Brown Sugar Date Muffins
It's date night! Or date breakfast? Either way, these Brown Sugar Date Muffins are giving off sweet caramel vibes. Made with dried dates, brown sugar, and a hint of cinnamon, these fluffy, moist muffins have subtle notes of molasses. Oh, and it's the perfect way to sneak a little fruit into your morning routine!
Equipment
- 1 12-cup muffin pan
- mixing bowls, whisk, spatula, measuring cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped pitted dates I used dried
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher or fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1-2 tablespoon turbinado sugar for topping optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Prepare a standard 12-cup muffin pan with baking spray or insert 12 muffin liners.
- Soak the dates: Add the boiling water to the dates. Let soak for 10 minutes. While the dates are soaking, prepare the remaining ingredients.1 cup chopped pitted dates, 1 cup boiling water
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon Kosher or fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and the sugars, until blended (be sure to break up any lumps in the brown sugar for easier blending). Add the vanilla, and stir to combine. Slowly add the butter, followed by the buttermilk, and stir until blended.2 large eggs, room temperature, ¾ cup dark brown sugar, ¼ cup white granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- Drain the dates from the water. With the back of a spoon, remove some of the liquid from the dates. They should be very soft and paste-like. Add the dates to the buttermilk mixture.
- Add the date/buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, and stir until no flour streaks remain (do not overmix). Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- When the batter is finished resting, divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. (If you want taller muffins, use only 9 cups, filling the batter to the top ). Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the tops if using. Bake at 425℉ for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, reduce the heat to 350℉, and continue baking for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5-10 minutes.1-2 tablespoon turbinado sugar for topping
Notes
- Using a standard 12-cup muffin tin, fill every other muffin cavity. This prevents the steam from weighing down your batter and allows the moisture to escape. You can do this in 2 separate muffin tins, or cook the muffins in batches using the same muffin tin.
- Fill your muffin cavities. Many recipes call for filling the cups halfway. I like to fill mine to the top. If it means it will only yield 9 muffins instead of 12, then it's worth it in my opinion.
- Cooking the muffins at high heat initially helps them get that initial rise. Set a timer to remember to turn down the temperature to continue baking.
Nutrition*
Serving: 1 muffin | Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 55.7g | Protein: 5.5g | Fat: 9.5g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 524mg | Potassium: 1116mg | Fiber: 7.1g | Sugar: 29.2g | Calcium: 499mg | Iron: 3mg
*Nutrition information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Actual values may vary based on ingredients, measurements, and substitutions.
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