4 Must-have muffin recipes for when you just need a home-baked treat

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I love a muffin that is loaded with exciting ingredients. I often bake a batch or two on a Sunday evening for the week ahead – they’re great for the lunchbox! 

Top tips when making muffins:

1. Don’t over mix the muffin batter. This makes the gluten in the flour tough and elastic, resulting in a tougher and stale feel to the muffin.

2. The addition of some sort of oil/melted butter is important. This keeps the crumb tender and prolongs shelf life.

3. When adding other dry ingredients like raisins, choc chips, grated cheese etc – mix with the dry ingredients until coated in flour before adding the liquid. This allows even dispersal of the ingredients when baking.

4. Add damp/wet ingredients (mashed banana, grated fruit or vegetables) all in one go with the liquid ingredients (oil, egg and milk/yoghurt), this will prevent lumps and over mixing.

5. Store in an airtight container – muffins generally have a good shelf life and can last for up to 4 days due to their oil and sugar content.

6. They freeze well too! Freeze muffins individually and take out when needed. Happiness.

My 4 favourite muffin recipes

The 3-cheese muffin

It’s an absolute must to serve these warm – the cheese gets all gooey and stringy.

The breakfast muffin

So moist and delicious. Carrot, banana, apple, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries. Need I say more?  Flavour and texture heaven. A great way of using over-ripe bananas or the odd carrot and apple.

The vegelicious muffin

Also known as ‘veggie pop-overs’. I adapted this recipe from my friend and former colleague, Kelly. This is a wonderful way of getting more veg into the diet. Baby marrow, carrot, red pepper, onion and butternut with mature Cheddar cheese for good measure…yum!

The blueberry muffin

I can’t resist a blueberry muffin. I love how the blueberries burst and marble the muffins with deep purple. I add lots of lemon zest to my mixture, I think it takes blueberry muffins to a whole new level. To make them even more special, I top them with a thin cream cheese icing. 

Not keen on making your own muffins? Why not go out for breakfast to your local Mugg & Bean!

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