When the season rolls around, it’s all we can do to hold ourselves back from making all the rhubarb recipes: pies, muffins, and more. This year, we’ve added a new standard: this irresistible Rhubarb Streusel Bread! It’s light and fluffy, made with buttermilk to make an impossibly tender crumb. It’s flecked with just the right amount of sweet tart rhubarb, then sprinkled with a crunchy streusel topping. It’s totally dreamy, perfect for serving to guests or as a present for friends or neighbors. Summer baking just got better!

Ingredients for rhubarb bread

This rhubarb bread recipe has the best texture, due mainly to the secret ingredient: buttermilk! It makes for an exceptionally fluffy and light bread. Other than that and the rhubarb, the remaining ingredients are the traditional cast of baking characters. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Rhubarb
• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder, baking soda, and salt
• Buttermilk
• Butter
• Neutral oil
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• Cinnamon

Secrets to a light and fluffy bread

Quick breads can be notoriously dense, dry or filled with air pockets. This rhubarb bread is anything but! There are two tricks to the velvety soft texture:

• Use real buttermilk. Buttermilk is absolutely crucial to making a fluffy quick bread with a tender crumb. Don’t be tempted to use even a buttermilk substitute here! It’s got to be the real thing.
• Use both butter and oil. Butter and oil work uniquely in baked goods. Typically we use oil in our quick bread recipes, but we love the richness in flavor and texture that butter adds here.

Optional adder: orange zest

Rhubarb and orange are a classic combination, and here’s why: the zesty orange perfectly accentuates the sweet and sour flavor of the rhubarb. It’s a great way to step up this bread from delightful to gourmet! Simply add ¼ teaspoon orange zest into the streusel topping. This simple addition makes a big impact!

Rhubarb bread storage info

How to store it? This rhubarb bread tastes best the day it’s baked. However, it does hold up pretty well over time! Here’s what to know:

• Refrigerator: This bread stores well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week! This is what we recommend due to the streusel topping. Let the slices stand at room temperature for a few minutes before eating: it’s not quite as tasty cold (we think).
• Freeze: Freeze in a sealable container and store up to 3 months.

More rhubarb recipes

Rhubarb season is our favorite! Here are a few more rhubarb recipes you might enjoy:

• Go for Rhubarb Streusel Muffins instead
• Try Classic Rhubarb Crisp or Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
• Bake up a Classic Rhubarb Pie
• Simmer some Easy Rhubarb Sauce

01

Classic Rhubarb Pie

02

Rhubarb Muffins with Streusel

03

Easy Rhubarb Sauce

04

Classic Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb Bread

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 12 slices

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Ingredients

For the bread

• 2 cups rhubarb, finely diced
• 2 cups [280 g] all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ⅓ cup neutral oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the streusel topping

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Optional: ¼ teaspoon orange zest

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Chop the rhubarb and set it aside. Grease a 9 x 5-inch aluminum loaf pan with butter.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, buttermilk, melted butter, neutral oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
5. Make the streusel: In a small bowl, mix the sugar and all-purpose flour. Cut the butter into small pieces, then use your fingers to rub it into the dry ingredients until well distributed and crumbles form.
6. Pour the wet ingredients from the batter (Step 4) into the well in the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined and there are no longer streaks of flour.
7. Add 1 2/3 cups of the diced rhubarb and fold it in with a spatula, taking care not to overwork the batter.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with ⅓ cup of the chopped rhubarb, then sprinkle evenly with the streusel.
9. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs, rotating the pan halfway through baking, about 55 to 65 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes. 
10. Run a knife around the edge and invert the loaf onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool fully to room temperature (about 1 hour) before slicing into pieces. This bread is best the day it’s made, but you can store refrigerated for up to 10 days: make sure to bring to room temperature before enjoying. Alternatively, store frozen for up to 3 months.

• Category: Baking
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Baked
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Rhubarb bread, rhubarb bread recipe, rhubarb bread recipes

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

French toast is a favorite for a special breakfast or brunch. But want to take it to the next level? This stuffed French toast recipe makes an irresistible start to any morning! The maple cream cheese filling is sweet and tangy, with a lusciously creamy body that’s the perfect contrast to the custard-soaked bread. Whip up a few of these for someone special and they’ll be absolutely smitten (trust us!).

Ingredients for stuffed French toast

Stuffed French toast looks very fancy, but guess what? It’s very simple to make at home. In fact, you don’t even need to stuff anything. It’s simply a sandwich with cream cheese filling, done up as French toast. This easy recipe makes a big statement: it’s perfect for holidays like Mother’s Day or just a simple lazy weekend. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Cream cheese
• Maple syrup
• Powdered sugar and granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs
• Milk
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon, nutmeg and salt
• Brioche, challah, or Texas toast
• Butter, for cooking

Best bread for stuffed French toast

You can use many types of bread for stuffed French toast, but there are a few that we think make a superior experience. For this type of French toast, we prefer a bread that’s light and fluffy. Here’s what works well:

• Challah or brioche: Egg-based breads like challah and brioche make a fluffy, custardy texture to the stuffed French toast. The bread pictured in the photos is brioche.
• Texas toast: This type of bread is thick cut and makes for nice square shapes; it also has a nice fluffy texture.
• Sourdough bread: Sourdough bread has a naturally firm texture and a slight tang to the flavor. It’s our top choice for standard French toast, and it works here too.

Tips for making stuffed French toast

Stuffed French toast is simply a matter of making a tasty filling, then making your French toast as sandwiches instead of single pieces of bread. When you cut into it on a plate, it looks like a single piece of bread with a lovely cream cheese filling. Here are a few tips for the process:

• Mix up the filling until smooth. Microwaving the cream cheese before mixing it up is key to the best smooth texture.
• Leave a border around the edge of the bread. Spread the filling onto a piece of bread, leaving a border around the outside so the filling won’t ooze out.
• Dip the sandwiches like your standard French toast. Whisk up a custard, then dip like any other French toast recipe.

Filling variations

Stuffed French toast is perfection with the maple cream cheese filling in the recipe below. But you can mix it up if you like! Here are a few other fun ideas:

• Strawberries: Add a few finely chopped fresh strawberries to the cream cheese.
• Blueberry swirl: Add a swirl of blueberry syrup or jam with the cream cheese.
• Lemon curd: Swap out the cream cheese for lemon curd.
• Pumpkin spice: In fall, add 1 teaspoon pumpkin spices to the cream cheese.

