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Apricot-Wheat Germ Muffins
Apricot-Wheat Germ Muffins
13 Reviews
From the EatingWell Kitchen
Nutty toasted wheat germ and tangy dried apricots give these muffins a homey, satisfying flavor. Plumping dried fruit before adding it to the batter keeps the muffins moist.
- By: Patsy Jamieson EatingWell Recipe Contributor
Ingredients 12 servings
for serving adjustment
Serving size has been adjusted!
Original recipe yields 12 servings
Nutrition per serving may change if servings are adjusted.
- ¾ cup dried apricots, chopped
- ½ cup orange juice, divided
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon toasted wheat germ,divided
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk, (see Tip)
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
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Active
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Ready In
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
- Combine apricots and ¼ cup orange juice in a small bowl. Cover with vented plastic wrap and microwave on High for 1 minute. (Alternatively, bring to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat.) Set aside to plump.
- Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, ¾ cup wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in buttermilk, oil, orange zest, vanilla and remaining ¼ cup orange juice. Add to the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until moistened. Add the plumped apricots and juice and mix just until blended. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon wheat germ.
- Bake the muffins until lightly browned and the tops spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges and turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
- Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: the ratio is 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.
- DIY Muffin Cups: Make your next batch of muffins or cupcakes the ultimate grab-and-go treat by lining your tin with muffin liners. No liners? No problem. Use 5-inch squares of parchment paper, coat each muffin cup with cooking spray, and push each square into the cups using a small can or bottle, pressing the paper up the sides. (It's OK if some of the paper is sticking out over the rim.) Fill each cup as directed.
- Serving size: 1 muffin
- Per serving: 220 calories; 7 g fat(1 g sat); 3 g fiber; 34 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 36 mcg folate; 32 mg cholesterol; 15 g sugars; 8 g added sugars; 380 IU vitamin A; 7 mg vitamin C; 76 mg calcium; 2 mg iron; 203 mg sodium; 285 mg potassium
- Carbohydrate Servings: 2½
- Exchanges: 2 starch, 1½ fat
Reviews 13
February 21, 2014
By: EatingWell User
LOTS of batter!
At least enough for six more full-sized muffins, so I made an additional pan of mini-muffins which is perfect for tasting but not indulging in a whole one. :)
Pros: Delicious orange flavor and scent
March 14, 2012
By: durangokid
These were very tasty and the few changes I made made them even better for you. I used all white whole wheat flour and Splenda brown sugar. I substituted natural applesauce for the oil and also added chopped walnuts. So the finished muffins (I use a muffin top pan so that I can freeze them and then toast them for a fresh tasting muffin) were higher in fiber and protein (the nuts) and lower in fat and calories without sacrificing a bit of flavor.
April 19, 2011
By: cajoca317
Orange muffins or apricot muffins?
I like these. I made them for a quick breakfast that I can grab and take to work in the morning. What I did not like was that these taste too orange-y and not like apricot. Maybe I'll try apricot juice instead of orange next time.
Pros: healthy ingredients, moist, easy to make
Cons: Not the flavor I expected
September 22, 2010
By: bluellies
I was pleasantly surprised after I made these...they were fantastic! I didn't have any batter that I couldn't fit into my tins, and the muffins after 15 min were quite large. My picky eater loves these better than any of the other muffins that I make on this site. Will most definitely do these again.
July 25, 2010
By: EatingWell User
These were much tastier and more satisfying than I expected. Juiced and zested two organic valencia oranges. The flavor was very orangey but excellent. They were moist enough as well. I, too, had excess batter but plopped it atop each muffin space. They cooked well and didn't overly spread. Released well from pan. Overall 'worth the calories' and will make again.
June 09, 2010
By: EatingWell User
good hint for all recipes using dried fruit: soak the dried fruit in hot water. i use a electric kettle and pour just enough water to cover the fruit. soak for about 20 min and i guarantee your baked goods will added moisture.
May 03, 2010
By: EatingWell User
I loved them - and they loved me!
March 17, 2010
By: EatingWell User
I love these muffins! They were exactly what I needed to curb my sweet tooth. The muffins only needed 15 mins of baking time. The recipe called for orange zest but I didn't have an orange on hand so I used a 1/2 tsp of orange extract to add a little orange flavour. Also, I used 1/2 cup of the splenda brown sugar instead of the 1 cup of brown sugar to save on a few calories. I will be making these ones again, for sure.
March 09, 2010
By: EatingWell User
I also liked being able to load the muffin tins right up, and was impressed with how well the muffins rise. The recipe made a dozen muffins like it said, not like some recipes I've tried.
I'll make these again but will try using less orange zest, reducing the amount of dried apricots, and making the dried apricot pieces very small - my family isn't crazy about big chunks of apricot.
