Maple Walnut Muffins
This muffin looks pretty simple and unassuming, right? Pretty blah, right?
Well don’t be fooled folks! It may look a bit boring but I can assure you it is not. Think of it in the same vain as the performance by The Wiffenpoofs of Yale University on last night’s season premiere of The Sing Off on ABC. I have to admit that when I first saw these ivy league boys grace the stage last night in their white tails and ties I was like “What the heck??!” But as soon as they opened their mouths they totally shut me up and won me over with their sassy performance.
So don’t rule out these muffins either. Made with pure maple syrup (sorry but no Aunt Jemima here) and studded with chopped walnuts, they are a true delight. They were so good that I could not wait until just breakfast time to eat them. Breakfast/mid-morning snacks/lunch desserts/afternoon pick-me-ups/midnight snacks never tasted so good.
The recipe comes from Sarabeth Levine’s first cookbook Sarabeth’s Bakery: From My Hands to Yours, which was published this Fall. I had the pleasure of interviewing Sarabeth a few weeks ago about her accomplished career and new book and will post the interview later this week along with a review of her book. In the meantime, check it out, as it would make a great gift for the foodie in your life this holiday season.
Maple Walnut Muffins
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg plus one large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toastedDirections:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk both flours, baking powder and salt and set aside. In another medium bowl, combine maple syrup, melted butter and milk then whisk in the egg and egg yolk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until smooth. Stir in the walnut and let the batter stand for 5 minutes.
Using a regular ice cream scoop, portion the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes or until muffins are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Rosa — December 7, 2010 @ 3:00 pm
Surely delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa
Megan — December 7, 2010 @ 3:52 pm
Yum! Real maple syrup all the way in these. They sound awesome. I might make a maple pecan version.
Rita — December 7, 2010 @ 4:27 pm
i’ll be makinhg these for sure…
Kiss,
Rita
http://bembons.blogspot.com
Michelle — December 7, 2010 @ 4:32 pm
My husband would love these. He adores the flavor of real maple syrup, so I know these would be a hit.
Walnut Lovers — December 7, 2010 @ 4:48 pm
This is a gorgeous blog! The recipe is delicious and I can’t wait to bake! Happy Holidays and thanks for sharing.
Abby — December 7, 2010 @ 5:33 pm
I love it when treats look unassuming but are amazing!
Paula — December 7, 2010 @ 6:24 pm
Anything with maple and walnuts in it is never blah and boring. These look great. You should contact the folks at Maple Syrup World. They may be interested in featuring your muffins on their site. I don’t normally put links into comments but I will for this one, feel free to delete it.
http://www.maplesyrupworld.com/
Tracey — December 7, 2010 @ 7:59 pm
I’ve heard good things about that book! The muffins look yummy – I love maple treats, though I’d have to skip the nuts
Lindsay @ Pinch of Yum — December 7, 2010 @ 10:19 pm
I love anything maple flavored! Beautiful recipe and lovely pictures!
Stephanie — December 7, 2010 @ 10:52 pm
Anything with maple is amazing. I am definitely trying these!
Katrina — December 8, 2010 @ 9:42 am
Yummy muffin recipe! These look amazing!
Tracy — December 8, 2010 @ 10:23 am
They look delicious to me! Yum!!
Jaime — December 8, 2010 @ 10:47 am
I love maple flavored goodies – including the tuiles we just made for TWD
if you still have some maple syrup left you should try them!
Brian @ A Thought For Food — December 8, 2010 @ 2:48 pm
I’ve been seeing Sarabeth’s EVERYWHERE! I love their jam, but have yet to try any of their baked goods. These look delightful!
CookiePie — December 8, 2010 @ 4:11 pm
Maple-Walnut Muffins – mmmmmmm!! Nothing boring about that!! I’m completely obsessed with Grade B maple syrup — definitely must try these. Thanks for sharing!!
naomi — December 8, 2010 @ 7:23 pm
These are so not boring. The book sounds great-can’t wait to check it out.
hannah @ bake five! — December 8, 2010 @ 8:37 pm
these muffins look fabulous! I love anything soaked in maple! Yum!
Chris — December 8, 2010 @ 9:25 pm
These wouldn’t last a second in my presence! Love love love walnuts…and with maple syrup in it? Yummmmmy!
Emily — December 9, 2010 @ 2:31 am
I love maple-walnut anything! These look awesome!
Joanne — December 9, 2010 @ 8:41 am
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s never to judge a baked good by it’s cover.
Dirt pudding cups being the prime example of that. God I love those.
Anything maple-infused absolutely speaks to me at this time of year (and by that I mean any day that ends in “y”). Can’t wait to see that interview!
Spike — December 9, 2010 @ 2:51 pm
love maple! sounds like one to try
The Duo Dishes — December 9, 2010 @ 3:44 pm
They look super moist!
Yvette — December 9, 2010 @ 5:36 pm
ohhhh yum!
5 Star Foodie — December 9, 2010 @ 11:35 pm
These muffins sound scrumptious with maple flavor!
ingrid — December 10, 2010 @ 12:34 pm
Oh, no I don’t judge a book by it’s cover.
~ingrid
Jamie — December 11, 2010 @ 9:44 am
They do look rather plain and simple albeit perfect and moist but reading through the recipe and I’m hooked. Love muffins like this for breakfast or that 10 a.m. snack. Great recipe! And I wouldn’t mind hearing the Wiffenpoofs sing even if they were our (The Penn Quakers) rivals!
blackbookkitchendiaries — December 14, 2010 @ 11:56 am
this looks so lovely.. i really love the flavors in here.. and your blog is so pretty btw. hope you have a nice day.
The Food Hunter — January 25, 2011 @ 3:52 pm
Just found your blog…everything looks so good.