More French toast recipes

This stuffed French toast recipe is great for special occasions like house guests, Easter, Christmas, or Mother’s Day. Here are a few more fun and special ways to enjoy this morning treat:

• Try classic Best French Toast Recipe
• Go for Cinnamon French Toast or French Toast Sticks
• Make Challah French Toast or Brioche French Toast
• Bake up French Toast Casserole or Blueberry French Toast Casserole

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Best French Toast Recipe

02

French Toast Sticks

03

French Toast Casserole

04

Challah French Toast

This stuffed French toast recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Stuffed French Toast

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 5 servings

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Description

This stuffed French toast recipe makes a decadent special breakfast or brunch! A maple cream cheese filling takes it over the top.

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Ingredients

For the filling

• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the French toast

• 4 eggs
• ½ cup milk (whole or 2%*)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• 10 slices brioche bread, challah bread or Texas toast (cut 1/2” thick)
• 2 tablespoons butter, for cooking

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Instructions

1. Warm the cream cheese in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds until softened. Whisk together the cream cheese, maple, and vanilla until smooth.
2. Divide the cream cheese mixture and spread it onto 4 slices of brioche or challah, leaving a small border around the outside. Top with another slice of bread and press down gently.
3. In a wide shallow bowl or container, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and kosher salt.
4. Preheat a griddle over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter. Soak each side of the sandwiches in the egg mixture until it becomes saturated, about 15 seconds per side.
5. Place the bread on the hot skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until browned.
6. Repeat with the remaining butter and 4 slices bread. Serve immediately with maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar (or toss both sides in cinnamon sugar, following the instructions in Cinnamon French Toast).

• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Stuffed French toast, stuffed French toast recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Here’s a brunch recipe that pulls out all the stops: Blueberry French Toast Casserole! This one is a total stunner that will impress anyone. Sprinkle custardy cinnamon-spiced bread with a glittering streusel topping and fresh berries, then bake it up. Top it with a homemade blueberry syrup that infuses tangy berry flavor into the entire dish! This one is ideal for entertaining house guests or a special brunch on holidays. Our 6-year old kept asking for more of this one (naturally!).

Ingredients in blueberry French toast casserole

This blueberry-version of our French toast casserole stars berries in two ways: fresh berries in the casserole and some cooked into a tangy blueberry syrup. The syrup is what makes the magic here: it infuses intense blueberry flavor into the entire dish. Here’s what you’ll need for blueberry French toast casserole:

• Blueberries
• Sourdough or French bread
• Eggs
• Milk
• Cream
• Brown sugar
• Turbinado or demerara sugar
• Vanilla
• Cinnamon and nutmeg
• Oats
• Pecans
• Flour
• Butter

Notes on the blueberry syrup

A few notes on the syrup for this blueberry French toast casserole:

• Don’t be tempted to skip it: it’s a required component! The syrup is what carries the flavor here. The fresh blueberries are a nice secondary flavor, but don’t carry as much concentrated berry flavor as the syrup.
• Make a half recipe if you prefer. The blueberry syrup recipe makes 1 ½ cups total. The casserole requires 1 cup fresh berries, so if you prefer using only 2 cups berries total you can half the syrup.
• Simmer the syrup while the casserole bakes, or make it in advance. It takes just 15 minutes to whip up!

The best bread for French toast casserole

You can use a few different types of bread for blueberry French toast casserole. Here’s a breakdown of what we prefer and why we like it!

• Sourdough bread: This is our top pick for French toast, both regular and in casserole form! The sturdy texture of the bread makes it chewy instead of mushy, and the flavor adds intriguing tangy and savory notes. The hard crust adds a nice variation to the texture.
• French bread: French bread also works here: the hard crust also helps to add interesting texture like with sourdough.

What bread to avoid? Don’t use purchased white bread or whole wheat bread here. The texture comes out much too soft since the bread essentially dissolves into the custard. Whole wheat bread in particular doesn’t work well with the flavor profile. We also prefer this casserole with a textured sourdough vs a brioche or challah bread, which are softer.

Make ahead info: try it overnight!

This recipe also works as an overnight blueberry French toast casserole! Simply assemble the bread and custard base layer, placing the custard in the pan with the bread and allowing it to soak overnight. If you like, you can assemble the streusel topping and refrigerate it overnight as well. You can also make the blueberry syrup in advance.

In the morning, simply let the pan stand for 30 minutes at room temperature before baking. If you like, you could assemble the streusel or syrup during this time as well. Top with the streusel and throw it in the oven!

More blueberry recipes

This blueberry French toast casserole recipe is a favorite of ours: we love it for impressing guests or even a Mother’s Day brunch idea. Here are a few more breakfast ideas with blueberries:

• Mix up Blueberry Oatmeal or bake a pan of Easy Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
• Go for Classic Blueberry Pancakes or Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
• Try the Best Blueberry Waffles
• Grab Classic Blueberry Muffins
• Bake up fluffy Lemon Blueberry Bread

01

Easy Blueberry Oatmeal

02

Classic Blueberry Pancakes

03

Best Blueberry Waffles

04

Lemon Blueberry Bread

This blueberry French toast casserole recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Blueberry French Toast Casserole

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• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 15 minutes (30 minute rest time, or overnight)
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 12

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Description

Blueberry French toast casserole is the best brunch recipe! It’s topped with a crunchy streusel topping and homemade blueberry syrup.

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Ingredients

• 1 loaf unsliced sourdough or French bread (about 1 pound), cut into cubes
• 1 cup blueberries
• 8 eggs
• 1 ¾ cups 2% milk
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• ¼ cup crushed pecans
• ¼ cup turbinado or demerara sugar*
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• 1 recipe Blueberry Syrup* (required!)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Grease a 9 x 13″ baking dish. Add half the torn bread to the dish then ½ cup of the blueberries, then more bread.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until fully incorporated and frothy. Whisk in the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla extract, ½ tablespoon cinnamon, nutmeg and kosher salt. Pour the custard over the bread pieces and use your fingers to submerge the tops of the bread to ensure it is all coated. Top with the remaining ½ cup blueberries. Rest 30 minutes at room temperature (or refrigerate overnight and bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking).
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, add the rolled oats, pecans, turbinado sugar, flour, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut the butter into the other ingredients using a pastry cutter or fork until evenly combined and a crumbly streusel topping forms. Refrigerate until baking.
5. Just before baking, sprinkle the streusel topping over the French toast. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until browned and set. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
6. While the casserole bakes, make the Blueberry Syrup. Scoop out pieces and top with a drizzle of the berry syrup.

Notes

*The Blueberry Syrup really adds the blueberry flavor to this casserole. If desired, you can make ½ recipe of the syrup, which makes ¾ cup.

• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Blueberry French toast casserole

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Sometimes a recipe comes along that’s so simple and tasty, we just cannot wait to share it with you. Such is the case with this Blueberry Oatmeal! This pot of oats has an irresistible sweet berry flavor that’s nuanced with cinnamon, allspice and a hint of vanilla. Even better is the color: the brilliant-purple hue makes it that much more fun to eat your breakfast. Our 6-year old absolutely adores this: and so do we! Here’s how to make this easy breakfast recipe.

Ingredients in blueberry oatmeal

Sure, you can buy blueberry oatmeal at the store: but it has that artificial berry flavor that’s somehow just not quite right. Homemade blueberry oatmeal is where it’s at! It tastes deliciously fresh, with cozy spices and vanilla to round out the flavor. Here’s what you’ll need to make it at home:

• Fresh blueberries (or substitute frozen)
• Old Fashioned rolled oats (do not use instant oats or steel cut oats)
• Butter or coconut oil
• Milk of choice (2% or oat milk)
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon, allspice, and salt
• Vanilla extract

Can you use frozen blueberries?

Yes! Frozen berries work perfectly here, because you want them to break down and cook into the oatmeal. Frozen blueberries tend to bleed into the batter of baked goods, which is not great for blueberry muffins or blueberry bread that you don’t want to turn purple in color!

Since you do want purple blueberry oatmeal, it’s the perfect place to use frozen berries! You do not need to thaw them before using: the heat of the pan will defrost them quickly.

How to make blueberry oatmeal

This method for blueberry oatmeal makes a pot of oats with a slightly chewy and thick texture. It’s a little different from your standard bowl of creamy oats: and a lot more delicious! Here’s how to make the best pot of blueberry oatmeal:

• Toast the oats in butter or coconut oil until fragrant. It takes just a minute or two, but it makes a big difference in flavor.
• Add liquid and stir! You’ll want to keep stirring throughout the cook time.
• Smash the blueberries with the back of a spoon as you go. The more berries you smash, the brighter the color of the oats becomes.

Variation: baked oatmeal

This recipe is a quick and easy version for weekday mornings. But want to make a baked version with the same flavors? Try Blueberry Baked Oatmeal! It’s also packed with flavor and a great way to enjoy blueberries for breakfast.

Toppings for blueberry oatmeal

Last up: the toppings! It’s essential to drizzle pure maple syrup over the top of this blueberry oatmeal: it adds just the right pop of sweetness. Otherwise, it’s up to you! Here are a few ideas for the toppings:

• Maple syrup
• Fresh blueberries
• Sliced almonds
• Chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts
• Milk, half and half or cream
• Yogurt or Greek yogurt
• Strawberries, raspberries, or sliced bananas

More blueberry breakfast recipes

There are so many great ways to eat blueberries for breakfast! Here are a few more ideas:

• Go for Classic Blueberry Pancakes or Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
• Try the Best Blueberry Waffles
• Grab Classic Blueberry Muffins
• Bake a pan of Easy Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

01

Classic Blueberry Pancakes

02

Best Blueberry Waffles

03

Easy Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

04

Classic Blueberry Muffins

This blueberry oatmeal recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Easy Blueberry Oatmeal

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 2 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 12 minutes
• Yield: 2

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Description

Blueberry oatmeal is quick and extraordinarily delicious! Impress everyone with this bright, berry-flavored breakfast recipe.

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salted butter or coconut oil
• 1 cup Old Fashioned rolled oats (do not use instant oats or steel cut oats)
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup milk of choice (2% or oat milk)
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen*
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• For topping: maple syrup, fresh blueberries, sliced almonds, milk

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Instructions

1. Melt the butter or coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the oats and toast for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant.
2. Turn the heat to low and carefully pour in the water, milk, blueberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and vanilla extract, stirring. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened and the oats are tender, smashing the blueberries with the back of a large spoon as you stir. (Try to smash the majority of the berries to give the oatmeal its purple color.)
3. Remove from the heat. Top with desired toppings and serve.

Notes

*Frozen blueberries can tend to bleed their color, which is not desirable for baked goods. But since you do want purple blueberry oatmeal, it’s the perfect place to use frozen berries! You do not need to thaw them before using: the heat of the pan will defrost them quickly.

• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Breakfast
• Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Blueberry oatmeal

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Looking for a cozy breakfast or snack? Try these Morning Glory Muffins! This 1970’s muffin recipe is everything it’s cracked up to be. Each one is moist and warm-spiced, studded with carrots, pineapple, raisins and pecans. There’s a bit of whole wheat flour for nutty body and a hint of coconut sprinkles as a topping. It’s like a combination of carrot cake and applesauce cake, in muffin form! Here’s how to whip up a batch.

Why are they called Morning Glory muffins?

Turns out, this famous flavor was born in the 1970’s in Nantucket. Chef Pam McKinstry created the muffin recipe for her restaurant, the Morning Glory Café, in 1978. They quickly became popular and the recipe was published in Gourmet Magazine in 1981.

The original Morning Glory muffins recipe was a straightforward muffin. The batter featured all-purpose flour and cinnamon, and it was stuffed with raisins, carrots, apple, pineapple, pecans, and coconut.

Many riffs on the original have popped up in restaurants around the country, and the muffin started to take on a vaguely “health food” vibe, sometimes including either bran or whole wheat flour.

Ingredients in Morning Glory muffins

For this Morning Glory muffins recipe, we wanted to stay true to the original character of the muffins while also celebrating its vaguely “healthy” history. We took inspiration from this Epicurious source and former head of Tartine Bakery, who likes to add whole wheat flour and brown sugar to the mix to add that signature “brown” muffin texture. Here’s what you’ll need for this Morning Glory muffins recipe:

• All-purpose and whole wheat flour
• Granulated and light brown sugar
• Cinnamon and allspice
• Baking powder and salt
• Canned pineapple
• Grated carrots
• Raisins
• Pecans
• Eggs
• Applesauce
• Vegetable oil
• Milk
• Vanilla extract

Mix-ins and variations

Morning Glory muffins have a variety of mix-in options, depending on the chef. If you’re used to this type of muffin, you may want to add one of the following:

• Walnuts: use chopped walnuts instead of pecans
• Coconut: add ¼ to ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
• Apples: add ½ cup peeled and diced apples
• Orange zest: add 1 teaspoon orange zest for a beautifully zingy flavor

Tips for these Morning Glory Muffins

This Morning Glory muffin recipe comes together quickly and simply: just mix the dry ingredients, mix the wet ingredients, and combine! Here are a few tips to making these muffins a success:

• Resist the urge to overmix. Overmixing muffin batter can cause holes in the crumb and a denser texture. Mix just until the streaks of flour disappear.
• Chop the pineapple finely. You don’t want huge chunks of pineapple here.
• The muffin cups will be full to the brim. This is intentional: it makes for a hefty muffin with a generous muffin top.
• Baking at 400°F makes a taller muffin. This temperature makes a taller muffin and it’s quicker to bake, versus 350°F which is standard.

