maple muffins

maple muffins

I love fall food! It really doesn’t get any better than this.  I am a huge sucker for maple syrup… REAL maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice.  If you have not tried making my homemade pumpkin pie spice you have to sometime in your life! It will be worth it.  Put those things together and make a muffin (insert coffee) and I’m basically the happiest person ever.  I’m pretty convinced that I could live off of breakfast pastries.

There really is something so comforting about the warm spices of fall.  I also use part whole wheat flour in these muffins because it adds in that rustic earthy flavor and texture that compliments the spices to make it even more comforting.  The creamy and slightly tangy creme fraiche makes these very moist.  You can use sour cream, but if you haven’t tried using creme fraiche before I suggest trying it out.  It’s a bit more mild than sour cream, but more rich in flavor.  Then there is the spiced crumble on top.  I’m a crazy person when it comes to texture and this crumble MAKES these maple muffins.  It adds a crunch as well as more of the spice that I can’t seem to get enough of.  If you don’t have sunflower seeds around you can use almonds or pecans in place of it, but I would make sure they are toasted.  These will make any morning (even if you live in warm weather) feel like the cozy fall days that I miss so much.  Happy Fall!

maple muffins

maple muffins

Spiced Maple Muffins

makes 12 regular size muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (homemade pumpkin pie spice)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter; melted and cooled

3/4 cup buttermilk (or milk with a splash of apple cider vinegar); room temperature

1/2 cup real maple syrup

1/3 cup creme fraiche; room temperature

1 egg; room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

Spiced Crumble Topping

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons regular sugar; I like using evaporated cane juice if you can find it

1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (homemade pumpkin pie spice)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup flour

2 teaspoons melted butter

3 tablespoons sunflower seeds

Instructions

*Preheat your oven to 375 degree

*Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or use a brush dipped in olive oil to coat the muffin tin

*In a bowl whisk together the two flours, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice

*In a large bowl whisk together the buttermilk, maple syrup, creme fraiche, vanilla, and egg to combine

*Slowly add in the melted/cooled butter to the wet mixture

*Using a whisk slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined; careful not to over-mix

*Use a large ice cream scoop if you have it (or a large spoon) to scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins to 2/3 full

*In a small bowl prepare the crumble by using a fork to mix together the brown sugar, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, flour, melted butter (its ok if the butter is slightly warm), and sunflower seeds

*The crumble topping should look “crumbly”

*Scoop one tablespoon of the mixture to pour over each muffin in the prepared tins so that each muffin has the crumble on it

*Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the muffins have set up and/or poke with a toothpick and if it comes out clean they are done!

maple muffins

maple muffins

maple muffins 15

maple muffins 15

maple muffins 14

maple muffins 14

maple muffins 13

maple muffins 13

maple muffins

maple muffins

maple muffins

maple muffins