Muffins & Quick Breads

Perfectly Moist Cornbread

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal 

½ cup sugar
2 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375, and spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.  In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients.  Add the egg, milk and vegetable oil and stir until just combined.  Pour batter into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

The Best Banana Bread

1 cup buttermilk
3 cups flour 
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 nutmeg
dash of ground ginger
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
6 over ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 300. Spray two loaf pans lightly with cooking spray (or 6 mini loaf pans).

Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and pecans and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar. Mix in eggs one at a time, then add the bananas. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk, alternating until just combined. Bake for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean (reduce cooking time to about 45 minutes if using mini loaf pans).

Apple Pie Muffins

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup apples, peeled & chopped

Filling:  3/4 cup apples, peeled & chopped
              1/4 cup apple juice
              1/4 tsp cinnamon
              1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
              1 tbsp apple juice mixed with 2 tsp cornstarch until smooth

Topping:  1/3 cup brown sugar
                   1 tbsp flour
                   1/8 tsp cinnamon
                   1 tbsp butter, softened

Preheat oven to 375 and spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.  Start by making the filling - combine the apples, apple juice, cinnamon & nutmeg in a small saucepan and cook on medium high until the apples start to soften.  Add the apple juice and cornstarch mixture, stir well and let it come to a boil.  It should thicken as it starts to boil, so once it does you can remove it from the heat.  This part can be tricky because different apples create different amounts of juice as they cook, so if it's not thick enough add a little more cornstarch mixed with a little more apple juice, or if it's too thick you can thin it by adding more apple juice (a little at a time).  The goal is for the filling to be thickened like an apple pie filling.  

In a medium bowl stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until well combined, then stir in the eggs and vanilla until incorporated.  Stir in the 3/4 cup of chopped apples (not the cooked ones).  Then add the flour mixture and stir just until it's blended together.  Fill each muffin cup just slightly less than 1/2 half full with the muffin batter.  Add about a heaping tsp of the apple pie filling to each muffin cup, then top each with the remaining batter divided evenly. 

In a small bowl, mix all the topping ingredients together with a fork until the mixture turns into crumbs.  Sprinkle this topping over each muffin cup, then place muffin pan into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let the muffins set in the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.  

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 large bananas, mashed (or 5 smaller ones)
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 and spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.  In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a separate bowl combine bananas, sugar, egg, vanilla and melted butter.  Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and stir just to combine, then fold in the chocolate chips.  Divide batter evenly into the muffin tin, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Aunt Judy's Bostonian Blueberry Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar 
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 & 1/2 cups blueberries
1/2 cup butter, melted then cooled
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 425.  Grease and flour muffin tins.  Combine dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl toss 1 tbsp of dry ingredients with the blueberries to coat, and set aside.

Combine cooled butter with the milk, eggs and vanilla.  Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened (mixture will be thick).  Fold in the blueberries.  Spoon batter in to muffin tin.  Fill to top and sprinkle with sugar. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Let stand 5 minutes before removing from pan.  Makes 12 muffins.

Moist Zucchini Bread

3 eggs 
2 cups sugar 
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups packed shredded zucchini, unpeeled
8 1/4oz crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray two 9x5 loaf pans with cooking spray. In a large bowl beat eggs until frothy. Beat in sugar, oil and vanilla and beat until mixture is thick and foamy. Stir in zucchini and pineapple.

In another bowl combine and whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into loaf pans and bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing them from pans and placing onto wire rack to cool completely.
  

 Perfect Biscuits 

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt  
1 tbsp sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425, and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Add the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder to a large bowl and whisk to combine.  Cut in the shortening until crumbs form.  Gently stir in the milk to combine.

Turn out onto floured surface and knead 15-20 times.  Pat dough down to 1 inch thick, then cut biscuits with a biscuit cutter or a glass dipped in flour.  Place biscuits onto cookie sheet and bake for 14 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.  Makes 6 biscuits.


Pumpkin Bread

 2 eggs 
1/2 cup vegetable oil 
1/2 cup pumpkin puree          
1/3 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 3 mini loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside. Combine in a large bowl the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, water and sugar. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir gently until blended. Pour into loaf pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tester comes out clean. 

Cinnamon Chip Muffins

2c flour 

¾ cup sugar

3 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1c milk

1 egg

¼ vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

1cup cinnamon chips

Streusel Topping:  Add 1/4 cup cold butter, ¼ cup flour and ½ cup sugar to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it forms a fine crumb.

