Basicmuffinbatterandvariations Recipes

BASIC MUFFIN BATTER (AND VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• Get out the additional ingredients for the variation you have chosen.
• Heat oven to 375°F; grease 12 regular or 24 mini-muffin cups.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, baking powder and salt until pale and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs.
• Gently stir (fold) flour in alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour until well blended.
• Follow the directions for the variation you've chosen and divide the batter among the muffin cups.
• Bake 17 to 20 minutes for regular size, or 14 to 16 minute for mini muffins, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire rack.
• CHOCOLATE CINNAMON**:.
• Add 1 teaspoons cinnamon to flour in Basic Batter. Stir in 1 cup melted semi- sweet chocolate chips after flour. Divide among muffin cups.
• Cut up 4 ounces light cream cheese and press into batter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar mixed with ½ teaspoons Cinnamon. Bake as above.
• APPLE ALMOND:.
• Crumble 1 can (8 oz.) or 1 roll (7 oz.) almond paste on top of Basic Batter and stir in with 1 cup chopped apple. Divide among muffin cups and top each with 2 thin slices apple (or 1 slice halves for minis).
• Bake as above. Brush tops with 2 tablespoons warmed honey.
• PUMPKIN STRUESEL:**.
• Mix 2/3 cup solid-pack pumpkin, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons molasses, and 1 teaspoons pumpkin-pie spice into Basic Batter. Divide among muffin cups. Top with crumbly mix of 3 tablespoons cold butter, 1/3 cup flour, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and 1/3 cup chopped pecans. Bake as above.
• CRANBERRY UPSIDE DOWN**:.
• Thoroughly grease muffin cups (do not line). Mix ¾ cup whole-berry cranberry sauce, ¼ cup chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons sugar and ¼ teaspoons nutmeg.
• Divide among muffin cups. Press 1 pecan half into center. Spread Basic Batter gently over cranberries. Bake as above. Cool in pan 15 minutes.
• CRANBERRY:**.
• Mix ¾ cup whole-berry cranberry sauce, ¼ cup chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons sugar and ¾ teaspoons nutmeg into Basic Batter. Bake as above.
• SPICY MINCEMEAT:.
• Stir 1 cup mincemeat and ¼ teaspoons Allspice into Basic Batter. Divide among muffin cups. Bake as above.

BASIC MUFFINS (WITH VARIATION OPTIONS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F Mix milk and egg together well. Mix dry ingredients and cut in butter. Add to milk/egg mixture. Add sugar. Stir until just moistened. Fill greased or paper lined muffin pans 2/3 full.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 10 muffins.
• You may change the basic muffins by adding one (only one) of the variations to the dry ingredients before adding other basic ingredients. Follow rest of the baking instructions as stated above.
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup peeled and cored grated apples, 1 cup blueberries (rinsed well and patted dry, if they are canned or frozen), 1 tbs. grated orange OR lemon peel.

MUFFINS BASIC AND VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Grease 12 2 1/2-inch muffin cups.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Sift Flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a medium-sized bowl.
• Stir to mix well.
• In a small bowl, beat egg with a fork.
• Add milk and oil.
• Add all at once to dry ingredients.
• Stir mixture only until dry ingredients are moistened.
• Batter will be lumpy.
• Drop batter from a tablespoon into prepared muffins pans, filling each cup half to two-thirds full.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove from pan and serve hot with butter, jam or marmalade.
• VARIATIONS:
• GINGER MUFFINS: Add 1/2 Cup finely diced candied ginger to flour mixture before adding liquid.
• BANANA PECAN MUFFINS: Prepare muffin batter but use only 1/2 cup milk.
• Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/4 t ground nutmeg to sifted flour.
• Add 1 cup mashed, peeled banana with the egg, milk and oil.
• BLUEBERRY MUFFINS: Toss 1 cup washed and well-drained fresh or frozen blueberries with sifted flour mixture before adding liquid.
• ORANGE MUFFINS: Cut 2 peeled navel oranges into sections.
• When batter is in the cups, place an orange section on top of each and sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar.
• CHEESE MUFFINS: Fold 1/2 cup grated sharp yellow cheese into muffin mix with the last few strokes on batter.
• Serve hot with scrambled eggs and bacon for a special breakfast.
• SURPRISE MUFFINS: Fill muffin cups 1/3rd full of batter.
• Drop 1/2 t of your favorite jelly in center of batter.
• Add batter to fill cup 2/3rds full.
• Kids just love these as you will.
• COCONUT MUFFINS: Add 1 c Shredded coconut with the last few strokes of mixing.
• For a snack have coconut muffins, butter and milk.
• CHIVE MUFFINS: Fold 1/4 cup chives into the batter during the last few strokes and serve at dinner.
• Great with a steak and salad.

BASIC MUFFINS WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• 1. Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• 2. Add wet ingredients and any optional ingredients and stir just until moistened. (Adjust amount of milk depending on how moist your add-ins are - add less for moist things like banana, crushed pineapple, or pumpkin and add a bit more if needed for dried fruits.)
• 3. Scoop into greased muffins tins (an ice cream scoop works well for this). Sprinkle the tops with sugar if desired, and bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.
• 4. NOTES: You can mix up a large batch of the basic dry mix (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) and store in a sealed container in your pantry. To have fresh muffins in the morning, stir the mix and measure out 3 cups of mix for one dozen muffins, 6 cups for two dozen muffins, add the wet ingredients and the optional ingredients and bake. Or, for a large group, make a large batch of the basic mix and make one dozen each of a variety of flavors with a lot less work.
• 5. VARIATIONS: Banana Nut - add 1c. mashed bananas and 1/2 c. chopped walnuts. Blueberry - add 1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries. Pina Colada - add 1 small can drained crushed pineapple and 1/2 c. coconut. Apple Spice - add 1 peeled chopped apple, 1/4 teas. cinnamon and a dash nutmeg. Coffee Walnut - add 1 teas. coffee extract and 3/4 c. chopped walnuts. Pumpkin Spice - add 1 c. canned pumpkin, 1/2 teas. pumpkin pie spices, 1/2 c. nuts. Mincemeat - add 1 c. canned mincemeat and 1/2 c. chopped nuts. Date Nut - add 1 c. chopped dates and 1/2 c. nuts. Cranberry - add 1 c. chopped fresh cranberries, 1/2 c. nuts, 1 teas. orange rind. Chocolate chip - add 1 c. chocolate chips and 1/2 teas. vanilla extract, nuts if desired. Cherry Almond - add 1 c. chopped dried cherries and 1/2 c. toasted flaked almonds. Chocolate Chocolate chip - add 1/4 c. cocoa powder, 1/2 teas. vanilla and 1/2 c. (or more) chocolate chips (thanks LB). Anything else you can think up. Adjust amount of milk in batter depending on the moistness of the added ingredients.

BASIC MUFFINS WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Beat egg; add milk, oil and vanilla.
• Stir in dry ingredients.
• Spoon into muffin pan.
• Bake at 375* for 25 minutes.
• Variations: After mixing add the Variation ingredients.
• Mix and match to get your favorite!