Maple Syrup Pancake Muffins

Brilliant!! A muffin that tastes like a pancake smothered in sticky syrup. Yes, please!

My only gripe with these is how expensive it is to make them. The topping calls for 3/4 cup of pure maple syrup. WHY is something so delicious and natural SO expensive?? I got a smaller jug of syrup for $6 and it is almost gone. OK...not just from the muffins but from waffles and pancakes too.

Now that I've said that, you have to make these at least once. They are so worth it just for that wonderful taste. I've never made brown butter before but it gives these a deep and caramel flavor. And then the topping is sticky and gooey and wonderful. I could not keep my hands away from these little gems.

You can add anything to the batter that you would normally add to a pancake. I added chocolate chips to a few of them. Then I shared them with my friends.


Maple Syrup Pancake Muffins
Source: Joy the Baker
Yield: 12 muffins

7 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt

For the Maple Glaze:

3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease muffin tin.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt and cook down the butter until little brown bits appear in the pan. The crackling will subside and butter will begin to brown fairly quickly after that. Keep a close eye. Remove from heat.

Whisk milk, egg, yolk, maple syrup, and vanilla until combined. Add the brown butter and stir to combine.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl Add milk and butter mixture all at one and stir gently to combine.

Divide the batter among muffin cups and spread evenly.

Bake until golden and crisp and a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.

While the muffins are baking make the maple glaze.

In a small saucepan simmer maple syrup and lemon juice, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a thick (thicker than maple syrup) syrup. This will take about 15 minutes over a low flame.

Remove from heat and wait for the muffins to finish baking. When muffins are out of the oven and cool enough to handle, poke a few holes in the muffin top with a toothpick and dip each muffin top in the maple glaze. After dipping all twelve muffins, start with the first muffin you dipped and dip each muffin again.