In case you are under the impression that every thing goes on in my kitchen ends up a success, let me set the record straight right now. That is most certainly not the case. Kitchen fails are pretty much a given. They may occur less frequently with more and more experience but they are still bound to happen from time to time. I suppose that you, lovely readers, end up benefiting from my fails in the long run. I make the mistakes, I make the flops, so that hopefully by the time the recipe reaches you, any room for error has been removed. That doesn’t mean I’m always a great sport about it.

I wish I could say that I handle these moments gracefully or even good natured-ly. I do not. My rush of frustration is intense, but thankfully short-lived. The one thing that can quickly get everything back on track is, of course, a solid kitchen win.


This weekend, after a particularly frustrating flop of a recipe, these muffins righted the wrong. They were exactly what I needed – simple, straightforward, and they turned out perfectly on the first try. As a bonus, they were met with hearty approval by the ever-ravenous natives AND we have breakfast options for the week ahead. Bam.

  • Prep 15 minutes
  • Cook 22 minutes
  • Yield about 12 muffins*

Ingredients

For the muffins: 

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp. grapefruit zest
  • 1 cup oat flour*
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp. poppy seeds
  • 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ½ cup low-fat greek yogurt (or sour cream)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 2-4 tbsp. grapefruit juice

To finish: 

  • 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp. grapefruit zest

Directions

  • 01

    Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Grease muffin tins or line with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and grapefruit zest. Rub together with your fingertips until the sugar is moistened and fragrant. Add in the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Whisk to blend. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the melted butter, milk, yogurt, egg, and vanilla. Whisk until well blended. Whisk in the melted butter. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and fold together just until incorporated and no dry streaks remain.

  • 02

    Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans filling each about 2/3 of the way full. Bake, rotating halfway through the baking time, until the muffins are lightly browned and just set, about 20-22 minutes total. Let cool in the pans about 5 minutes, gently remove from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

  • 03

    Place the wire rack with the muffins over a rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar with 2 tablespoons of the grapefruit juice. Add more juice as needed a teaspoon at a time until the glaze is thick but drizzleable (yes, it’s a word.) Drizzle some over each of the muffins.

  • 04

    In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and grapefruit zest and rub together until well combined. Sprinkle a bit on top of each muffin.

  • 05

    *Note: If you cannot find oat flour or would prefer not to purchase it, you can grind oats in your food processor until finely ground and use that instead.

Source