Maple Bacon Muffins

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Maple and bacon are classic breakfast flavors for which I yearn on a regular basis. Those flavors are what make these maple bacon muffins so great. However, sometimes you just don’t have time to fry up some bacon and cook a stack of pancakes. These muffins will give you both beautiful flavors in a compact package that you can grab and eat in the car on the way to the office. Kids love them too.

If you love the flavor of maple, don’t forget to try our Maple Syrup Bread, Maple Pecan Scones for Two and Maple Shortbread Cookies Dipped in Dark Chocolate (not exactly a breakfast recipe but tasty nonetheless!).

The inspiration behind this recipe is Stacey Poon-Kinney’s recipe for maple bacon cheesecake. She made this cheesecake in Season 9 of Food Network Star. I was intrigued by the idea of adding bacon to a dessert, and decided to try the idea in a batch of muffins I adapted from my orange craisin muffin recipe. Thus, these maple bacon muffins were born!

Ingredients

• 6 strips bacon. Maple flavored if you can find it.
• 2 cups white all-purpose flour.
• 1 cup sugar.
• 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder, double acting.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
• 1-1/4 cup milk.
• 2 tablespoons salted butter melted and cooled. If using unsalted butter, increase salt to 1 teaspoon.
• 1 teaspoon maple extract.
• 1 large egg. Brought to room temperature and beaten.

The ingredients for this recipe are pretty straight forward. You likely have most of them in your pantry and fridge. I found maple-flavored bacon at my local grocery store. It adds just a smidge of additional maple flavor, but not enough to be concerned about if you can’t find it. You can go ahead and use any type of breakfast bacon that you like. Real maple syrup will bake out and not add enough flavor for this recipe. I do not recommend substituting it for the maple extract. The maple extract will give you the biggest maple flavor bang for the buck.

Instructions

I made six jumbo muffins when I tested this recipe. It is also suitable for 12 smaller muffins.

Sifting the dry ingredients helps to incorporate air which will in turn help the muffins to rise.

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Grease and flour a large 6-cup jumbo muffin pan or you can line it with large paper liners. Set the pan aside.

Step 2. Line a microwave-safe plate with a paper towel. Place bacon strips on plate. Cover with a second paper towel and microwave on high for 4-6 minutes. Check at 4 minutes. Bacon should be lightly crispy. Cook longer if necessary, no longer than 6 minutes. Set aside.

Step 3. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda into a medium mixing bowl.

Step 4. Add milk, butter, maple extract and beaten egg. Stir until combined. Do not overmix. Rough chop and stir in bacon until well-distributed.

Step 5. Divide batter evenly for 6 muffins into your prepared muffin pan. Each well should be about 3/4 full. If using double acting baking powder, allow to rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the baking powder to start working. If using single acting baking powder, bake your muffins right away.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Baking Time

This recipe takes 30-35 minutes to bake. You might want to make it ahead on the weekend so you will have muffins ready to go during the week. They are also great to make and bring to a brunch gathering.

Storing and Reheating

You can store them in the fridge for up to a week or the freezer for up to two months. From frozen, reheat in the microwave on high for 30 seconds to one minute.

Related Recipes

• Peach Muffins
• Strawberry Muffins
• Orange Craisin Muffins
• Banana Raisin Bread
• Healthy Banana Muffins with Coconut from Plant Based Folk.

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