Muffins – Page 3 – The Pajama Chef

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Streusel Muffins

August 22, 2014August 17, 2014 Sarah

These heavenly Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Streusel Muffins are reminiscent of treats found at your local coffee shop. They’re so good, so make a batch to impress your loved ones this weekend.

I don’t know about you, but I am SO ready for fall. I’m ready for all things pumpkin, falling leaves, crisp 50 degree morning runs, and curling up under cozy blankets. I recently heard that Pumpkin Spice Lattes will be at Starbucks really early this year–August 25 in some places. That, to me, is crazy. Summer’s still happening outdoor! While I won’t be loading up on PSLs [I’ll probably have 1-2 over the course of the season and then make some pumpkin spice syrup to enjoy with my coffee at home.] I can’t wait to bake up lots of yummy muffins to enjoy this fall.

I do make muffins year round, but there’s something special about warm muffins with your coffee in the fall. These bakery-perfect muffins combine two of my favorite things: peanut butter and chocolate. And the best part is that the peanut butter and chocolate are DOUBLED in this recipe… you’ll find them in both the muffin itself AND in the streusel. It’s double the love, y’all.

I hope you’ll love these easy muffins just as much as we did!

one year ago: Chocolate Chip Orange Cookies
two years ago: Brown Sugar Squash Muffins
three years ago: Roasted Tomato Sauce
four years ago: Creamy Lemon Squares

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Streusel Muffins

Servings: 12
Time: 30 minutes
Print

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour – divided
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed – divided
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons peanut butter – divided
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips – divided
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, prepare streusel by combining 1/4 cup flour with 1/4 cup brown sugar. Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut in 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons peanut butter. Stir in peanuts and chocolate chips then set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together remaining butter and peanut butter for about 30 seconds or until combined. Add 1/2 cup of remaining flour, the rest of the brown sugar, half the milk, the egg, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat on low until combined, then add remaining flour and milk, mixing until combined. Stir in remaining chocolate.

Divide batter between muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full. Sprinkle with streusel topping then bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

Mango Coconut Muffins

June 9, 2014June 7, 2014 Sarah

I love fruit. Love, love, love it. Crisp apples, slightly underripe bananas, juicy peaches, sweet blueberries… I could go on and on. I love them all. Nine times out of ten I’d choose fruit over chocolate–whether on its own or in a dessert. But when you add chocolate to fruit…? Oh man. I’m in heaven. Heaven! Like these muffins, a basic coconut batter filled with juicy chunks of tropical mango, coconut flakes, and white chocolate chips.

These muffins are my dream come true!

You can make these muffins with the regular variety you buy in the grocery store but my favorite kind of mango is the Ataulfo mango, also known as the honey or champagne mango. They are rich and sweet, and in my opinion… easier to cut. They have an intensely sweet flavor, with some peppery or minty notes.

They’re soft and fluffy, perfect for any occasion from book club [that’s what I made them for!] to lunchboxes. Ben’s been taking them in his lunch and people have been asking him what in the world is in that glorious muffin that smells SO SO good. I mean, who can resist these tropical treats, especially during a long day? I know I can’t! And you won’t be able to either! 🙂

Mango Coconut Muffins [adapted from Following in My Shoes]
click to print

Ingredients:

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted + cooled
1 egg
1 teaspoon coconut emulsion/extract [or vanilla extract]
1 cup fresh diced mango
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup dried coconut, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners or grease well.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl stir together buttermilk, milk, coconut oil, egg, and coconut emulsion. Fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then gently fold in mango, white chocolate chips, and half [2 tablespoons] of the dried coconut.

Divide batter evenly between prepared muffin tins and then top with remaining coconut.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days and then freeze leftovers.

Time: 30 minutes.
Yield: 16 muffins.

