Butternut-Pine Nut Muffins Recipe

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Are you mad for muffins? Don't be, muffins are a happy thing, which is why we're baking our way through cookbook maven Jean Anderson's latest work: Mad For Muffins. This collection of classic, updated and downright creative sweet and savory muffins is a must-have for the avid cold weather baker. You've had butternut squash in soups, salads and sides — why not break out the mixing bowl and muffinize one of fall's seasonal treats? 

Instead of baking a butternut squash, scooping out and mashing the flesh, I've short-cut things by using frozen pureed winter squash — the unseasoned kind (package sizes vary from 9 to 12 ounces). You may have more squash than you need for this recipe. If so, just smooth the excess into a vegetable soup, pasta sauce or gravy. Or mix into a casserole.

Reprinted with permission from Mad For Muffins

Butternut-Pine Nut Muffins Recipe
No Ratings
Prep Time
35
minutes
Cook Time
25
minutes
Servings
1
dozen
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
  • 1 cup thawed frozen unseasoned butternut or winter squash
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons untoasted pine nuts
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Lightly grease 12 standard-size muffin pan cups or spritz with nonstick cooking spray, or if you prefer, insert a crinkly muffin liner into each cup. Set pans aside.
  3. Combine the first seven ingredients (flour through black pepper) in a medium mixing bowl.
  4. Add toasted pine nuts, toss well, then make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and set aside.
  5. Whisk squash, milk, oil and egg in a second medium bowl until smooth, pour into well in dry ingredients, and stir only enough to combine–specks of flour should be clearly visible.
  6. Spoon the batter into muffin pans, dividing the amount equally–each muffin pan cup will be approximately two-thirds full, though occasionally a bit more or a bit less.
  7. Sprinkle centers of the muffins evenly with untoasted pine nuts.
  8. Slide onto the middle oven shelf and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until muffins have risen and their tops are nicely rounded and lightly browned.
  9. Serve muffins oven-hot with unsalted butter. Or, set out little bowls of extra virgin olive oil, split the muffins and dip just as you would with chunks of focaccia.
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