Muffin Madness

This basic muffin recipe came from a May 2000 issue of Good Housekeeping Magazine. I like to use the basic muffin recipe as a basis for getting creative or using what's in my pantry.

Basic Muffins

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
6 Tbsp. margarine or butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Grease 12 muffin-pan cups.
In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a small bowl, with fork, beat milk, melted margarine or butter, vanilla, and egg until well blended.
Add liquid mixture to the flour and stir until flour is just evenly moistened.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake muffins 18 to 20 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Immediately remove muffins from pan and cook on wire rack.

Oatmeal-Raisin Muffins

Prepare basic muffins above but reduce flour to 1 1/2 cups and stir 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal or quick-cooking oats into liquid mixture. Fold 1/2 cup raisins into batter before spooning into muffin cups.

Chocolate-Cherry Muffins

Prepare basic muffins above but fold in 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup dried tart cherries into batter before spooning into muffin cups.

Lemon-Pecan Muffins

Prepare basic muffins above but add 1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel to liquid mixture, and stir 1/2 cup chopped, toasted, pecans into flour mixture.
While muffins are baking prepare glaze in small bowl with fork, mix 3/4 cup confectioners sugar with 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice. Brush glaze on hot muffins after removing from pan.

Streusel-topped Muffins

Prepare basic muffins above but after spooning batter into muffin-pan cups, prepare streusel topping: In small bowl with fingertips, mix 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 2 Tbsp. softened margarine or butter and 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon. Squeeze mixture in hand to form large crumbs. Gently press crumbs into tops of muffins before baking.

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