Valentine's Muffin

Growing up my Mom and I would always make a special treat on Valentine's Day, French Breakfast Puffs. These muffins are rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar. The original recipe is amazingly delicious but I wanted to try and revamp it into something that I could feel a little better about feeding my little ones who need lots of protein, fiber, and nutrients. 

I went about recreating this recipe to include these things and I have to say I was pretty impressed with the results. Next time I will have to try a few other things that I did not get around to in my spur of the moment experimenting today. 

For now I will give you the recipe and other ideas I have for adding nutrition. I think for fun I am going to start out by giving you the original recipe which is from a cookbook that my Grandma put together years and years ago.


French Breakfast Puffs Original Recipe:      


1/3 c shortening (we always use butter)         
1/2 c sugar                                                      
1 egg                                                               
1 1/2 c flour                                                    
1 1/2 tsp baking powder                                 
1/2 tsp salt                                                       
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c milk


After Baking: 
6 tbsp melted butter
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

(see mixing/baking directions below)


In my experimenting I wanted to use what I had on hand since I decided spur of the moment to do this. I decided to add replace some of the flour for flax seed and coconut flour which both have additional fiber, protein, and healthy fats essential for brain health.
French Breakfast Puffs New Recipe:

1/3 c butter 
1/2 c sugar (this could possibly done with agave, honey,  maple syrup, applesauce)
1 egg
a little less than 1/2 c ground flax seed
a little less than 1/2 c coconut flour
a little more than 1/2 c whole wheat flour (you want a total of 
1 1/2 c when you combine the flax, coconut, and whole wheat)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 c milk

After Baking:
6 tbsp melted butter
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon


Method:


        Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups. Mix the first three ingredients (melted butter works best for mixing). Sift the next five ingredients. Alternate adding the milk and dry ingredients to the egg/sugar/butter mix. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 20-25 minutes. Melt the butter in a bowl that one muffin would easily roll in (from the after baking ingredients). Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl large enough to roll a muffin in. After taking the muffins out of the oven roll take them out of the pan and immediately roll in the butter and then the sugar mixture. Eat them up! 


One hint: Try and always use fresh baking powder it is amazing what a difference this makes in getting them to fluff up!

Things to try: 

-Add in pureed sweet squash, sweet potato, or apple sauce to sweeten instead of sugar. 

-Add in almond flour for part of the flour. 

-Use coconut flour to replace all of the flour, reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup and add in an additional 4 eggs.

-You could dye these red for Valentine's Day but I don't really like using food coloring if I don't have to...maybe beet juice:)


I have to say that I was surprised at how amazing my new version turned out. They were delicious and my kids sure did not know that there was anything different about the ones we made and the original version.