Maple Drizzled Apple Muffins

1 1/3 cups (325 mL) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) rolled oats
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder
1 1/2 tsp (8 mL) cinnamon
1/2 cup (125 mL) milk
1/3 cup (75 mL) melted butter
1/4 cup (50 mL) maple syrup
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
1 cup (250 mL) chopped apple
pecan or walnut halves (optional)

Glaze:
3 tbsp (45 mL) powdered sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) maple syrug

Heat oven to 400 F. Line muffin cups with baking cups or grease. Combine first 5 dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Mix well. Add milk, butter, maple syrup and egg whites, mixing just until moistened. Gently stir in apples. Fill cups almost full. Top with nut halves. (Or halve-not!) Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool slightly.

Glaze: Blend together sugar and maple syrup until smooth. Drizzle over muffins.


Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins
(sorry - don't have the metric measures for this one!)

1 pkg (4 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp plux 1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup cooking oil

Beat cream cheese and 2 tbsp of the sugar until light and fluffy. Set aside. In a larger bowl, stir together flour, remaining 1/2 c. sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

Make a well in centre of dry ingredients. Combine egg, milk and oil. Add all at once to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. (Batter should be lumpy.)

Spoon about 2 tbsp of chocolate batter into each greased muffin cup or paper cup. Drop 1 tsp of cream cheese mixture on top and then add more chocolate batter.

Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar if you want. Yields: 8

Jam Donut Muffins

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup cooking oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup melted butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. In another bowl, combine oil, sugar, egg and milk throroughly. Add liquids to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups or paper liners 2/3s full and bake at 350 F for 20 - 25 minutes. Shake muffins out while hot, dip in melted butter and sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon. Yields 8 large.

Pina Colada Muffins

1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp rum extract
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 small can of crushed pineapple, DRAINED
1/2 cup coconut

Combine sugar, egg, butter, sour cream and extract until blended. Stir together dry ingredients and add, stirring until barely blended. Add pineapple and coconut. Fill greased (or paper cup lined) muffin tin 2/3 full and bake at 375 F for 20 minutes. 8-ish muffins.


The last three are originally from "Muffin Mania" (Cathy Prange and Jean Pauli) and I might have made slight changes. Can't remember; it's been a while since I made 'em!

sian