Nutmeg Muffins

 

Oh it's January, it's cold outside (here) and dreary and gray and eh, January, bleeh, so surely we're all in the mood for a little comfort so let's make these Nutmeg Muffins.

Mostly what happened, to be honest, is I inadvertently made too much homemade buttermilk and I was looking for ways to use it.  So yes, this recipe does have buttermilk in it.  I feel like a buttermilk broken record; I will bring you other stuff, I swear.

But let's get back to where we started, we could all use a little comfort, right?  And muffins are just oh-so comforting.

What's so great about these Nutmeg Muffins, Becky, you're wondering. 

Well. 

First they're beyond simple and super speedy to whip up so, within forty five minutes of now you will be snuggled up snarfing a toasty warm muffin.

These are light and fluffy, delicate, not a dense heavyweight hockey puck which is great.  Not that anything is wrong with dense hockey puck muffins; sometimes those are johnny-on-the-spot perfect.

These are almost a light fluffy cupcake but just off of cupcake enough to be muffin.  You won't feel like a ton of bricks after eating one (or more).

They're essentially nearly a one bowl wonder if you skip the part where I tell you to put the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  You can measure the dry and add it directly to the wet with the mixer off, save yourself the clean up which is important as our dishwasher is on the fritz and the last thing I want to do is wash another anything by hand....

....dry hands, falling off, hard to bake, send moisturizer...

The big bump of nutmeg is *mwah* just right, not even remotely overwhelming.

As such too then, they make your house smell fantastic.

The dash of sweet atop with the nibbles of walnut, just the right touch.  Not a walnut fan?  No worries, use a different nut or leave them out completely.

Ultimately, these Nutmeg Muffins are just darn delicious muffins, perfect in the morning, as a grab and go, a snack, heck even some hot chocolate and one a' these would make for a soothing dessert at the end of a long, cold day.  Or any day.

Don't blink because these come together fast.

Get yourself prepped up, things measured, things room temp'ed, oven on, muffin pan* lined with paper liners,* clap clap let's do this.
 

So in a stand mixer* bowl, toss the sugar and the butter together and you're not going to cream them so creaming anxiety abated, but mix for merely thirty seconds or so, until the sugar and butter have combined and everything's lumpy.

Next add in the splash of oil and the three eggs and beat that up so most of the butter/sugar clumps have smoothed themselves out.  Some will remain and that's okay.

Dump in the entirety of the dry ingredients, flip the machine onto low and pour in the buttermilk.  Head's up, the buttermilk may splash out and about.

Buttermilk hasn't been added quite yet here.

A few slow stirs around the bowl until it looks like stuff is mostly mixed together, shut off, pop the bowl off the machine and give a few nice stirs by hand with a spatula.*  Don't want to over-mix this.

Into the paper liners we go with the batter now, folks.  Fill those about two thirds full or so.

Toss together the topping in a little bowl (ack dammit, another bowl!) and with a teaspoon measure,* sprinkle one scoop atop each muffin.  I know, the walnut bits are a little awkward, but you can do this.

You will have extra batter left for probably two more muffins, fyi, so don't freak out.

All righty, pop the pan in the oven, give a test with a toothpick in one of the center muffins after about twenty or so, and voila, Nutmeg Muffins!

I know, it's tough to let these cool off as I uh, I sure didn't.  And it's tough to stop at just one as uh, um, again, I sure didn't.

Happy muffin-ing!

*The muffin pans, paper liners, stand mixers, spatulas, and measuring spoons are Amazon affiliate links.  Happy baking, thanks!  Please see the "info" tab for more, well, info.