Honey and Goat Cheese-Filled Date Muffins

Sweet dates and tangy goat cheese give a surprising twist to these hearty breakfast muffins. I made a batch of these on Sunday so we could enjoy them for breakfast all week long. The recipe originally called for figs, so use what you have or can find at the store. If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, try them with cream cheese instead.

I thought these muffins were pretty good but Christian said they were the best muffins ever.



Honey & Goat Cheese-Filled Date Muffins
Adapted from EatingWell, January/February 2010

3/4 cup crumbled soft goat cheese or reduced-fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
3/4 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
1 cup low-fat or nonfat buttermilk
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups chopped dates or dried figs
3 tablespoons turbinado or granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with paper liners or coat with cooking spray.

Thoroughly combine goat cheese (or cream cheese), honey, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Lightly beat eggs and egg white in a medium bowl; add brown sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and whisk until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in buttermilk and oil until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in figs.

Spoon half the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Add 1 generous teaspoon of the reserved cheese filling to the center of each muffin, and cover with the remaining batter. (The filling should not be visible.) Sprinkle the muffins with sugar.

Bake the muffins until the edges start to brown and the tops spring back when gently pressed, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Nutrition Information (per muffin): 272 Calories; 9 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 6 g Mono; 39 mg Cholesterol; 6 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 239 mg Sodium; 184 mg Potassium

Make Ahead Tip: Individually wrap the muffins and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, remove plastic wrap, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30-45 seconds.

Ingredient notes: White whole-wheat flour, made from a special variety of white wheat, is light in color and flavor but has the same nutritional properties as regular whole-wheat flour. It is available in large supermarkets and at natural-foods stores. (Or find it online from bobsredmill.com or kingarthurflour.com.) Store it in the freezer.