Healthful Carrot Apple Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 c grated carrots
• 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 c milk
• 1/4 c canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350.  Line muffin tin with muffin papers.
• In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Gradually add the carrot mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until blended.
• Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake about 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Streusel

Adapted from This Hungry Mama Bakes.

Ingredients:

• Filling - 
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 c powdered sugar
• Muffins - 
• 1 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c and 2 TBS vegetable oil
• 1 c sugar
• 1 c pumpkin puree
• Streusel topping - 
• 1/4 c sugar
• 2 TBS and 1/2 tsp flour
• 2 TBS butter
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

• Filling - 
• Whip cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.  Form into a log on plastic wrap, making sure that the diameter is small enough to fit into the wells of the muffin pan.  Wrap the log tightly and freeze until slightly hardened, about 2 hours.
• Muffins - 
• Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, spices, salt, and baking soda.
• With electric mixer, mix eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, and pumpkin puree.  Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined.
• Streusel Topping - 
• Combine all ingredients except butter in a small bowl.  Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
• Assembly - 
• Fill each muffin well halfway with batter.  Divide cream cheese log into 12 equal slices.  Place one slice in each muffin well.  Divide remaining batter amongst muffins. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the batter.
• Bake 20-25 minutes.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup pumpkin
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a muffin pan by lining 12 baking cups with paper cups.
  
• Cream the first 5 ingredients.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients, except the chocolate chips. Gradually add dry ingredients to the batter. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool on wire racks.
  

Rhubarb Muffins

Ingredients:

Topping:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Muffins:

• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk*
• 1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 1/2 cups flour

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper baking cups.
  
• In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients; set aside.
  
• In a medium bowl, combine salt, baking powder, baking soda, and flour; set aside.
• In another bowl, beat egg and brown sugar. Add oil. Mix well until blended. Stir in vanilla and buttermilk. Gently stir in rhubarb. Add flour mixture to batter and stir just until moistened.
• Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin tins. Sprinkle topping mixture on top of each muffin.
• Bake 20 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
  

*If you do not have any buttermilk, use this substitute:
For every cup of buttermilk needed, combine one cup milk with 1 TBS lemon juice or vinegar. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, and then mix well before using it in any recipe.

Feather-Light Muffins

Ingredients:

• Muffins:
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup milk
• Topping:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, and egg. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture, alternating with milk.
• Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full.
• Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool on wire racks 3-4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll the warm muffins in the melted butter and then in the sugar mixture. Serve warm!

Yeild: 8-10 muffins

Cappuccino Muffins

Ingredients:

• For Muffins:
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 TBS. instant coffee granules
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup miniature or regular semisweet chocolate chips

• For Spread:
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened and cubed
• 2 TBS. sugar
• 1 tsp. instant coffee granules
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375. Grease or line muffin cups.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, stir milk and coffee granules until coffee dissolves; add the butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 17-20 minutes, then cool on wire racks.

To make the spread, combine all ingredients thoroughly. Store in the refrigerator.

*If you do not have instant coffee (I usually don't!), regular old finely ground coffee does just as well.
Yield: about 14 muffins