Wholesome Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins

Features: Healthy, delicious, perfect for breakfast or morning tea, low in sugar, and rich in fresh carrots and apples.

Ingredients

Maffle Toppings (adjust to taste)

Nuts: Walnuts (3/4 cup) are recommended, but almonds, cashews, pecans, etc., can be substituted. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc., can be used to make a nut-free version.

Dried Fruit: Raisins (3/4 cup) are recommended, but other dried fruits such as dried apricots or dried mango can also be used.

Coconut: Use 1/2 cup unsweetened, fat-free shredded coconut for flavor and moisture. Omit if you don't like or don't have coconut, and add an extra 1 tablespoon of flour.

Apples: Granny Smith apples (1 1/4 cups chopped flesh, including juice) are recommended, but other varieties can be used.

Carrots: 2 cups chopped carrots are needed.

Maffle Batter

Whole Wheat Flour: 2 cups (all-purpose flour can also be used).

Brown sugar: 3/4 cup (can be reduced to 1/2 cup, but the batter will be slightly firmer; using white sugar will result in a lighter color and slightly less flavor).

Baking soda: 1 3/4 teaspoons (can be substituted with 5 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder, but the muffins will be slightly firmer and the top will be lighter in color).

Cinnamon powder: 2 teaspoons.

Ginger powder: 1 teaspoon (optional; can be substituted with other spices such as pumpkin spice or omitted).

Oil: 3/4 cup neutral oil (such as olive oil, canola oil, liquid coconut oil), avoid using extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil with a strong coconut flavor.

Orange juice: 1/4 cup (can be substituted with other fruit juices or milk).

Eggs: 3 large eggs (room temperature).

Instructions

Prepare the toppings:

Toasted walnuts: Toast in a 190°C/375°F oven for 8 minutes, cool, and then chop.

Chop carrots and apples (do not peel).

Making the batter:

Dry ingredients: Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Wet ingredients: Combine the wet ingredients in another bowl.

Combining: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add all the additions, and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined and no flour is visible.

Baking: Pour the batter into greased muffin tins, filling them completely and slightly above the rim.

Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C/375°F for 25 minutes, or until the muffins are a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cooling: Let cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least another 5 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I make a gluten-free version?: I haven't tried using gluten-free flour or almond flour as a substitute. Please check reader comments for alternative suggestions.

Shelf life: Muffins can be kept fresh for 5 days in an airtight container (refrigerated or in a cool, dry place) or frozen for 3 months.

Can I make a nut-free version?: Yes, you can substitute seeds for nuts or increase the amount of dried fruit. Can fresh fruit be substituted for dried fruit? Not recommended, as it will increase the batter's moisture, making the muffins too soggy.

Can coconut be omitted? Yes, omit it and add an extra tablespoon of flour.

What if I don't have baking soda? You can substitute 5 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder, but the muffins will be slightly firmer and the tops will be lighter in color.

Can orange juice be substituted with milk? Yes, the acid in orange juice helps activate the baking soda, but brown sugar also contains acid.

Can self-rising flour be used? Yes, but the muffins may not rise as well as when using regular flour and baking soda.

Reviews and Feedback: Readers generally rate this recipe as healthy and delicious, suitable for breakfast or morning tea, and the ingredients can be adjusted to personal taste.

This recipe provides a detailed ingredient list, preparation steps, and frequently asked questions, making it easy for readers to create soft and delicious cinnamon breakfast muffins.