I have been making delicious, light-as-a-feather cinnamon rolls as long as I can remember, using the dough scraps from yeast rolls I was making at the time. I always had too many, even for my three boys to eat, so they made great happies for neighbors or teachers or whoever was around. The smell of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven was irresistible then and still is today.
Muffins can be put together quickly, baked in short order, and enjoyed on the go. For the lightest muffins, always use fresh baking powder and baking soda, and use a light hand when mixing or folding the batter together. Overmixing the batter will cause the muffins to be a little tough or heavy. You can top warm muffins with a little melted butter and a sprinkling of sparkling sugar or cinnamon sugar for a glistening touch and a bit of crunch on top.
Warm your oven and your home with a little bit of simple baking during these winter months. It is still the season of sharing, and any of these recipes are perfect to pass around. “Popular” might become your middle name! Stay warm, y’all!
Cranberry-Orange Crunch Muffins
Dust warm muffins with orange zest and sparkling sugar for a glistening effect!
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1 large egg
¼ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup milk
¼ cup orange juice
½ teaspoon fresh orange zest
Sparkling sugar
Orange zest
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line each well of a 6-muffin, jumbo muffin pan with a paper liner. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Toss dried cranberries into flour and stir. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, oil, milk, orange juice, and orange zest. Gently mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients until well combined, being careful not to overmix batter. Using a large spoon or ice-cream scoop, fill each muffin well with batter, filling each about ¾ full. Bake muffins for 20 to 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean. Sprinkle each muffin generously with sparkling sugar and more orange zest, gently pressing sugar and zest into muffin top. Place muffins on a cooling rack. Serve warm with butter.
Yield: 6 jumbo or 12 regular-size muffins
Spicy Cheddar & Bacon Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
1½ cups extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated and divided
½ cup butter
1 cup whole milk
1 egg
4 to 5 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
Smoked paprika
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease wells of a 12-cup muffin pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, peppers, and cup grated cheese. In a microwavable bowl, heat butter and milk together, stirring until butter melts. Cool slightly, then whisk in egg. Pour mixture over dry ingredients. Stir batter until just moistened. Add crumbled bacon and stir gently. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling almost to top. Sprinkle each muffin with reserved cheese, and then sprinkle with smoked paprika. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven, and cool muffins slightly. Serve warm with butter.
Yield: 12 muffins
Raw Apple Muffins
4 cups diced apples (peeled or unpeeled)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup broken walnuts
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 16 muffin tins. In a mixing bowl, combine apples and sugar, and set aside. In a second bowl, place eggs, oil, and vanilla, stirring to blend well. In a third bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt with a fork until blended. Stir egg mixture into apple mixture and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle flour mixture over apple mixture and mix well. Batter will be stiff. Sprinkle raisins and walnuts over batter and mix well. Spoon into muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Serve warm.
Yield: 16 muffins
Sweet Blueberry Muffins
1½ cups all-purpose flour, unsifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine egg, milk, and butter. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and pour in milk mixture, stirring with a fork just until dry ingredients are moistened. Butter 12 regular muffin wells. Gently fold in blueberries, and ladle batter into wells, filling each approximately 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve muffins warm with butter or jam.
Yield: 12 muffins
Banana/Nutella Muffins
Use muffin liners in muffin pan. Place a glass marble between the liner and the pan to make the unique heart shape.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
4 over-ripe bananas, mashed
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
Nutella Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 12 regular muffin wells with liners and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, combine mashed bananas, sugar, brown sugar, egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir, until no lumps remain. Do not overmix. Using a spoon, fill each well with batter, filling ¾ full. Top each muffin with a teaspoon or so of Nutella. Using a toothpick, swirl Nutella into batter. Bake muffins for 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove muffins from oven and cool. Serve warm with extra Nutella if desired.
Yield: 12 muffins
Monkey Bread Muffins
This was the original “Christmas Morning Bread” recipe from my sister Jennifer, turned into jumbo muffins. Prepare the recipe the night before you plan to bake and serve it.
16 to 18 unbaked frozen yeast rolls
1 (3-ounce) package butterscotch pudding mix (not instant)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1 stick butter, melted
ICING:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk or cream
1 to 2 tablespoon butter, melted
¼ teaspoon vanilla
Sparkling sugar
Line 8 jumbo muffin wells with paper liners. Spray liners with cooking spray. Using a sharp knife, cut each unbaked roll into 3 or 4 pieces. Divide dough pieces among muffin wells. Sprinkle dry butterscotch pudding mix equally over roll dough, follow with brown sugar and chopped pecans. Pour melted butter over each muffin, covering dough. Cover entire pan loosely with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in refrigerator overnight. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove pan from oven.
For icing, in a small bowl, whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk or cream, butter, and vanilla together until very smooth, adding more sugar or milk if needed. Drizzle icing over muffins and sprinkle generously with sparkling sugar. Remove muffins from pan and serve warm.
Yield: 8 jumbo muffins
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
2 (.25-ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 cup boiling water, divided use
¾ cup butter
1 cup cold water
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
7 to 8 cups flour
1/8 cup melted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
ICING:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons cream
1/8 cup melted butter
Dissolve yeast in half of boiling water for 5 minutes; set aside. Combine butter with remaining water and stir until butter has melted. Cool and place in a very large bowl. Add cold water, sugar, salt, eggs, and yeast. Mix well. Add flour to make a soft dough that when beaten does not stick to sides of bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. When ready to use, remove half of dough and place on a floured board. Roll dough into an 8×12-inch rectangle, about 1-inch thick. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over dough. Drizzle 1/8 cup butter over brown sugar and gently pat sugar into dough. To make jumbo rolls begin rolling from the short end of rectangle and continue to roll dough into a large cylinder. Cut dough with a sharp knife into 1 inch thick rolls. Place rolls on a cookie sheet, sides touching. Cover loosely with a dishtowel and let rise for 1 to 2 hours. Bake in a preheated 355-degree oven for 15 minutes or until rolls are golden. Remove from oven and let cool. For icing, in a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, cream, and melted butter until combined. Drizzle over cinnamon rolls, and serve warm. The remaining dough will keep in refrigerator for 7 to 10 days, covered. If you use all of the dough, double remaining ingredients for filling and icing.
Yield: 16 cinnamon rolls