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

Mystery Dish: Tropical Kiwi Fruit Muffins

March 28, 2014March 27, 2014 Sarah

Happy Mystery Dish Friday! Today I have some AMAZING muffins to share with you. They are seriously some of the coolest muffins I have ever made [and from this muffin addicted girl, that’s saying a lot]. But how can you not agree?! They have KIWI on top. So fun, so tropical, so green. Spring, please come soon!

This month for Mystery Dish, Kat from I Want Crazy was in charge. When our original founder, Dani, who has since left blogging due to family, was trying to organize the group, I suggested she ask Kat to join. I knew Kat from church [we were still living in Indiana then] and she had recently started blogging. She joined and the rest is history… errr, the rest being that this month she chose our fun ingredients [including the aforementioned kiwi] to be: boxed cake mix, Peeps, oats, ginger, honey, wine, shallots, coconut, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, kiwi, dried fruit, and cinnamon. Some of those ingredients I looove [COCONUT] and others I hate [Peeps. With a passion.] so the choice was pretty simple.

I pinned these Tropical Kiwi Fruit Muffins months and months ago, and now I finally had an excuse to make them. They are a tropical delight! Basically, you make a soft coconut muffin and top it with a slice of kiwi fruit and a smattering of coconut flakes. The coconut on top gets all golden and toasty, though in an ideal world I’d like it to be toastier [but didn’t want to toughen up the muffins]. I added a touch of ginger to the muffin batter, both to satisfy Kat’s request for us to use three ingredients AND because I just thought it sounded wonderful. And they turned out wonderful, if I do say so myself. Lime, ginger, and coconut go so well together in these fun muffins, and the kiwi is the cherry on top. 🙂 A bit o’ color and flavor if you will. These muffins were perfect for a rainy/snowy week. Hope you enjoy, and that you check out some of the other recipes this month for Mystery Dish!

one year ago: Sweet & Sour Chicken
two years ago: Turkey, Spinach, & Kale Stuffed Shells
three years ago: Baked Potato Skins

Tropical Kiwi Fruit Muffins [slightly adapted from Clever Muffin]
click to print

Ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut
zest of one large lime
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
scant 1/2 cup coconut oil [90 grams]
1 cup buttermilk [quick shortcut=1 tablespoon vinegar + enough milk to make 1 cup; let sit for about 5 minutes to thicken]
1 egg
3 kiwi fruit, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons shredded coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare muffin tin with paper liners or coat with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, shredded coconut, lime zest, and ground ginger. Make a well in the center.

In a separate bowl, whisk together coconut oil, buttermilk, and egg. Pour into the well then stir until just combined.

Spoon into prepared muffin tin, then top with a slice of kiwi and some shredded coconut.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Eat or freeze within three days.

Time: 30 minutes.
Yield: 12-16 muffins.

1. Coconut Shrimp with Thai Chili Ginger Sauce by Joyful Healthy Eats
2. Sangria Poached Pears by Baking a Moment
3. Baked Mini Carrot Cake Donuts by Culinary Couture Blog
4. Funfetti Cookies with Peeps Marshmallow Frosting by I Dig Pinterest
5. Carrot Oatmeal Cookies by Yummy Healthy Easy
6. Gooey Oatmeal Cranberry Bars by I Want Crazy
7. Honey Lime Coconut Oatmeal Cookies by Blahnik Baker
8. Chocolate Almond Date Balls by The Well Floured Kitchen
9. Tropical Kiwi Fruit Muffins by The Pajama Chef
10. Nesting Peeps Cupcakes by The Dessert Chronicles
11. Carrot Cake Cookies by Chez CateyLou

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

SRC: Pumpkin Graham Muffins

November 3, 2013August 28, 2014 Sarah

Pumpkin Graham Muffins are a fun twist on everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving pie!

I love muffins! I think I’ve said that about every single time I post a muffin recipe, but I really really do. I love that muffins can be healthy, indulgent, interesting. I love that muffins are so quick to make and that they can be enjoyed for a snack or breakfast or dessert. Yum yum yum. So when I found out that my Secret Recipe Club assignment for the month, the wonderful Kate of Food Babbles, had been an avid participant in Muffin Mondays, I immediately knew that I NEEDED to make a muffin recipe.