Preheat oven to 400, and spray muffin tin with cooking spray.  In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, making a well in the center.  In a separate bowl, beat egg together with the milk, oil and vanilla.  Pour the egg mixture into the well of the flour mixture, and stir until just combined – do not over mix, batter will be lumpy.  Stir in cinnamon chips and divide batter equally into the muffin tins.  Top with the streusel topping and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and muffins are golden brown.   


Chocolate Zucchini Bread (makes 2 loafs, or one regular size loaf + 2 mini loafs)

2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
4 cups zucchini, shredded/grated
½ cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray loaf pans with cooking spray.  Place flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

In a separate bowl beat oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until fluffy, 1-2 minutes.  Add vanilla and yogurt and mix until combined.

Gently stir in the zucchini, then add the flour mixture to the batter and stir just until combined. Add chocolate chips and stir to incorporate them throughout the batter.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans.  I have a bottle of cinnamon sugar, so I decided to sprinkle it all over the top of the batter, but you can skip this step if you want.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.  Let it cool on a rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pans.

Cherry Pie Muffins

1 can cherry pie filling  

1 ½ cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 ¼ cups buttermilk

2 tablespoon butter, melted & cooled

1/4 cup cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.  In a large bowl add the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, vanilla and melted butter.

Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, and gently stir until just combined.  Fill muffin tins half full, then add a heaping teaspoon of the cherry pie filling to each one.  Top with the remaining batter.  Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar to cover the top of each muffin.  Bake for 20 minutes

Orange Cranberry Bread

1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup cranberries, whole or chopped in half
1/2 cup walnut, chopped
2/3 cup orange juice
2 tbsp hot water
2 tbsp butter, melted
Zest of one orange, grated
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg, slightly beaten
Sugar to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 325, and spray your loaf pan (or pans) with cooking spray.  In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and set aside.  In smaller bowl add the melted butter, hot water, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, egg and whisk together to combine.  Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.  Fold in the cranberries and walnuts, then pour batter into loaf pan (or divide evenly into mini loaf pans).  Sprinkle the top with a little sugar, then place pan in oven - for one regular loaf pan, bake for about an hour and if using the mini loaf pans, bake for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Make one regular size loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans.  

Doughnut Muffins (adapted from a King Arthur recipe)

Muffins:
1/4 cup vegetable oil 

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt
2 2/3 cups flour
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk

Glaze:
3 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp + milk (add more if needed)

Preheat oven to 400 and spray a muffin pan with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, beat together the butter, oil and both sugars until smooth.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat to combine.  Add the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt and mix until just incorporated.  Gently stir in the flour, alternating with the milk - DO NOT OVERMIX.

Distribute the batter evenly into your muffin pan, and bake until toothpick comes out clean - about 15-20 minutes.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool another 10 minutes.  Dip each muffin into the glaze and set aside to harden. 

For the glaze: whisk all ingredients together until smooth.   

Banana Blueberry Bread (makes 3 mini loaves) 

3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 coconut oil, in liquid form (can use vegetable oil if you prefer)
2 tsp vanilla
2 bananas, mashed
1 cup blueberries
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325 and spray your loaf pans with cooking spray.  Cream together the coconut oil, sugar, egg and vanilla until creamy.  In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Take 2 tbsp of the flour mixture and toss it around with the cup of blueberries. Fold the mashed banana and blueberries into the sugar mixture.  Add the rest of the flour mixture and stir until just combined.  Pour into the loaf pans and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Cranberry Streusel Muffins (makes 18)

3 cups flour 

1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups cranberries, chopped 

Topping:
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp flour

Topping:  Pulse 4 tbsp butter, 4 tbsp sugar and 5 tbsp flour in a food processor until little crumbs form. If you don't have a food processor you can just cut the butter into the sugar & flour. 

Preheat oven to 400 and spray your muffin tins with cooking spray.  In a small bowl, toss the cranberries with 1/4 cup of sugar and set aside.

Add the flour, remaining sugar, baking powder and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine.  Cut in the 1/2 cup of butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and vanilla then gently stir it into the flour mixture until just combined.  Fold in the cranberries, and fill your muffin tins 2/3 thirds full.  Sprinkle the topping on each muffin, then bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.