The morning air suddenly has that nip in it again, as it does every year around this time. It’s the nippy hint of the new school year, the wonderfully fragrant NY apple picking season and preparation for pumpkin pies, trick or treating and holiday shopping, decorating and baking.
It’s when this happens, when the season begins to change from summer to fall, that I start making a different type of breakfast treat – hearty morning muffins. This recipe comes from Land-O-Lakes’ Treasury of Country Heritage Meals and Menus, and I love it. This is the first time I’ve made it with my muffin top pan .
I have to say, it’s WELL worth the price of the pans. The flavors of these muffins are condensed, it makes the outside crisp and the inside just soft enough to make you hum with the taste and texture sensation.
Enjoy!
Good Morning Muffins
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter softened
1 (8-ounce) carton dairy sour cream (instead of sour cream, I use a favorite fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt and add all the fruit, too)
2 eggs
1 cup (2 medium) shredded carrots
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In large mixing bowl combine sugar and butter. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed – 1 to 2 minutes. Add sour cream (or yogurt) and eggs. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. By hand, stir in carrots, coconut and raisins.
In medium bowl stir together flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Add flour mixture to sour cream/yogurt mixture, stir until just moistened. Spoon into greased muffin pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes (15 – 20 minutes if using muffin top pan) or until lightly browned.
You had me wanting to make this one right up to the coconut. I’m wondering if it would work without the coconut…
~Marly
Hmm, Marly. I’m not sure. Maybe you can replace the coconut with slivered almonds? I’m not sure since I’m allergic to nuts but I think it might work, though it would naturally, alter the flavor. The muffins are very moist and I’m sure the coconut adds to that. Maybe add additional shredded carrots, too, to help maintain that texture. ??? If you try it, I’d love to know what, if anything, you substituted and how it came out. Keep me posted!
(You’re the first person I think I’ve “met” who doesn’t like coconut. I gasped! lol).
~Debbie
Debbie, your muffins look delectable. I can almost smell them. There’s nothing like fresh ingredients. I love apple picking with a touch of fall coolness in the air.
Yum, those muffins look good. I’m envious of the “nip in the air”, too. Fall is my favorite season, but it’s still a ways off here in So. Cal. The leaves will start changing color in a few weeks where you are; here the Chinese elms just dump yellow pollen all over the sidewalk, lol.
Enjoy!
Linda
Well, I might give it a try with extra carrot. Yes, I heartily dislike coconut. I shudder just thinking about it. Yuck!
~Marly
Kathleen,
Apple picking kicks off the holiday season for us. Daughter even said that late on, when she has her own place, she’s still going to come over and make sure we can all go apple picking together. ::sigh::
I guess we’ve enjoyed it so much as a family we’ve made it a great memory for her. 🙂
~Debbie
Linda,
LOL at the yellow pollen description. I’m sorry to hear that, though. Honestly, while I’d love to live someplace warmer year round, I can’t help but wonder how said I’d be without the seasons… at least the change of seasons. Ask me a month or so into winter how I really feel and I’ll have a different opinion. lol.
~Debbie
Marly,
If you do make them, please let me know how they come out… and, I prominse, in the future, I’ll try to post recipes that do NOT contain coconut. lol.
~Debbie
No worries, Debbie! We all have different tastes! Post the recipes you love!
~Marly
I should get a muffin top pan. My children would be soooo excited!
Marly,
Whew! Thanks. 🙂
Barrie,
Get one! Who doesn’t love a muffin top? Remember that Seinfeld episode where Elaine gave the muffin bottoms to a homeless shelter? They returned them, insulted, since no one likes the bottom! It’s the top everyone wants! LOL.
~Debbie