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Make your own copycat Panera Bread muffins without a muffin tin
If you’re a fan of Panera Bread’s delicious Muffies, you’ll be thrilled to know that you can recreate them in the comfort of your own kitchen. Even better, you don’t need a muffin tin or paper cupcake liners to make these delicious treats. Thanks to a recipe from Mashed’s very own Stephanie Rapone, you can enjoy the sweet goodness of Panera Bread’s copycat muffins without the hassle. Let’s dive into the details and learn how to make these delicious treats.
The Muffie: A Delicious Cookie-Muffin Mashup
The Muffie is a unique creation that combines the best of both worlds: cookies and muffins. It’s a delicious treat with a name that sounds right out of a preppy handbook. While some portmanteau words in the food lexicon have become generic terms, the muffie remains closely associated with Panera Bread. An interesting tidbit, however, is that a Los Angeles Times writer claimed to have invented the muffie in the early ’90s.
Stephanie Rapone’s copycat muffie recipe
Stephanie Rapone, a recipe developer at Mashed, took inspiration from the famous Panera Bread muffie and created her own version. Her recipe aims to replicate the chocolate chip muffie as closely as possible. The muffie batter has a cinnamon-flavored base, and chocolate chips are stirred in to add a gooey and decadent touch. The best part? You don’t need a muffin tin or cupcake liners for this recipe.
Baking the Muffies
Instead of using traditional muffin tins, Rapone suggests scooping the muffie dough into half-cup-sized balls. An ice cream scoop works perfectly for this task. These balls of dough are then placed flat on cookie sheets for baking. Chilling the dough before baking helps the muffins hold their shape and ensures a perfect texture. Once baked, Rapone recommends enjoying the muffins while they are still warm for the ultimate taste experience.
Get creative with your Muffie flavors
While the chocolate chip muffie is the classic flavor offered at Panera Bread, you can easily experiment with different variations by tweaking Rapone’s basic recipe. If gooey chocolate isn’t your thing, substitute dried blueberries, cranberries or cherries for the chocolate chips. Nuts can also be added for extra crunch. For a refreshing twist, try making lemon poppy seed muffins by adding lemon zest and poppy seeds to the batter. The possibilities are endless, and you can let your creativity shine by customizing the muffins to your liking.
Bottom line
Thanks to Stephanie Rapone’s ingenious recipe, you can now enjoy the delicious flavors of Panera Bread muffins without the need for a muffin tin or cupcake liners. Whether you stick with the classic chocolate chip version or venture into new flavor territory, these muffins are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. So gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and get ready to indulge in the irresistible charm of homemade Panera Bread muffin imitations.
FAQS
Answer: Absolutely! The recipe in this article does not require a muffin tin. Instead, you’ll be scooping the muffin dough onto cookie sheets for baking.
What ingredients do I need to make Panera Bread copycat muffins?
Answer: The ingredients for these delicious muffins include flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and chocolate chips (or other desired mix-ins).
Can I customize the flavors of my muffins?
Answer: Yes, you can get creative with the flavors of your Muffy. While the classic version uses chocolate chips, you can substitute dried fruit, nuts, or even experiment with different extracts and spices to create unique variations.
How do I get the perfect texture for my Muffi?
Answer: Chilling the muffie batter before baking is critical to achieving the desired texture. It helps the muffins hold their shape and ensures a soft and chewy interior.
Can I enjoy the muffins after they have cooled?
Answer: While Muffies are best enjoyed fresh and slightly warm for the gooey chocolate experience, you can also enjoy them at room temperature. Just keep in mind that the texture and flavor may be slightly different.
Can I make a large batch of Muffies for a group?
Answer: Absolutely! You can easily double or triple the recipe to make a larger batch of Muffies. Just be sure to adjust the baking time accordingly and keep an eye on them to make sure they bake to perfection.