Storage info

These Morning Glory muffins are even better the next day! Store them at room temperature overnight, and they become even more moist and delicious. Here are a few pointers:

• Store up to 4 days at room temperature. Store in a sealed container and they become even more moist over time.
• Store refrigerated for 1 week or more. Store refrigerated up to 1 week or more. Make sure to allow to come to room temperature before serving, otherwise they are very dense.
• Frozen: Freeze the muffins in a sealed container for up to 3 months.

And that’s it! Let us know if you try these Morning Glory muffins and what you think.

More muffin recipes

Want to try more classic muffin flavors? Here are a few to try?

• Go for a Basic Muffin Recipe that you can customize to your liking
• Make Classic Blueberry Muffins or Lemon Blueberry Muffins
• Try Easy Banana Muffins, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins or Banana Nut Muffins
• Opt for Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

01

Classic Blueberry Muffins

02

Easy Banana Muffins

03

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

This Morning Glory muffins recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Morning Glory Muffins

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• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 12

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Description

Start your day with Morning Glory muffins! This recipe is packed with goodness: carrots, raisins, nuts, and warm spices.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup [140 g] all-purpose flour
• 1 cup [140 g] whole wheat flour
• ½ cup [100 g] granulated sugar
• ½ cup [100 g] light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup canned pineapple (in juice), drained and chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup peeled and grated carrots (2 medium)
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup chopped pecans, plus more for topping
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup applesauce
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup milk (or orange juice*)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional: Coconut flakes, for topping

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or add muffin cup papers.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, and kosher salt. Stir in the pineapple, carrots, raisins and chopped pecans.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the applesauce, vegetable oil, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula until a thick, smooth batter forms.
4. Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin cups: the cups will be full to the top. Sprinkle the tops with more chopped pecans and if desired, coconut flakes.
5. Bake the muffins for 20 to 23 minutes, until puffed and golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool fully, about 1 hour. Eat immediately or they taste even better the next day after storage in a sealed container at room temperature. Store up to 4 days in a sealed container at room temperature, refrigerated up to 1 week or more (allow to come to room temperature before serving), or frozen up to 3 months.

Notes

*Adding 1 teaspoon orange zest also brightens the flavor! Other mix in ideas: add ½ cup shredded coconut, use walnuts instead of pecans, or golden raisins instead of raisins.

• Category: Muffin
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Breakfast
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Morning glory muffins, morning glory muffin recipe, morning glory muffins recipe, morning glory muffin

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Looking for a fun breakfast idea? Try carrot cake baked oatmeal! Here’s everyone’s favorite cake dressed up as a wholesome way to start the day. It’s cozy and comforting, flecked with orange carrots and flavored with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Steel cut oats add heartiness, and it’s seriously simple to throw together and eat off a pan all week. This one’s a favorite of ours: especially in the spring! Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients in carrot cake baked oatmeal

This carrot cake baked oatmeal has a twist: it’s make with steel cut oats instead of rolled oats! It’s a spin on our favorite pumpkin pie baked oatmeal, with carrots and cozy spices instead. Best of all, it’s an idea brought to us by a reader, Heather! She let us know that she makes our pumpkin oatmeal all the time and she even created a few other “flavors”: one of which was carrot cake. We knew we needed to try it out, and it’s become a big favorite around here. Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:

• Carrots
• Raw steel cut oats (do not use rolled oats; see below
• Olive oil
• Egg
• 2% milk
• Maple syrup
• Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg
• Baking powder and salt
• Pecan pieces

Steel cut oats vs rolled oats

This carrot cake baked oatmeal uses steel cut oats, not rolled oats. What’s the difference?

• Steel cut oats are whole grain oats that are cut into nubs: the grains look like brown rice or barley. 
• Rolled oats are oat groats that are rolled through steel rollers: this gives them a flat shape and makes them much quicker to cook. Both varieties have very similar nutritional profiles: lots of protein and fiber to start your day! See Steel Cut vs Rolled Oats.
• Don’t substitute rolled oats here! The recipe is designed for steel cut oats, so the liquid quantities and bake time don’t work for rolled oats.

It takes 1 hour, but leftovers save well

This carrot cake baked oatmeal takes 1 hour start to finish, but most of the time is hands off while the oatmeal bakes. However, the leftovers save well and make for a healthy breakfast recipe that lasts throughout the week. It saves well in the refrigerator, and you can eat it cold or room temp: no reheating necessary! If you’d like, you can heat it in the oven or microwave.

More carrot recipes

Got leftover carrots? Here are some more carrot recipes to use up a bunch!

• Carrot Cake Cupcakes Warm spiced with the best cream cheese frosting!
• Carrot Fries Full of flavor, these fries are completely irresistible covered in ranch seasoning.
• Roasted Broccoli and Carrots This pair has the perfect flavor and color contrast, and they come out tender and browned.
• Perfect Sauteed Carrots The perfect easy side dish, they’re made with just 3 ingredients and done in 10 minutes. Another method? Try them steamed.
• Carrot Juice No juicer needed! It’s easy to whip up this delicious, nutrient filled drink in a blender.
• Roasted Carrots or Roasted Carrots and Onions Bake until tender with lemon wedges and thyme.
• Carrot Cake Pancakes Moist and spiced, a healthy spin that’s just sweet enough!

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Carrot Cake Cupcakes

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Carrot Fries (Ranch Seasoned!)

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Carrot Juice

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Roasted Carrots

This carrot cake baked oatmeal recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For dairy-free, use almond milk.

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: a Couple Cooks
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 6 to 8

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There’s nothing cozier than baked oatmeal! This baked steel cut oatmeal is carrot cake flavored, with cozy spices and pecans.

