Brown Butter Muffins

Butter Muffin Ingredients

• Butter – The key ingredient to make these muffins over the top delicious! Salted or unsalted, your preference.
• Oil – Vegetable oil works best, but you can substitute canola oil.
• Sugar – White granulated sugar to sweeten them up.
• Egg – An egg, and an egg white.
• Vanilla – Vanilla Extract offers a hint of flavor. You can also use Almond Extract.
• Buttermilk – No buttermilk? No problem! You can get my full list of baking substitutions here. Simply combine a 1/2 cup milk with 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice and allow to sit 10 minutes before incorporating into the recipe.
• Flour – All purpose flour, no need to sift.
• Baking Powder – The leavening agent that makes these so quick and simple.
• Cornstarch – Cornstarch softens the proteins in flour making the muffins incredibly soft.
• Salt – Brings out all the other flavors.

Variations and Optional Add Ins and Toppings

• Nuts – Pecans, walnuts, or almonds.
• Fruits – The options are endless, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, blackberries, lemon or orange zest.
• Chocolate Chips
• Glaze – A cream cheese glaze or classic glaze takes these muffins over the top. You can even use apple glaze for a little fall flavor.
• Crumb Topping – Combine 1 tablespoon softened butter softened, 1/3 cup packed  brown sugar, a 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons flour. Sprinkle on just before baking.
• Donut Muffins – Turn them into donut muffins by dipping them in melted butter, followed by cinnamon and sugar. Just melt 1/4 cup butter in a shallow bowl. Combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

How to Make Brown Butter Muffins

1. Prep – Preheat oven and grease or line muffin tin.
2. Brown Butter – In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Swirl until brown and it has a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients – Combine in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Add Wet Ingredients – In a large bowl, beat egg, oil, butter, buttermilk, and vanilla until just combined.
5. Bake – Fill muffin tins 2/3 full and bake.

What’s The Difference Between Muffins And Cupcakes?

Once you lick the frosting off a cupcake, it becomes a muffin…and muffins are healthy, Okay, healthier. You’re welcome!

This is a serious question, friends… and it’s one I receive quite often. In my (somewhat unofficial) opinion, there are some slight variations between muffins and cupcakes.

• Muffin recipes are generally a touch less sweet than cupcakes. That said, they also tend to have fruits and nuts in the batter, versus the additions of frosting or chocolate chips.
• While cupcakes are always sweet, muffins can be savory, meaning they can easily be served alongside a meal in lieu of traditional options like biscuits and rolls.
• Texture! Muffins are a little less moist than cupcakes, and they tend to have a little more crisped-up edges.
• Muffins are acceptable for breakfast. In general, cupcakes are not, but you know I’d never judge!

Tips

• Larger Muffin Tops – or larger muffin tops, allow batter to rest 10 minutes before baking.
• Toothpick Test – Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the center muffin comes out clean.

Baking Alternatives

• Mini Muffins – Fill your traditional muffin pan 2/3 of the way full. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.
• Loaf – Fill a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

To Store

• Refrigerate – Allow them to cool in the tin for a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag on a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.
• Freeze – Wrap muffins in saran wrap and place them in a freezer bag to store up to 3 months.
  • To thaw, bring to room temperature (about 3-4 hours)
  • To warm, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake 3 minutes