Happy Valentine's Muffins {Recipes: Vanilla Bean Muffins and Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Pecan Muffins}

My son absolutely loves the Vanilla Bean Scones from Starbucks and homemade muffins, so I thought this year I would make him Vanilla Bean Muffins for breakfast on Valentine's Day. My husband and I are trying to eat a little healthier, so I made a different twist on my Honey Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Muffins for us. These have less sugar. For my daughter, I got her a big jar of Nutella; that should keep her happy!

Vanilla Bean Muffins

Save the vanilla bean pods after scraping the seeds out, then put them in a jar of sugar for vanilla scented sugar for baked goods, coffee and tea. 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside. 

In a small microwave bowl, melt:

1/4 cup butter

Mixing the vanilla bean seeds in with the sugar
helps to separate the seeds.

Set aside. 

In a small mixing bowl, mix together:

1/2 cup sugar
Vanilla bean seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean.

Set aside.

In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside. 

In another small mixing bowl, whisk together 

1 egg
1 cup milk

Pour the milk mixture into the well in the flour mixture, stir until just moistened. Add the melted butter and stir until just combined-careful not to stir too much or the resulting muffins will be tough. Using a ice cream scoop, distribute the batter into the lined muffin tin. Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted one of the muffins and come out clean. 

While the muffins are in the oven, put together the glaze. 

Vanilla Bean Glaze

In a small mixing bowl:

1 cup powdered sugar
Vanilla bean seeds scraped out of 1/2 vanilla bean

Add:

1 tablespoon butter, very soft or melted and cooled
2 tablespoons milk

Stir together until smooth. If the glaze is stiff, add more milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. 

Let the muffins cool for about 5 minutes, then dip the tops into the glaze. If there is enough glaze, the muffins can be dipped again.

Yields 12 muffins. 

Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Pecan Muffins

These are not very sweet. For sweeter muffins, a couple of tablespoons of sugar can be added to the dry ingredients. 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 14 muffin cups with cupcake liners (I used 2 muffin tins-because of the stir-ins, the batter is just a bit too much for 12 muffins); set aside. 

In a small microwave proof bowl, melt:

1/4 cup coconut oil

Set aside.

In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together:

2 cups whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together:

1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup maple syrup

Stir-ins:

1 cup whole frozen cranberries
1/2 cup pecan pieces, plus a little more to put on top of the muffins
1 tablespoon orange zest

Topping:

Pecan pieces
Demerara or other large grain sugar (1-2 tablespoons)

Pour milk mixture into the well of the flour mixture. Stir together until just moistened. Add coconut oil, and stir until just combined. Add cranberries and 1/2 cup pecans and stir until combined, being careful not to over stir. Distribute the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin(s) using an ice cream scoop. Top the muffins with a few pecan pieces, then sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon Demerara sugar per muffin. Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into one of the muffins comes out clean.

Yields 14 muffins.

Happy Valentine's Day!