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Ingredients

• 3 large carrots (1 ½ cups grated)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large egg (or flax egg for vegan)
• 2 cups 2% milk (or oat or almond milk)
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup raw steel cut oats (do not use rolled oats)
• ⅓ cup pecan pieces

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish.
2. Peel and finely grate the carrots, enough for 1 ½ cups.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, egg, milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder and kosher salt. Pour into the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk to combine. Stir in the steel cut oats.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, then mix in carrots and spread them around evenly. Cover the pan loosely with foil.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil then sprinkle with pecans. Bake another 30 to 35 minutes until set. Serve warm, or refrigerate and eat leftovers for several days. (Note: This baked steel cut oatmeal is best warm or room temperature. Leftovers store well and can be reheated. To make it ahead, you could bake the entire pan and reheat: or prepare the wets and dries separately and refrigerate overnight, keeping the carrots in a separate container, and then mix them and bake the next morning.)

• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: Baked steel cut oatmeal, Baked Oatmeal, Steel Cut Oatmeal, Carrot Cake Oatmeal, Brunch Recipes

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

It’s savory, hearty and works for breakfast, brunch, or a light dinner: it’s quiche! A good quiche recipe can move mountains (we think). We’ve become obsessed with honing the perfect recipe and discovering all the best tips and fillings. This quiche has a simple filling of onion, garlic, spinach and sundried tomato, and it’s encased in a golden flaky pastry crust. Try this filling idea or use it as a base for your own variation (see below). Here’s what to do!

How to make quiche (overview)

A quiche is a French tart filled with custard and savory fillings. It’s become a classic brunch recipe in the Western world, stuffed with fillings from cheese to spinach to bacon (quiche Lorraine).

This classic quiche recipe comes together in less than 2 hours, made completely from scratch with a homemade quiche crust. Or, you can use store-bought refrigerated pie crust as a shortcut. Here’s what to expect:

Quiche recipe filling

This quiche recipe has a basic formula that you can use for creating filling variations of your choice! It’s got a custard base, then various vegetable fillings. If you want to add more volume of veggies, you can remove one egg from the mixture (see below). Keep in mind that most vegetables should be sauteed, but some you can use raw (green onion, sundried tomato, and bell pepper). Here’s what’s in this basic quiche recipe filling:

• Custard: 5 large eggs, ¾ cup milk, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon each dried mustard and oregano, salt and pepper
• Sauteed vegetables: Butter, ¼ cup minced white onion, 2 garlic cloves, 3 cups baby spinach
• Raw vegetables: 2 green onions, ⅓ cup sundried tomatoes
• Cheese: ¾ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

For the quiche crust

The best way to make a quiche recipe is with homemade quiche crust! However, you can use purchased refrigerated pie dough if you prefer. There are pros and cons to each method.

• Homemade crust holds its shape better and tastes better.  This quiche crust tastes so much better than store-bought: it’s more buttery and flaky. It can also hold a crimped crust better (at least with the purchased brands we’ve tested!).
• Purchased crust is faster, but can lose its shape. Purchased crust works too! It’s not quite as delicious, but it comes close. We’ve had some issues with refrigerated pie dough holding its shape, so we recommend using the shape where you press the fork tines into the crust (see photo below).

Blind baking the crust is key

The biggest key to making a quiche? Blind bake the crust! This means you bake the pastry crust without the filling first to avoid a soggy bottom. This is essential with quiche because the filling is so liquid (but not required with say, apple pie which has a chunkier filling). Here’s how to blind bake a crust:

• Prick holes with a fork all over the crust. This is called docking: it helps keep the crust from puffing up while in the oven without filling. (Make sure to dock gently so you don’t create holes in the dough!)
• Add parchment paper then pie weights, dried beans, or rice! Pour them right into the crust. We use two sets of these pie weights. Bake for 12 minutes at 400°F, then reduce the heat to 350°F.
• Remove the pie weights. Remove the weights and bake 20 to 25 more minutes until the crust is golden. Then the quiche is ready to fill.

How to make a pie crust shield

For this quiche recipe, you’ll also need to use a pie crust shield. This tool prevents pie crust from burning in the oven by covering just the crust, allowing the filling to bake normally. There are two options for a pie crust shield:

• Make a pie crust shield with aluminum foil. Cut a hole in the center of a large sheet of foil that’s the diameter of your pie plate. The foil will rest on the crust, but allow the filling to bake uncovered. Here’s a video with instructions for more details.
• Or, buy a metal pie crust shield. Here’s a link to buy a pie crust shield online.

Quiche recipe ideas (variations)

There are so many different ways to fill a quiche! Here are a few classic flavors:

Spinach: Use 4 eggs instead of 5 and increase to 1 teaspoon salt in the custard. For the filling, keep the onion and garlic. Add 8 ounces defrosted frozen spinach with all liquid squeezed out (no need to saute). See this Spinach Quiche recipe.

Broccoli: Use 4 eggs instead of 5. For the filling, saute 2 cups very small broccoli florets with the onion and garlic and an extra ¼ teaspoon salt. See this Broccoli Quiche recipe.

Asparagus: Use 4 eggs instead of 5. For the filling, saute 4 ounces asparagus (about 8 thin stalks) with the onion and garlic, and an extra ¼ teaspoon salt. Use smoked gouda cheese instead of cheddar and top with feta crumbles instead of Parmesan. See this Asparagus Quiche recipe.

Breakfast quiche: Use 4 eggs instead of 5 and increase to 1 teaspoon salt in the custard. Remove the onion and garlic. Add 1 cup (4 ounces) frozen or refrigerated hashbrowns to the bottom of the crust. Top with 2 sliced green onions, ¼ cup finely diced red pepper and feta cheese crumbles instead of Parmesan. See this Breakfast Quiche recipe.

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Spinach Quiche

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Classic Asparagus Quiche

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Breakfast Quiche

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Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

This quiche recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Classic Quiche Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 8

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This quiche recipe features a hearty, savory filling encased in a flaky pastry crust! Brunch just got better.

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Ingredients

• 1 Homemade Quiche Crust (made through Step 4) or 1 refrigerated pie dough
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ cup white onion, finely minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups baby spinach
• ¾ teaspoon plus 1 pinch kosher salt, divided
• 5 large eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon dried mustard
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• Fresh ground black pepper
• ¾ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 green onions, sliced
• ⅓ cup chopped sundried tomatoes

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Instructions

1. Prepare the crust: If using Homemade Quiche Crust, prepare it in the pie pan using the steps in the linked recipe. If using refrigerated pie dough, transfer the dough to the pie pan (make sure it is standard and not deep dish). Fold the overhanging dough backwards and seal it to form a rim. With refrigerated crust, it’s easiest to press in the tines of the fork to decorate the edges (like in this asparagus quiche; it’s harder to get the crimped edges to keep their shape while baking). Use a fork to gently prick holes in the bottom and sides of the crust (which helps it to not puff up while blind baking).
2. Freeze the crust: Freeze the crust in the pan for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Blind bake the crust at 400°F: Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the crust. Fill the dough with pie weights (we used two sets of these), dry beans, or dry rice. Bake for 12 minutes.
5. Reduce the oven temperature and blind bake at 350°F: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and carefully remove the parchment and weights. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the bottom is lightly browned (or more if necessary for refrigerated pie crust). Remove from the oven and add the filling once it is ready.
6. Prepare the filling: Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and a pinch of salt and cook until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
7. Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, dried mustard, dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and several grinds black pepper. Place the cheddar and Parmesan cheese in bottom of the crust, followed by the sliced green onions and sundried tomatoes (saving out a few to sprinkle on top). Add an even mix of the spinach, onion and garlic. Pour the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle the top with another handful of shredded cheese and the reserved green onions and sundried tomatoes.
8. Bake: Add a pie crust shield (purchased or homemade with foil*). Bake at 350°F for 40 to 50 minutes, until the center is set and the top is lightly browned. Cool at least 30 minutes, then serve or refrigerate. Re-warm in a 200 degree oven for 20 minutes. (You can also serve it cold.) Leftovers stay for 5 days refrigerated.

Notes

*To make your own crust shield, cut a hole in the center of a large sheet of foil that’s the diameter of your pie plate. The foil will rest on the crust but let the pie filling be uncovered. Here’s a video with instructions for more details.

• Category: Brunch
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: French inspired
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Quiche recipe, how to make quiche, how to make a quiche

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Here’s a bright, zingy quick bread that will make friends and family come running: this Lemon Blueberry Bread! This one is beautifully moist and lemon-scented, thanks to a secret ingredient. Drizzle it with a cream cheese glaze, which makes a festive look and another pop of sweet to each bite. We’ve made a lot of quick breads but this one is a family favorite: it’s so refreshing and delicately soft! This one’s a must try, in our opinion: perfect for spring and summer baking.

Ingredients in lemon blueberry bread

This lemon blueberry bread has the best zingy flavor and moist texture. In fact, it turned out even better than we were expecting! The lemon extract and lemon zest really make magic here (more on that below). Aside from those and blueberries, most of the ingredients you may already have on hand in your pantry or refrigerator. Here’s what you’ll need:

• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder
• Eggs
• Neutral oil
• Greek yogurt or sour cream
• Milk
• Lemon juice and lemon zest
• Lemon extract
• Blueberries

The secret ingredient: lemon extract

One ingredient you can’t leave out in this blueberry lemon bread? Lemon extract. Here’s why:

• Lemon extract adds a citrusy lemon flavor to the bread without adding too much acid or sour flavor, which happens with lemon juice.
• It’s easy to find lemon extract in the baking aisle near the vanilla. A bottle lasts for up to 4 years in the pantry, so it’s a worthwhile purchase.
• Using extract eliminates the need for buying another fresh lemon: so you only need one for this recipe! This cuts down on cost in the long term.

Can you use frozen blueberries?

Got frozen blueberries on hand? Frozen blueberries can bleed into the batter of muffins and breads, making them turn purple in color! If you’d like to use frozen berries, we recommend rinsing them well and patting them dry with paper towels per these instructions from King Arthur Baking.

For the glaze

You can make this lemon blueberry bread without a glaze: it actually simplifies storage! But the glaze adds just the right pop of sweet: it’s like adding a few more pinches of salt to a savory dish to bring out the flavor even more. There are two glaze recipes that are ideal for topping this bread:

• Cream cheese glaze: This cream cheese drizzle is just 3 ingredients and adds just the right tangy sweet pop. (This is what is pictured in the photographs.)
• Lemon glaze: Want even more lemony flavor? Add this zingy lemon glaze to take this bread to new heights.

Tips for baking blueberry lemon bread

This lemon blueberry bread recipe is easier than many baked goods: since it’s made with oil, you don’t need to use a mixer to cream together butter and sugar. Here are a few tips for baking lemon blueberry bread:

• Use an aluminum baking pan for best results. Ceramic and glass pans don’t cook as evenly for quick breads. Use aluminum if you can! We recommend a 9-inch loaf pan, but you can use an 8-inch pan too: just increase the bake time slightly.
• Don’t overmix. Overmixing a quick bread batter leads to holes in the texture of the crumb. Mix until the batter is combined and there are no dry spots remaining.
• Cover loosely with aluminum foil at 30 minutes. Add a bit of foil to prevent the top from browning too much. Pull the bread just when a toothpick comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes. The internal temperature should be between 200°F and 205°F.

Storage tips

How to store this lemon blueberry bread once you’ve baked up a loaf? The glaze makes storage slightly tricky (but it’s still totally worth it, in our opinion!). Here’s what to know:

• Glazed cranberry bread lasts 3 to 4 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil.
• Store the bread refrigerated for 10 days wrapped in aluminum foil, making sure to bring the slice to room temperature before enjoying.
• Freeze un-iced bread for up to 3 months. Slice it into pieces and wrap it in plastic wrap then a freezer-safe bag or container.

More blueberry recipes

This lemon blueberry bread is at the top of our favorite blueberry recipes: but there are so many more to choose from! Here are a few more popular recipes:

• Try Classic Blueberry Muffins or Lemon Blueberry Muffins
• Go for Perfect Blueberry Crumble
• Start the day with Easy Blueberry Baked Oatmeal or Classic Blueberry Pancakes
• Bake up Blueberry Banana Bread instead

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Classic Blueberry Muffins

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Perfect Blueberry Crumble

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Easy Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

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Classic Blueberry Pancakes

This lemon blueberry bread recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

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• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 12 slices

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Description

This lemon blueberry bread recipe is perfection! It’s moist and zesty, studded with fruit and topped with a sweet drizzle.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, plus more for topping
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup neutral oil (grapeseed, vegetable or canola)
• ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (zest from 1 large lemon)
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries*, rinsed and patted dry (or substitute frozen, not thawed), plus 1 handful extra for the top
• 1 recipe Cream Cheese Glaze or Lemon Glaze

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Instructions

1. Preheat: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch aluminum loaf pan.
2. Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the oil, yogurt, milk, lemon juice, zest and lemon extract until smooth. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula until a thick, smooth batter forms. 
3. Prep the blueberries: Wash and dry the blueberries. Place the blueberries in a bowl and toss with the 1 teaspoon flour. Gently fold them into the batter. 
4. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top with a sprinkle of another handful of blueberries, pressing them into the top. Then sprinkle with a few teaspoons of additional granulated sugar. 
5. Bake: Bake 55 to 65 minutes, covering loosely with aluminum foil at 30 minutes, until the top springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The exact timing will depend on your oven and baking pan.
6. Cool: Cool the bread in the pan for 30 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge and invert the loaf onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool fully to room temperature (about 30 minutes to 1 hour).
7. Add glaze: Mix the ingredients in a small bowl until it comes together into a smooth icing (if it is too runny add a bit more powdered sugar; if it’s too thick add a few drops more liquid). Use a fork to drizzle the top of the bread with the icing.
8. Storage info: The bread lasts 3 to 4 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil or refrigerated for 10 days wrapped in foil (bring to room temperature before enjoying). You can also freeze un-iced bread for up to 3 months (slice it into pieces and wrap it in plastic wrap then a freezer-safe bag or container).