Kate is a mom to three and is always whipping up a new, creative concoction in the kitchen. Her photography is excellent, much like her taste in food. These Pumpkin Graham Muffins are no exception. They are basically pumpkin pie, muffinified! Is that a word? It is now! [Kate used the term ‘muffinizied.’ I like that one too!] Using graham crackers in muffins is a genius trick that I will definitely be stealing for the future. These muffins have a great texture and nutty taste that pairs wonderfully with pumpkin and a smattering of fall spices.

The best part of the graham cracker goodness is in the crumb topping–just look at it! Yum yum yum. I couldn’t get enough of it, and neither could Ben. He gobbled his first one down in four bites, if that’s any indication of their deliciousness.

Pumpkin Graham Muffins are a crowd pleaser, so I hope you try them soon. As a lasting testament to their greatness, I think my pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving will feature a graham cracker crust instead of my traditional all-butter crust. I am so excited to try it out because in my book, graham cracker + pumpkin = love. Thanks, Kate!

one year ago: Lemon Herb Eggs in Ciabatta
two years ago: Candy Corn Pretzel Bites
three years ago: Pumpkin Ginger Bread

Pumpkin Graham Muffins [from Food Babbles]

click to print

Ingredients:

for the muffins

2 cups flour [I used white whole wheat]
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup graham crackers, crushed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
dash of cloves
1 cup buttermilk [I used 1 cup skim milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice]
1/2 cup canned pumpkin [not pumpkin pie filling]
1/3 cup canola oil
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the topping

1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup graham crackers, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, pumpkin,oil, egg, and vanilla. Fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 of the way full.

Stir together topping ingredients in a small bowl then distribute evenly on top of muffin batter.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

Time: 30 minutes.

Yield: 12 muffins.

Be sure to check out other recipes from other SRC members here today too! 🙂

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

Autumnal Muffins

September 13, 2013September 13, 2013 Sarah

So, I used to post once a month on a blog called Today’s Housewife. Last fall, the group decided together to stop posting due the busyness of life and families and such. Though sad, I enjoyed being part of the group. As of early January, the blog was officially taken down. But I don’t want to lose my recipes, so periodically I will be reposting them on here. Enjoy!

from November 26, 2010 … I wanted to post these sooner rather than later so that you can enjoy these muffins early on in pumpkin season! 🙂 So just ignore the Christmas talk. Haha.

Even though Christmas is just around the corner, fall is still in full swing for another month or so. [Side note: where has 2010 gone?!?] And I am really glad about that, because while I love Christmas baking, I really enjoy fall flavors–pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves immensely. Recently I was in the mood for baking, and whipped up a batch of Autumnal Muffins, a creation of mine that combines the wonderful flavors of the season–savory pumpkin, tart cranberries, and sweet, crunchy apples with some amazing spices. These smell absolutely amazing while baking, and they make a healthy, tasty, seasonal treat, perfect for breakfast or a snack.

Autumnal Muffins
click to print

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon + more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup skim milk + more for mixing
2 eggs, beaten
about 2 cups pumpkin, canned [I used a 15 ounce can]
1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
1 cup apple, finely chopped [I used a Granny Smith and didn’t peel it]
zest and juice of 1 orange

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line muffin tins with paper cups or grease well with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients: flours, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Grate orange zest over mixture and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients: milk, eggs, and pumpkin. Squeeze orange’s juice into bowl and stir to combine. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, then gently mix in apple and cranberries. If mixture needs additional liquid to combine, add extra milk in 1 tablespoon increments. [I used about 2 tablespoons additional milk.] Do not overmix. Spoon batter into lined muffin tins, sprinkle with cinnamon, and bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen.

Note:

These muffins are not very sweet, so feel free to alter the recipe by increasing the sugar or using sweetened dried cranberries in place of the fresh cranberries for a different taste.

Linked up with: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday.