Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

Do you like my snowman liners? :)

Do you like my snowman liners? :)

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Muffins are great, aren’t they? So American and so versatile. They can be savory or sweet and just about any flavor you could desire. They can be calorie bombs or nutrition bombs. These Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins are actually pretty good for you, considering how delicious they are.

The sugar content is low, only whole wheat flour is used, and they’re rich in peanut butter and chocolate!

Sometimes I think muffins don’t get the recognition they deserve. Each country has its specialty and maybe of all the things that my country could’ve invented I would’ve chosen croissants or pastries, but muffins have their place on the table for sure! I am not ashamed.

The world is a beautiful place full of diverse people, traditions, and food.  The beauty of the age we live in is how accessible it has become to travel.  You no longer have to rely on magazines and other people's experience, or weigh the cost of time it takes to get places and the chance of death as you voyage on a ship or whatnot.  Even if you remain right where you are, chances are the other people around you are coming and going.  The world is opening up more and more, we are no longer isolated from each other.  We are exposed to different ways of thinking, culture, languages, ideals.  Sometimes we agree, and sometimes we don't, and as long as we know how to do those two things humbly and lovingly, it can be a beautiful thing.  Even when it seems the disagreements outweigh the agreements, there will always be one thing we have in common: Food. 

Never underestimate the power of food.  We can thank France for flaky, buttery pastries, crepes, chocolate mousse, and baguettes, Italy for pizza, pasta, gelato, and panettone, Germany for pretzels and bratwurst, Greece for Gyros and tzatziki, the middle east for hummus, falafel, tabbouleh, baba ganoush, pita, and shawarma, Turkey for Turkish delight and baklava, Japan for sushi, China for wontons, spring rolls, and dumplings, Ireland for Shepherd's pie, Mexico for tacos, burritos, and enchiladas, Canada for Poutine, U.S. for macaroni and cheese, apple pie, s'mores, buffalo wings, jambalaya, annnnnnd muffins. 

Basically, while the French are making pastries, Americans are making muffins.  Hm.  That's fine.  Taking two days to make something does not necessarily mean it will be automatically better.  (In this case, however, I think it does.)  But we don't always have the luxury of taking two days to make pastries when the fancy strikes.  Life and work happens.  Enter the humble muffin.  Simple, humble, delicious, and quick to whip up.  It has its place in the kitchen.

They tend to get a bad rap for being high in calories, unhealthy, and associated with muffin tops.  I promise, their sole intent in life is not give you a muffin top.  Poor muffins.  I am here today to show you that muffins can be nutritious, not 500 calories a pop, and enjoyable to make.  I hope I don't have to tell you they are also enjoyable to eat.  Especially these ones. :)

Recipe adapted from Culinary Adventures in the Kitchen


Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

12-14 muffins

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cups / 270g whole wheat or white whole wheat flour

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 3 Tbsp / 42g oil

  • 1/4 cup / 61g yogurt

  • 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar

  • 3/4 cup / 195g peanut butter

  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 cup / 237g buttermilk

  • 1 cup / 175g chocolate chips

Directions:

Oven 375°F / 190°C.  Muffin tin lined with cupcake liners or greased.  You may need two pans.

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 

  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine oil, yogurt, and brown sugar.  Add peanut butter and mix until incorporated.  Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. 

  3. Add 1/3 of flour mixture to the stand mixer, mixing just until combined.  Add half of the buttermilk, again mixing until just combined.  Repeat with another third of the flour, the remaining half of the buttermilk, and finally the last third of flour.  Gently stir in 3/4 cup / 130g chocolate chips with a spoon or spatula. 

  4. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup / 44g chocolate chips over the tops. 

  5. Bake until lightly golden around the edges and/or a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 16-18 minutes. 

Jenny's Notes:

  • Whole wheat flour is not necessarily healthier than white whole wheat flour, they are simply different kinds of wheat.  Whole wheat flour is a red wheat, which gives it the darker color and slightly heavier texture.  Think of it like a Granny Smith apple and a Macintosh Apple, they are different varieties of apple but equally nutritious for you. 

  • Using either plain yogurt or a sweetened yogurt like vanilla is fine in this recipe. 

  • These muffins are not overly sweet, (I think they're perfect for breakfast so you don't start your day with a sugar coma) so feel free to up the sugar if you prefer sweeter muffins. 

muffins,snack,nutritious, chocolate chips, whole wheat, dark chocolate, peanut butter, buttermilk,yogurt
Breakfast, Bread
American
Yield: 12-14 Muffins
Author:

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

Lightly sweet, whole wheat peanut butter muffins with a healthy sprinkling of chocolate chips.
prep time: 30 Mcook time: 18 Mtotal time: 48 M

ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cups / 270g whole wheat or white whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 Tbsp / 42g oil
  • 1/4 cup / 61g yogurt
  • 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup / 195g peanut butter
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup / 237g buttermilk
  • 1 cup / 175g chocolate chips

instructions:

How to cook Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

  1. Oven 375°F / 190°C. Muffin tin lined with cupcake liners or greased. You may need two pans.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine oil, yogurt, and brown sugar. Add peanut butter and mix until incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
  4. Add 1/3 of flour mixture to the stand mixer, mixing just until combined. Add half of the buttermilk, again mixing until just combined. Repeat with another third of the flour, the remaining half of the buttermilk, and finally the last third of flour. Gently stir in 3/4 cup / 130g chocolate chips with a spoon or spatula.
  5. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup / 44g chocolate chips over the tops.
  6. Bake until lightly golden around the edges and/or a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 16-18 minutes.

NOTES:

Whole wheat flour is not necessarily healthier than white whole wheat flour, they are simply different kinds of wheat. Whole wheat flour is a red wheat, which gives it the darker color and slightly heavier texture. Think of it like a Granny Smith apple and a Macintosh Apple, they are different varieties of apple but equally nutritious for you. Using either plain yogurt or a sweetened yogurt like vanilla is fine in this recipe. These muffins are not overly sweet, (I think they're perfect for breakfast so you don't start your day with a sugar coma) so feel free to up the sugar if you prefer sweeter muffins.

Calories

329.90

Fat (grams)

17.53

Sat. Fat (grams)

4.88

Carbs (grams)

39.14

Fiber (grams)

4.20

Net carbs

34.95

Sugar (grams)

18.61

Protein (grams)

9.13

Sodium (milligrams)

328.68

Cholesterol (grams)

32.10
Nutritional information is approximate and based on 12 servings.
Created using The Recipes Generator

Pumpkin Sticky-Bun Muffins

In the midst of all the political upheaval, here is a little reprieve from the chaos to focus on the important things in life: pumpkin and autumn.  This is all I am going to write today, you have plenty of other lengthy essays from one political stand point or another to read at your leisure, you don't need another one from me.  You're welcome.  Go and make these Pumpkin Sticky-Bun Muffins in peace.

On another note, today’s recipe features nuts, namely, pecans and walnuts. If you’d like to get your mind off of politics and instead learn all about walnuts and how nutritious they are, click here!

Montreal, Canada

Montreal, Canada

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Recipe adapted from Southern Living


Pumpkin Sticky Buns

Makes 24 + a few extra

Ingredients:

I used walnuts in this batch

I used walnuts in this batch

  • 2 cups / 250g pecans or walnuts, or a mixture

  • 1/2 cup / 113g butter (1 stick), melted

  • 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar

  • 2 Tbsp / 40g maple syrup

  • 2 cups / 256g whole wheat flour

  • 1 1/2 cups / 180g all-purpose flour

  • 2 1/2 cups / 500g sugar

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

  • 3/4 tsp cloves

  • 3/4 tsp nutmeg

  • 1/2 tsp ginger

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 15 oz / 425g can pumpkin purée

  • 3/4 cup / 168g oil

  • 4 eggs

Directions:

Oven 350°F / 170°C.  Grease 2 12-cup muffin tins.

  1. Arrange pecans or walnuts evenly on a baking sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until fragrant and slightly darker in color. 

  2. In a small bowl combine butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup.  Evenly distribute among the 24 muffin cups, putting about a tsp of the mixture in each.  Sprinkle evenly with toasted pecans and set aside.

  3. In a large bowl combine flours, sugar, spices, baking soda, and salt.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

  4. In another medium bowl beat together pumpkin, oil, eggs.  Pour this mixture into the well in the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened and combined.  Spoon batter over pecans in muffin tins, filling about 2/3 full. 

  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

  6. Immediately run a knife around the edge of the muffins to loosen and invert pan onto a wire rack or counter to remove muffins.  If you wait too long the muffins will stick to your pans.  

Jenny's Notes:

  • This recipe makes extra batter, you may choose to make more pumpkin muffins, or grease a bread pan and make pumpkin bread.  Extras muffins or bread can always be frozen for a later date. 

  • I don't recommend using paper liners for this recipe.  However, to help with the clean up, be sure to immediately remove muffins from pans and soak pans in hot soapy water.

pumpkin sticky buns, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, cloves, pecans, walnuts, caramel, fall recipe, whole wheat pumpkin muffins
breakfast, brunch, snack, dessert
American
Yield: 26-28
Author:
Pumpkin Sticky-Bun Muffins

Pumpkin Sticky-Bun Muffins

Whole wheat pumpkin muffins made with a sticky, gooey caramel and nut topping.
prep time: 40 Mcook time: 35 Mtotal time: 75 M

ingredients:

  • 2 cups / 250g pecans or walnuts, or a mixture
  • 1/2 cup / 113g butter (1 stick), melted
  • 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp / 40g maple syrup
  • 2 cups / 256g whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups / 180g all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups / 500g sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp cloves
  • 3/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 15 oz / 425g can pumpkin purée
  • 3/4 cup / 168g oil
  • 4 eggs

instructions:

How to cook Pumpkin Sticky-Bun Muffins

  1. Oven 350°F / 170°C. Grease 2 12-cup muffin tins.
  2. Arrange pecans or walnuts evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until fragrant and slightly darker in color.
  3. In a small bowl combine butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Evenly distribute among the 24 muffin cups, putting about a tsp of the mixture in each. Sprinkle evenly with toasted pecans and set aside.
  4. In a large bowl combine flours, sugar, spices, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
  5. In another medium bowl beat together pumpkin, oil, eggs. Pour this mixture into the well in the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened and combined. Spoon batter over pecans in muffin tins, filling about 2/3 full.
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Immediately run a knife around the edge of the muffins to loosen and invert pan onto a wire rack or counter to remove muffins. If you wait too long the muffins will stick to your pans.

NOTES:

This recipe makes extra batter, you may choose to make more pumpkin muffins, or grease a bread pan and make pumpkin bread. Extras muffins or bread can always be frozen for a later date. I don't recommend using paper liners for this recipe. However, to help with the clean up, be sure to immediately remove muffins from pans and soak pans in hot soapy water.

Calories

323.77

Fat (grams)

18.03

Sat. Fat (grams)

3.58

Carbs (grams)

39.27

Fiber (grams)

2.73

Net carbs

36.55

Sugar (grams)

24.87

Protein (grams)

4.10

Sodium (milligrams)

179.52

Cholesterol (grams)

37.96
Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 26 servings.
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Created using The Recipes Generator

Monkey Muffins

Or monkey puzzle bread muffins.  Or individual pieces of heaven.  Or pull-apart cinnamon sugar muffins.  Nah, that last one is too literal, too Pinterest style.  Monkey Muffins it is.  Honestly, I have no idea why it's called monkey bread in the first place.  There is no banana involved, and as far as I know a monkey didn't invent the recipe.  Maybe people act like monkeys when they eat it?  Also sometimes called bubble bread, African coffee cake, Hungarian coffee cake, sticky bread, pinch-me bread, Pluck-Its, or even monkey brains.  Because that last one sounds SO appetizing.  A quick Google search has brought me to the conclusion that many people are also confused as to why it's called Monkey Bread, but might be so named because the bread resembles monkeys in a barrel (but does it?), monkeys like to pick at things, or it resembles the bark of the monkey puzzle tree.  I guess we shall remain shrouded in mystery, or shrouded in a barrel...of...monkeys. ahem.

On to the recipe!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy


Monkey Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

Muffins

  • 2 cups + 2 Tbsp / 255g flour

  • 1 Tbsp / 12g sugar

  • 1 Tbsp / 14g baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp / 3g salt

  • 1/2 cup / 120g buttermilk or sour milk*

  • 1/3 cup / 79g milk

  • 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp / 70g oil ( 5 Tbsp total)

  • 1/2 cup / 100g sugar

  • 5 Tbsp / 70g butter, melted

  • 2/3 cup / 133g brown sugar

  • 2 tsp cinnamon

Glaze (optional)

  • 1/2 cup / 60g powdered sugar

  • 1 Tbsp / 15g milk

Directions:

Make the Muffins

Oven preheated to 350°F / 177°C.

  1. Lightly grease a muffin pan or line with liners (preferably grease-proof.) 

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1 Tbsp sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add both milks and oil to flour mixture.  Stir with a fork until just combined.  Over mixing = dense muffins. 

  3. Place 1/2 cup / 100g sugar in a bowl or container with lid.  Scoop out roughly one tsp of dough (you can use a teaspoon or just eye it), and plop in the sugar, rounding into a ball shape with your palms if need be.  Repeat until you have an even layer of balls in the sugar.  Place on lid and gently shake to coat with sugar, or just shake/toss the balls in the sugar until covered.  Place sugar-coated balls in muffin pan, about six in each cup.  Repeat scooping, rolling, and sugar-coating with remaining dough.

  4. In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Divide and pour/scoop evenly over each muffin.  Place muffin pan on a baking sheet and bake for 17-19 minutes, or until lightly golden-brown and they no longer look doughy. 

  5. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 15 minutes before removing from pan so they don't fall apart.  Run a knife around the edge of each muffin to loosen.

Make the Glaze

  1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together powdered sugar and milk.  Using a spoon or spatula, lightly drizzle each muffin with glaze. 

Jenny's Notes:

  • *If you don't have buttermilk, which I frequently don't, sour milk can be substituted.  For every 1 cup milk add 1 Tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.  Stir and let sit for a minute before using.  Regular milk, coconut milk, or almond milk all work. 

  • When first mixed, the batter may seem wet but it quickly becomes manageable/scoopable. Something about baking powder doughs tend to be this way, they seem too wet when it first comes together, then within a matter of seconds it suddenly seems fine. I always notice this when making biscuits, especially.

  • The glaze is optional, mostly depending on if you want that finished look and how sweet you like your monkey muffins. You may notice the actual dough is just lightly sweet, only 1 Tbsp of sugar. The brown sugar butter mixture that gets poured over is what makes these sweet and rich. I personally don’t think they need to be sweeter beyond that, but I do like the glazed/finished look.