• Category: Bread
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Baked
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Lemon blueberry bread, blueberry lemon bread, lemon blueberry bread recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Here’s a muffin recipe you need in your arsenal: carrot cake muffins! These are beautifully moist and spiced, with cozy spices interspersed with pecans and bright strands of carrots. Add a tangy cream cheese glaze to decorate the tops, and it takes them into rockstar territory! This recipe is perfect in the spring, but we like it anytime of year: it’s a hit with friends and family alike!

Ingredients in this carrot cake muffins recipe

This carrot cake muffins recipe takes everything you like about the popular cake and boils it down into muffins. They’re lightly sweet so they’re not too heavy, and drizzled with just a bit of cream cheese icing (instead of the usual generous layers). There’s nothing better than a great muffin, and this one satisfies every bit of a muffin craving. Here’s what you’ll need:

• All purpose flour
• Brown sugar and granulated sugar
• Cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Pecans (or raisins)
• Eggs
• Applesauce
• Vegetable oil
• Vanilla extract
• Carrots

A few ingredient notes: the applesauce in the muffins keeps them beautifully moist without using more oil. If you love nuts, pecans are the perfect mix-in! You can swap them out for raisins, or you can do both (if you’re a fan of raisins in carrot cake).

For the cream cheese glaze

The best part of these carrot cake muffins? The cream cheese glaze! This glaze is a play on our powdered sugar icing, but using cream cheese instead. Turns out, softened and warmed cream cheese makes an excellent glaze. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Heat the cream cheese. Here you’ll want to heat it so that it becomes very soft and easy to stir. We did it in the microwave, but you can also use a small saucepan and use medium low heat on the stovetop.
• Adjust the powdered sugar and/or milk in very small quantities. The goal is a drizzle-able glaze. Powdered sugar can have some variability when you measure it, so you can add a little more if the icing is too thin. Add a bit more milk if the icing is too thick.
• Use a fork for drizzling. The best way to drizzle icing on muffins? Use a fork, not a spoon! It makes the best lines as it drizzles off of the tines of the fork.

Mix-ins and variations

Love a great carrot cake? There are loads of variations on carrot cake, and you can work them into these muffins easily. Here are a few more ideas:

• Raisins: use ½ cup as noted above
• Walnuts: use chopped walnuts instead of pecans
• Coconut: add ¼ to ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
• Pineapple: add ½ cup chopped canned pineapple in place of ½ cup of the shredded carrots
• White chocolate chips: Add another sweet layer with chips

Carrot cake muffins storage

These carrot cake muffins are so delicious, you’ll want to eat them all the day of baking! But this makes a batch of 12, which is probably more than you’ll need. Here are a few notes on storing leftovers:

• The muffins last best uniced. If making the muffins in advance, store them un-iced and refrigerated; add the drizzle directly before serving.
• Store with a paper towel in the container. The muffins last at room temperature in a sealed container lined with a paper towel to absorb extra moisture, about 2 days if iced or 4 days if un-iced. The glaze becomes soft during storage, but it holds its shape.
• Store refrigerated for up to 1 week or more. Allow to come to room temperature before serving. Again, the glaze becomes softer during storage but holds up.
• You can also freeze the muffins without the glaze. They last up to 3 months frozen.

More carrot recipes

This carrot cake muffins recipe is perfect for spring, Easter, or Mother’s Day brunch, but it also works any time of year. Love making recipes with this orange vegetable? Here are some ideas for carrot recipes:

• Go for Carrot Cake Cupcakes or Carrot Cake Pancakes instead
• Try Simple Carrot Soup
• Grab Honey Glazed Carrots
• Go for our favorite Simple Carrot Salad
• Blend up a Carrot Smoothie or Carrot Juice

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Carrot Cake Cupcakes

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Simple Carrot Soup

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Honey Glazed Carrots

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Carrot Cake Pancakes

This carrot cake muffins recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Carrot Cake Muffins

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★★★

3 from 1 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 12

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Description

This carrot cake muffins recipe is a showstopper! The muffins are moist and spiced, topped with a tangy cream cheese drizzle.

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Ingredients

For the muffins

• 1 ¾ cups [245 g] all-purpose flour
• ½ cup [100 g] light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup [67 g] granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup chopped pecans (or raisins)*
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups peeled and grated carrots (4 to 5 medium)

For the glaze

• 3 tablespoons cream cheese
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon milk

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or add muffin cup papers.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, and kosher salt. Stir in the chopped pecans.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the applesauce, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the carrots with a spatula. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula until a thick, smooth batter forms. 
4. Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin cups: the cups will be full to the top. 
5. Bake the muffins for 23 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool fully, about 1 hour. 
6. To make the glaze, place the cream cheese in a glass measuring cup or bowl and microwave for about 20 seconds until warm (alternatively, warm it in a small saucepan over medium low heat on the stovetop). Stir in the powdered sugar and milk and mix until a drizzlable glaze forms. Use a fork to drizzle it over the muffins. (If making the muffins in advance, store them un-iced and refrigerated; add the drizzle directly before serving.)
7. Eat the muffins immediately. Or, store at room temperature in a sealed container lined with a paper towel to absorb extra moisture, about 2 days if iced or 4 days if un-iced. Store refrigerated for up to 1 week or more (allow to come to room temperature before serving). The glaze becomes soft during storage, but it holds its shape. You can also store frozen without glaze for up to 3 months.

Notes

*If you love raisins in a carrot cake, you can use them instead of pecans: or use ½ cup of both!

• Category: Muffins
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Carrot cake muffins, carrot cake muffins recipe, carrots muffin cake recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Want a knockout brunch idea? Try this Spinach Quiche recipe, the perfect savory pie for any occasion! This one features a savory filling with spinach and cheddar cheese, scented with garlic and just the right seasoning to make it irresistible not to take another bite. Pour it all into a flaky pastry crust and bake until puffed and golden. It’s the best idea for wow-ing a crowd at brunch, and it works as a light dinner too with a salad. This one got rave reviews over here (especially with our crust-loving 6 year old!).

