It’s 8:30pm and I feel like I could fall asleep right here in my living room with Beyonce playing and my pink, not-christmas, tree lit up. My apartment smells like maple syrup from some granola I made for work-time snacking. You see, I’m tired. I think it has to do a little bit with getting used to a new job, a little bit to do with the fact that I woke up early today for no reason, and maybe a lot because I let my thoughts wear me out!
Hi, my name is Megan and I’m an over-thinker. It turns out the answer is to buy some new sweatpants, bake mini muffins, listen to Andre 3000, and call my dad for some solid get-your-head-back-on-straight chit-chat.
So, if you find yourself in an over thinking spiral, I’d suggest muffining. These petite muffins bake up perfectly rounded! (Except for the one that sunk, which I ate, for science.) So they’re the opposite of stressful-ness. AND they’re delicious. You can swirl them with an orange icing if you’d prefer. It’d be tasty either way!
P.S. Don’t be scurred. That photo up there may look like a muffin army, but I swear these guys have only the best intentions to make your morning or afternoon or evening better.
Mandarin Mini Muffins (makes about 30 minis)
Recipe adapted from Cupcakes!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 t baking powder
- 1/2 t baking soda
- 1/4 t salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 – 2 t mandarin orange zest
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk*
- 1 t fresh mandrin orange juice
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, melted
* OR place 1 1/2 t lemon juice in a 1/2 cup measuring cup and fill to the top with milk. Allow to sit for 2 minutes. Use in place of buttermilk.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 30-ish mini muffin tin cups with paper liners.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, rub the zest and sugar together until it resembles wet sand. Using an electric mixer on a medium speed, beat the butter into the zesty sugar until smoothly blended and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each is blended and batter looks creamy. Mix in the vanilla and orange zest.
- On a low speed, add half of the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate it. Mix in the buttermilk to blend it. Mix in the remaining flour mixture until it is just incorporated and batter looks smooth. Stir in orange juice.
- Fill each paper liner using a cookie scoop until a little over half-way full. Bake for 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center and comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool completely before drizzling with milk chocolate. Enjoy!
Yay! Click HERE for a printable pdf of the recipe above.
Very cute! For some reason I love the flavour of mandarins but hate the texture. Muffin form could be the perfect solution!
Yes! Or in scones!
Completely and utterly adorable! pinned
Just like you, Averie!
Love that little swirl of chocolate on top. Perfect!
Thanks, Maryea!
You have a pink non Christmas tree?! I need that in my life.
Almost as much as I need these flippin adorable muffins! Love these!
Ha! It’s a vintage pink Christmas tree, but I still have it up for Valentine’s Day. That’s coo, right?
These look lovely!
Thanks, Katrina!
So cute! I love the frosting design the most!
That’s my fave too! Thanks!
My overthinking brain can most certainly relate! Muffining sounds like the perfect cure, especially these little orange guys!
Yeah man! It’s hard to stop it, right?!
Gurl this is mini muffin greatness. and Andre 3000 can make anything better.
Thanks! And true THAT.
The curse of the over-thinker! AH! I’m glad that at least there are mini muffins with swirly tops in this world.
Yes! They totes help.
love anything mini.. it means you can eat more, right? I love your doggy! so cute!
Me too! Just treat them like sushi! One bite. 🙂
I am the largest over thinker. It is terrible. Maybe if I make all the muffins my brain will just shut up and let me not think so I can then eat them all! 🙂
Yes! I have confidence that muffins are the answer. 🙂
That picture of Elliot! I DIE, so cute. Oh my goodness, glad your heat is back on! Glad you baked these, and glad you have your dad for advice. Overthinking has never gotten me anywhere, yet I can’t seem to stop. These muffins are so cute! When I grow up maybe I will make cute food, like you do 🙂
Thanks, Sophie! And man! I can’t even handle it when he’s wearing his little hoodie. ha
Cute little muffins! When I overthink, I can’t go to sleep at night and then over sleep in the morning.
Man! I’m tired just thinking about it!
Cupcakes is one of my favorite cookbooks that i don’t turn to often enough. Thanks for the reminder.
Yeah, girl!