My love for date muffins started from my love for dates which took me to baking date cakes (initially the original recipe with sugar, and then the sugarless version), and then the muffins being the latest. Interestingly, the recipes are almost the same for the cake and the muffins, but the latter is more convenient to consume and store.
It is but right to share the recipe with you all.
Why the Nuts With the Date Muffins
Mr. Green Eyes has always been happy with walnuts, but his cousin, whenever I bake for him asks for more nuts, and various nuts, so the recipe I am sharing with you here has the following add-ons (shall I call them top-ons?) from the original date cake recipe:
- oatmeal
- pumpkin seeds
- sunflower seeds
- sesame seeds
They remain to be optional, of course. The date muffin can be without any of them, or all of them, or any of your favorite add-ons. This date muffin recipe is versatile.
Ingredients for Date Muffins with Loads of Nuts
Ingredients
- super ripe dates
- walnuts
- mixed nuts (your choice!)
- all-purpose flour
- whole wheat flour
- granulated sugar
- baking soda
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- eggs
- melted unsalted butter or shortening
- vanilla extract
- hot water
Did you notice that there is no baking powder? I know, and yes, we do not need baking powder in this recipe.
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Recipe: Date Muffins with Loads of Toppings
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 12 pieces 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: International
Description
Moist and flavorful Date Muffins with loads of toppings, such as nuts and seeds. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or a delightful treat anytime
Ingredients
- 1 cup ripe dates
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped roughly
- mixed nuts (your choice!)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1–1/2 tsps baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter or shortening
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Do this ahead of baking time: soak the dates in boiling water in a medium bowl. Leave until it becomes room temperature. Remove skin and stones. These are your wet ingredients.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a separate bowl, mix the combination of flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon – these are your dry ingredients.
- Using an electric mixing bowl or beater set on medium-high speed, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until smooth, then add the eggs one at a time (one minute in between) then the vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients alternatively in the mixing bowl while continuing to beat on medium-high speed.
- Stir in the walnuts.
- Fill each muffin cup with the muffin batter – about 2/3 full using a spoon or an ice cream scoop.
- Top with your choice of nuts and seed. I use more walnuts, oatmeal, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
- Bake muffins for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the muffins cool on a baking sheet or a cooling rack for a few minutes before devouring.
Notes
Substitutions
- You can replace the shortening with coconut oil, if you prefer that coconut touch. Or use half a cup of unsalted butter and any oil. The butter and oil mixture helps create moist muffins.
- Replace fresh dates with date paste.
- Use half a cup of white sugar and half a cup of brown sugar. You would love the twist in taste.
Baking Tips for Date Muffins
When whipping up a batch of irresistibly nutty and sweet date muffins, a few baking tips can make all the difference. Pay attention to these nuggets of wisdom to ensure your muffins are the talk of the table:
- Measure dry ingredients accurately. This includes all-purpose flour, sugar, and baking soda.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a medium bowl to ensure uniformity, thus avoiding pockets of baking powder or flour.
- Overmixing the dry and wet ingredients can make your muffins tough.
- You can use muffin cups lined with paper liners to avoid sticky situations and make serving a breeze.
- Don’t overfill the cups—three-quarters full should yield a perfect muffin dome.
- For even baking, place your filled muffin tins on a baking sheet. If you are using paper liners without the muffin cups, place them on muffin pans.
- Remember, a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Do you want it to be a simple muffin recipe? You can omit all the nuts and seeds, then retain the rest of the ingredients and instructions.
With these tips, your date muffins will be perfectly tender, studded with nuts, and truly unforgettable.
Storing Date Muffins
- You can store muffins for up to four days in an airtight container on your kitchen countertop or dining table. You can absorb excess moisture by covering the muffins with paper towels.
- You can also keep them in the fridge in the same airtight container and they will last for a little more than a week.
