch now in Florida where blueberry picking is at its peak April through July.
The word “muffin” likely derives its name from the an Olde German word muffen, the plural of muffe, meaning a small cake, according to foodimentary.com.
Muffins come in both savory varieties, such as corn and cheese muffins, or sweet varieties such as blueberry, banana and other fruits.
American muffins (unlike British style “English muffins”) are similar to a cupcake in size and cooking methods: Cupcakes almost always are made with cake batter, while muffins are a type of quick breads. English muffins are flatter, yeast raised and baked on a griddle.
A quick tip from many muffin bakers is to use both butter and oil in recipes and do not overmix to ensure light, fluffy muffins.
And if you want to save your muffins for later, wrap them in heavy foil and freeze for up to two months. For an instant breakfast, thaw them, still wrapped, at room temperature.
Muffins are so popular a couple of states honor them. The blueberry muffin is the official state muffin of Minnesota; the corn muffin is the official state muffin of Massachusetts; and New York State honors apple muffins.
Though there are a number of quick muffin mixes on supermarkets shelves, there is nothing that speaks love in the morning more than a freshly baked pan of homemade muffins.
APPLE-BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH STREUSEL TOPPING
(Makes 4 oversized or 12 regular muffins)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cup apples, finely chopped
- 4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 cup blueberries, well-drained
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, slightly softened and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an oversized 4-cup muffin pan (or a regular 12-cup muffin pan).
To prepare the muffins, combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and apples in a large bowl. Mix in all the dry ingredients and stir until the flour is just moistened. The batter should be lumpy. Fold in the blueberries.
Fill each cavity in the 4-cup muffin pan 3/4 full, or each cavity in the 12-cup muffin pan 2/3 full.
To make the topping, combine the flour, cinnamon, brown sugar and butter in a small bowl. Use a fork to combine the ingredients and sprinkle the topping over the muffins.
Bake muffins for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 5 melted tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 cup milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup poppy seeds
- Rind of one lemon, shaved
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease large muffin pan or use large paper muffin cups. In a large bowl place all dry ingredients (including sugar, poppy seeds/rind) mix lightly with whisk.
Melt butter, add milk, oil, egg and lemon juice. Pour wet ingredients onto dry ingredients and gently fold with whisk.
Spoon mixture into greased Texas Muffin tin. Bake about 30 to 35 minutes or until cooked through and even in color.
Allow to rest for 10 minutes before turning out. — Original Woolworth’s recipe
APPLESAUCE OATMEAL MUFFINS
- 1 1/2 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup fat-free milk
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup Quaker Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)
- 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon margarine or butter, melted
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 medium muffin cups with paper baking cups or spray bottoms only with cooking spray. For topping, combine the first four ingredients — oats, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon — in small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
For muffins, combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in large bowl; mix well. In medium bowl, combine applesauce, milk, sugar, oil and egg white; blend well. Add to dry ingredients all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. (DO NOT OVERMIX FOR LIGHT, FLUFFY MUFFINS.)
Fill muffin cups almost full. Sprinkle with reserved topping, patting gently.
Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool muffins in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve warm. —Quaker Oaks recipe
