My Jelly Doughnut Muffins Are Easy to Make and Simply Delicious!

Today, I want to share a fabulous recipe to make muffins that will remind you of filled jelly doughnuts.  My version is quite yummy only minus all those extra calories from grease and deep frying!   These better for you delights have a cinnamon-sugar topping for supplying an additional tempting doughnut like taste.

You would think these little treats would be complicated to make.  However, you would be wrong.  The hardest part involved is finding all the necessary ingredients in your pantry and lining them up for preparation. 

You won't be needing your electric mixer.  All you need to have on hand is your wooden spoon or whisk.  Two mixing bowls are also important because one will be for batter and the other for topping.

Be sure to use level measurements of your baking powder and baking soda.  Don't assume that  heaping more of either will make your recipe grow more.  Too much baking powder or soda will ruin it.  The best thing is to use your measuring spoons and your knife to level it off. 

I hope you try my recipe because this really is a delicious alternative to help curb that doughnut craving!

My Jelly Doughnut Muffins

1-3/4 cups of flour
1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3/4 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup of milk
jam, jelly, or preserves of your choice

Cinnamon-Sugar Topping:

1/4 cup melted margarine or butter (not spread)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

To Make the Muffin Batter:

Sift the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl.

In another mixing bowl, add the sugar, oil, egg, milk, and vanilla. 

Mix those above ingredients and add to flour mixture.  Stir and combine the ingredients together until moistened.  (You do not want to over mix the muffin batter.  If you do, your muffins will be dry).

Either grease the cups of your muffin pan or use paper liners before filling each cup half full with batter.

Next, add one teaspoon of that jam in each cup before covering over with more batter until it is three-fourths full. 

Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

To Make the Topping:

Combine the melted margarine in one bowl.  Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in another mixing bowl.

Dip your fresh from the oven muffins in the melted margarine first and then coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture in the other bowl.

ENJOY!

Make Any Day Better With My Special Nutty Topped Pumpkin-Coconut Muffins!

This weekend's indulgence is for one of my favorite muffins.  Visualize little mounds of a decadent pumpkin spice cake filled with coconut, chopped pecans, brown sugar, and spice.  Now imagine sprinkling those glorious muffins with a praline topping of a mix of more chewy pecans, brown sugar, and coconut to increase your eating pleasure and you get my yummy Special Nutty Topped Pumpkin- Coconut Muffins!

Though fancier than some, this muffin will fool you into thinking it came from a bakery and not your kitchen.  This recipe takes a few extra ingredients and considerably more willpower to resist, but I think these beauties are well worth the trouble.  I do hope you will agree.

My Special  Nutty Topped Pumpkin-Coconut Muffins

2 cups of sifted flour
3/4 cup of packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/2 cup of shredded coconut
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
1-1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon of ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 egg
1 cup of canned pumpkin
1/2 cup of milk
1/3 cup of canola oil

Nutty Topping:

1/2 cup of  packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/2 cup of shredded coconut
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
3 tablespoons of milk
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Prepare the topping in another bowl by mixing all the ingredients together to form soft crumbs to top each muffin.

To prepare the muffin batter:

Mix the sifted flour, 3/4 cup of brown sugar, spices, 1/2 cup of the coconut, 1/2 cup of pecans, and baking powder in a large bowl to combine.

Add the egg, pumpkin, oil, and the 1/2 cup of milk and mix together before adding to the above dry ingredients until well combined.

Line your muffin pans with paper liners or grease well before filling.  Fill each of the muffin cups 3/4 full and sprinkle with a teaspoon or so of the Nutty Topping.

Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before attempting to remove from the pans.  This makes about 12 normal size muffins.

ENJOY!

Recipe: Paradise Is Digging Into One of My Moist Pineapple Muffins!

I have a confession.  I am a muffin freak.  Regardless of the slightly sweet type to the more bread like variety, I adore them.  One of my favorites happens to be this yummy pineapple muffin that is so moist and topped with  tasty brown sugar and spiced crumbs.

Before you begin, you need to check your margarine.  If you see the word spread on your package, then it has too much water content and will ruin your baking.  You need to have at least 80% fat content in the margarine to be successful.  So if you have been disappointed and wondering why whatever you bake has been trying out bad, this very well could be the reason. 

The next time you get that urge for muffins, you should give my recipe a shot because I do think you will enjoy it!

My Moist Pineapple Muffins

2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup canola oil or melted margarine (not spread)
1 small can of crushed pineapple (8-ounce size)

Brown Sugar Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup of flour
1/3 cup of firmly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons of melted margarine  (not spread)

To Make the Muffin Batter:

Drain the pineapple and save 1/4 cup of the liquid to add later.

In your mixing bowl, sift together the two cups of flour, the granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. 

Next, make a well in the center.

Add your egg, milk, the measured pineapple liquid to that well and combine with those dry ingredients just until moistened.  Don't mix this too much or it will make the muffins less moist.

Grease your muffin cups and proceed to fill each one half full.

Now is the time to sprinkle some crushed pineapple over the tops of each filled cup before finishing with the brown sugar crumb topping.

To Make the Brown Sugar Crumb Topping:

In another mixing bowl, mix the 1/2 cup of flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted margarine until combined.

Spoon each muffin with some topping.

Bake your muffins in a 375-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Do Try My Favorite Cornmeal Muffins for Deliciousness That May Surprise You!

If you want a nice change to your typical muffin, then I have a great cornmeal recipe to share with you.  This one is especially perfect to serve when you want something in between a sweet and  bread. 

What I really love about this particular recipe is that unlike other cornmeal-based breads or muffins, this one is not as grainy due to cooking the milk with cornmeal first.  You will be surprised at the difference in texture this step makes.

These muffins grow tall and the tops crack a bit with a crunchy crown.  I never had trouble with this spilling over because they shoot straight up. 

You can cut down on the sugar slightly, if you desire.  Start with the recommended amount to see how you prefer the sweetness.  I reduced this recipe by about two tablespoons of sugar and it was not missed.

Vanilla is the magical ingredient that comes together in this cornmeal muffin to really enhance the flavor for that special touch.

A fantastic way to fill your muffin cups is to use your ice cream scoop.  The normal size one deposits batter quickly to the big muffins cups and makes that job so much easier.  The tiny variety works wonders on the small ones.  Do try both size scoops when making cookies and see how much time you save and not to mention better distribution of cookie sizes.

This recipe makes a dozen normal muffins or six giant muffins.  I honestly think you'll love these muffins even if you hadn't had success with cornbread or muffins, this one will change your mind!

My Favorite Cornmeal Muffins

1 cup of milk
1/2 cup of yellow cornmeal
2-1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of canola oil
3/4 cup of sugar 
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Line your muffin pans with paper liners or simply grease them. 

Cook your cornmeal, oil, and milk in your saucepan over low heat .  Use a whisk or your fork to stir while you warm this to avoid lumping.  Do not make this hot, but lukewarm.

Sift together in a mixing bowl the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. 

In another mixing bowl, cream your sugar and eggs, (one at a time) with your electric mixer until well blended.  Add vanilla.

Take the sifted flour mixture and add some to your other mixing bowl with the sugar and eggs.  Add some of the warmed milk, oil and cornmeal mixture.  Beat this slowly in and alternate the dry with wet until you finish.  You may prefer to use your whisk at this stage.  (End with the wet to keep your muffins the most moist).

Fill your muffin pan and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes (big muffins about 20 minutes).  Then lower the heat to 350 degrees for 5 to 10 more minutes until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.