MORNING MAPLE MUFFINS

Maple combines with a subtle touch of cinnamon and nuts to give these muffins the flavor of a hearty pancake breakfast. But you don’t have to sit down to enjoy them. Our 2-year-old comes back for seconds, and even my husband—who doesn’t normally like muffins—likes these.

—Elizabeth Talbot, Lexington, KY

Takes: 30 min. • Makes: 16 muffins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¾ cup 2% milk
• ½ cup butter, melted
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract

TOPPING

• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. chopped nuts
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. cold butter

1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine milk, butter, syrup, sour cream, egg and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

2. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. For topping, combine flour, sugar, nuts and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter.

3. Bake 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm.

Freeze option: Freeze cooled muffins in freezer containers. To use, thaw at room temperature or, if desired, microwave each muffin on high for 20-30 seconds or until heated through.

1 muffin: 212 cal., 9g fat (5g sat. fat), 36mg chol., 211mg sod., 30g carb. (16g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g pro.

Bacon Maple Muffins: Omit vanilla and topping. Cook 10 bacon strips until crisp; remove to paper towels to drain. Cool and crumble bacon. Fold into batter.

Hazelnut Maple Muffins: Omit topping. Fold in ¾ cup chopped hazelnuts.