Cleo Coyle’s Maple Bacon Breakfast Muffins

By á-4084

Makes 6 regular-size muffins (or 12 mini muffins)
*Note: “Pancake syrup” is not maple syrup. It consists of corn
syrup flavored with maple extract. If you use pancake syrup
instead of pure maple syrup in this recipe, be warned that your
muffins will be dry. Use pure maple syrup for best results.

Ingredients

• Caramelized bacon bits consisting of…
• (6 slices of bacon, smoked or maple + 6 teaspoons of light brown sugar)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt (if using table salt, use only a pinch)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten with fork
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/3 cup + 1 1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup (not “pancake syrup," see note)*
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (I use light

Preparation

Step 1

Step 1 – Make caramelized bacon bits: First preheat oven to
375° F. Muffins need a very hot oven to rise properly, so give
the oven a good 20 minutes of pre-heating. Meanwhile, cut 6
slices of bacon into small pieces. (Tip: I use kitchen shears.)
Sauté over medium-high heat until half-cooked—still soft and
flexible with fat just beginning to change color. Drain fat. Add 2
tablespoons light brown sugar. Stir and continue stirring over
heat until bacon bits are cooked through but still flexible (do
not cook until crisp and brittle). Transfer bacon bits to a plate
and break up any clumps into a single layer. Set aside to cool.
Step 2 – One bowl mixing method: Combine flour, brown
sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well
blended. Make a well in the center. Add fork-beaten egg,
canola oil, buttermilk, and 1/3 cup of the maple syrup (you will
use the final 1½ teaspoons from the ingredient list later). Whisk
the batter until well blended, but do not over-mix or you’ll
develop the gluten in the flour and your muffins will be tough
instead of tender. The batter will be loose. Fold in the bacon
bits, reserving enough to sprinkle over the muffin tops before
baking in the next step.
Step 3 – Sprinkle and Drizzle: Coat 6 muffin cups and top of
muffin pan with non-stick spray. If using paper liners, coat the
papers as well as the top of the pan. Divide batter among the 6
sprayed or lined muffin cups. Sprinkle the reserved
caramelized bacon bits over the top of each cup’s batter and
drizzle a small amount (¼ teaspoon, no more) of maple syrup
on top of the bacon bits and batter.
Step 4 – Bake: If baking standard muffins, check them in
15 minutes for doneness. If baking mini-muffins check
them in 8 minutes. Muffins may need a few more minutes
than stated, depending on your oven. They’re done
when a toothpick inserted comes out with no wet
batter clinging to it.
Note: The maple syrup drizzle will cause the muffin
Tops to stick a bit to the pan. Simply use a butter knife
to gently free it before removing muffins from cups.
FYI - I use the toothpick method to remove the muffins
from their pans. Stick two toothpicks into the muffin from
opposite ends and gently lift.