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Chocolate Chip Muffins with Variations

Servings: 12
Comments:
Here's a great recipe for Chocolate Chip muffins that includes several delicious variations, such as apple, blueberry and lemon. Choose a different variation to make for your family every week. They will love this new tradition you've started and will look forward to your next new muffin variety.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet miniature chocolate chips, or 3/4 cup regular size semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten

Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease bottoms only of 12 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.

2. In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; stir in chocolate chips, mix well.

2. In small bowl, combine milk, oil and egg; beat well. Add to flour mixture all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. (Batter will be lumpy.) Divide batter evenly into greased muffin cups.

3. Bake in preheated 400°F (200°C) for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 1 minute; remove from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 muffins.

Variations:
APPLE MUFFINS
Decrease sugar to 1/4 cup; add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to flour. Stir 1 cup finely chopped, peeled apple into dry ingredients. Substitute apple juice for milk. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 18 to 22 minutes.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Stir 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw) and 1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange peel into dry ingredients.

CHOCOLATE CHIP AND BROWN SUGAR MUFFINS
Before baking, sprinkle batter in cups with a combination of 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons brown sugar.

JAM MUFFINS
Place 1/2 teaspoon any flavor jam on each muffin before baking; press into batter. If desired, sprinkle with finely chopped nuts.

LEMON MUFFINS
Add 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel with flour.

ORANGE MUFFINS
Add 1 tablespoon grated orange peel with flour; substitute orange juice for milk.

STREUSEL-TOPPED MUFFINS
In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon softened margarine or butter, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 cup chopped nuts or flaked coconut; stir with fork until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over batter in cups before baking.

SUGAR-COATED MUFFINS
After baking, brush tops of hot muffins with 2 tablespoons melted margarine or butter; dip in mixture of 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

WHOLE WHEAT MUFFINS
Use 1 cup all-purpose or unbleached flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour.

Date: May 20, 2004