Better Than Scone Muffins

I just received my order of a 1/2 pound bag of vanilla beans (got 'em here) and I'm so excited to find new uses for them! I had a few left over Meyer lemons and some ricotta from earlier projects, so I decided to try a new recipe. These muffins turned out perfectly! They are so light and sweet and beautiful that I had to share. I didn't take many pictures, sorry...

Lemon Vanilla Ricotta Muffins

(adapted from Giada's recipe) 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon finely grated Meyer lemon zest (about 2 lemons, can use regular lemons)

1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese (I used part-skim, because that's what I had- worked fine)

1 large egg

1 vanilla bean

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Crunchy sugar

1. Pre-heat oven to 350*.

2. Grease muffin pan or line with muffin papers. 

3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.

4. In large bowl, mix sugar, butter and lemon zest until light yellow and smooth.

5. Add ricotta, mix mix mix until all the ricotta is mixed in and batter is lump-free.

6. Mix in egg, the scrapings of the vanilla bean and the lemon juice.

7. Slowly add in the flour mixture. Batter will be thick and light- almost like biscuit dough consistency.

8. Scoop into prepared muffin pan. Cups will be almost full. Sprinkle crunchy sugar on top (if desired).

9. Bake in pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the edges are light golden. 

10. Yum yum yum!! Eat 'em up!

Dang carbs, why do you have to be so delicious??

I'm on my second muffin of the morning already... They're so good, they might even be better than my scones... hmmm...

Look for another new post this week that's NOT about food products!!

-Celina