How to make spinach quiche: an overview

A quiche is a French tart filled with custard and savory fillings. Leave it to the French to invent the idea of pie as a main dish! It’s become a classic brunch recipe, with spinach as one of the top vegetarian fillings.

Want to make a spinach quiche recipe? You can make this classic recipe in less than 2 hours, made completely from scratch with a homemade quiche crust. Or, you can use store-bought refrigerated pie crust for a shortcut. However, we highly recommend the homemade crust for its crispy, buttery texture: and it holds its shape better! Here’s what to expect:

Ingredients in the spinach quiche filling

This spinach quiche filling is savory and cheesy, with just the right nuance in flavor from onion and garlic. The key? Frozen spinach, which makes this quiche easy to assemble. Cooking that amount of spinach from fresh just isn’t practical here, and the texture from frozen spinach is actually better for this application. Here’s what you’ll need for the filling:

• Frozen spinach
• Butter
• White onion
• Garlic
• Eggs
• Milk
• Heavy cream
• Dried mustard and dried dill
• Salt and pepper
• Shredded cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese

Tip: blind bake the crust

The biggest key to making a quiche? Blind bake the crust! Blind baking is baking a pastry crust without the filling. This makes sure the bottom won’t get soggy because the crust is perfectly firm before you add the filling. If you don’t blind bake, you’ll get soggy bottom crust (we did). Here’s what to know about how to get the perfect flaky crust:

• Freeze the crust 15 minutes. This helps the crust to hold its shape while blind baking.
• Prick holes with a fork all over the crust. This is called docking: it helps keep the crust from puffing up while in the oven without filling.
• Add parchment paper then pie weights, dried beans, or rice! Pour them right into the crust. We use two sets of these pie weights. Bake for 12 minutes at 400°F, then reduce the heat to 350°F.
• Remove the pie weights. Remove the weights and bake 20 to 25 more minutes until the crust is golden. Then the quiche is ready to fill.

Homemade vs purchased quiche crust

You can use purchased refrigerated pie dough for this recipe: but we’ve found we like homemade quiche crust much better! Why?

• Homemade crust holds its shape better. We’ve had some issues with refrigerated pie dough holding its shape, even when blind baking! It can lose the crimping on the edges and come out looking uneven.
• Homemade crust tastes better. It only takes a few minutes to make homemade quiche crust: and it tastes so much better! The flavor is much more developed and it’s even flakier and crisper than a purchased crust (at least the brands we’ve used!). Feel free to weigh in if you have a refrigerated quiche crust brand you love.

How to make a pie crust shield

For this spinach quiche, you’ll need to use a pie crust shield. This tool prevents pie crust from burning in the oven by covering just the crust, allowing the filling to bake normally.

• It’s easy to make a pie crust shield with aluminum foil. Cut a hole in the center of a large sheet of foil that’s the diameter of your pie plate. The foil will rest on the crust but let the filling bake uncovered. Here’s a video with instructions for more details.
• Or, buy a metal pie crust shield. Here’s a link to buy a pie crust shield online.

Make ahead instructions for quiche

Quiche saves very well: in fact, it’s even better after it’s cooled to room temperature or even cold. Here’s what to know about making quiche in advance:

• Make the quiche 1 to 3 days in advance. Then refrigerate it until serving! You can eat it cold, room temperature or warm.
• To reheat, warm in a 200 degree oven for about 20 minutes.
• The quiche saves 5 days refrigerated. Wrap it in plastic or aluminum foil to keep it fresh.

More quiche recipes

Want more quiche? Here are a few more ideas for savory pies:

• Try a Classic Quiche
• Opt for Spinach Quiche or Classic Asparagus Quiche
• Grab a Breakfast Quiche
• Go crustless with a Crustless Quiche with Spinach (so simple!)

01

Classic Asparagus Quiche

02

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

03

Breakfast Quiche

04

Classic Quiche Recipe

This spinach quiche recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Spinach Quiche

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★★★★

4 from 1 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 8

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Description

This spinach quiche recipe has a flaky pastry crust and a savory, cheesy interior! It’s perfect for brunch or a light dinner.

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Ingredients

• 1 Homemade Quiche Crust (made through Step 4) or 1 refrigerated pie dough
• 8-ounces frozen spinach
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ¼ cup white onion, finely minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 large eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon dried mustard
• ¼ teaspoon dried dill
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more to garnish
• ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

1. Prepare the crust: If using Homemade Quiche Crust, prepare it in the pie pan using the steps in the linked recipe. If using refrigerated pie dough, transfer the dough to the pie pan (make sure it is standard and not deep dish). Fold the overhanging dough backwards and seal it to form a rim. With refrigerated crust, it’s easiest to press in the tines of the fork to decorate the edges (like in this asparagus quiche; it’s harder to get the crimped edges to keep their shape while baking). Use a fork to gently prick holes in the bottom and sides of the crust (which helps it to not puff up while blind baking). 
2. Freeze the crust: Freeze the crust in the pan for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Blind bake the crust at 400°F: Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the crust. Fill the dough with pie weights (we used two sets of these), dry beans, or dry rice. Bake for 12 minutes.
5. Reduce the oven temperature and blind bake at 350°F: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and carefully remove the parchment and weights. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the bottom is lightly browned (or more if necessary for refrigerated pie crust). Remove from the oven and add the filling once it is ready.
6. Prepare the filling: Meanwhile, thaw the frozen spinach. Squeeze out all the moisture with your fingers (or use a strainer) until the spinach is dry and crumbly. In a medium skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Set aside.
7. Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, dried mustard, dried dill, kosher salt, and several grinds black pepper. Place the cheddar and Parmesan cheese in bottom of the crust, along with even crumbles of the thawed and dried spinach and the cooked onions and garlic. Pour the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle the top with another handful of shredded cheddar cheese.
8. Bake: Add a pie crust shield (purchased or homemade with foil*). Bake at 350°F for 40 to 50 minutes minutes, until the center is set and the top is lightly browned. Cool at least 30 minutes, then serve or refrigerate. Re-warm in a 200 degree oven for 20 minutes. (You can also serve it cold.) Leftovers stay for 5 days refrigerated.

Notes

*To make your own crust shield, cut a hole in the center of a large sheet of foil that’s the diameter of your pie plate. The foil will rest on the crust but let the pie filling be uncovered. Here’s a video with instructions for more details. 

• Category: Main dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Brunch
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Spinach quiche, spinach quiche recipe

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