MARTHASTEWART.COM

Quinoa Muffins

Instead of oat or bran muffins, try these moist breakfast treats to fuel your morning. Substitute other chopped dried fruit for the raisins, if you like.
The Martha Stewart Show, January Winter 2008
  • Prep Time 25 minutes
  • Total Time 1 hour plus cooling
  • Yield Makes 12
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil, such as safflower, plus more for pan
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
  • 3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa and 1 cup water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cover, and cook until water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender, 11 to 13 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, brush a standard 12-cup muffin pan with oil; dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, raisins, and 2 cups cooked quinoa; reserve any leftover quinoa for another use.

  3. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, milk, egg, and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, and stir just until combined; divide batter among prepared muffin cups.

  4. Bake until toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool muffins in pan, 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cook's Note

Be careful not to overcook the quinoa or to use more than the required amount of water. The grains of quinoa should be tender but separate, rather than mushy and clumped together.

Recipe Reviews

  • rosehip1964
    12 Feb, 2013

    I loved this muffin so much but I made a few changes and it came out perfectly . I modified the oil (2tbsp oil plus 2 tbsp appplesauce ) .Flour (I used 1 1/2c brown rice flour ,1/4 c almond flour and 1/4 c cocnut flour ).Sugar (substituted 6 tbsp brown sugar splenda) ,Milk (almond milk ).Thats it and I also added 1/4 cup water because of the substitution with flours it was a little more dense .However ,after I added a little water it was a nice thick batter that baked beautifully .So yummy :)

  • Mouseofvirtue
    23 Oct, 2012

    These muffins were great, I did as another member did and substituted all purpose gluten free flour for the white flour and apple sauce for the oil. I was worried because my batter was much more liquid-y then the one on the show (I had to ladle it out) but it worked great. I really liked these muffins! The only thing is that they were a bit too sweet for my tastes, to make them even better for you, cut down the amount of brown sugar called for or substitute some honey. Lovely!

  • kalloc201
    16 Oct, 2012

    These were great! I used gluten free all purpose flour and swapped applesauce for oil to cut down on calories. I also crumbled some pecans and added honey. Next time I'll try it with peanut butter too- great idea!

  • Debbi
    1 Aug, 2012

    I changed flour to brown rice flour, used all of the quinoa and cut up dried peaches, pears and dates in stead of raisins. replace milk with almond milk, good healthy breakfast

  • NitaGayl
    20 Jul, 2012

    I am so excited to see this recipe with quinoa. I am a big fan of the protein. I would however like to use a healthier flour, so maybe some spelt flour, or oat flour or something that can work well with this.

  • MrsfromMS
    31 Jan, 2012

    I added 1/4 C each of dried apricots, apples and prunes to the water when I cooked the Quinoa and cut them all up really small. This added a bit more natural sweetness and moisture to the recipe.

  • herbdogs
    17 Jan, 2012

    I wonder what the calorie count is fir these muffins?

  • mpatry
    30 Oct, 2011

    This were a huge hit at home and at work! I switched out the raisins for dried cranberries and added a same amount of dark chocolate chips - these are definitely a keeper recipe!

  • kate610
    22 Oct, 2011

    Vegan and Gluten-Free Version:
    1 banana instead of an egg
    soy milk instead of whole milk
    applesauce instead of oil,
    Plus 1/2 tsp each of nutmeg and cinnamon plus a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice to dry mixture.
    They didn't rise at all, but they are delicious!

  • Lounerd
    26 Sep, 2010

    Very good!

  • radishgirl
    18 Sep, 2010

    Make a peanut butter version...just substitute 3/4 cup peanut butter instead of dried fruit and add a little more milk to batter...extra protein punch!! Also, can reduce salt and no vanilla, so cuts down on ingredients too!

  • radishgirl
    18 Sep, 2010

    Make a peanut butter version...just substitute 3/4 cup peanut butter instead of dried fruit and add a little more milk to batter...extra protein punch!! Also, can reduce salt and no vanilla, so cuts down on ingredients too!

  • radishgirl
    18 Sep, 2010

    Make a peanut butter version...just substitute 3/4 cup peanut butter instead of dried fruit and add a little more milk to batter...extra protein punch!! Also, can reduce salt and no vanilla, so cuts down on ingredients too!

  • radishgirl
    18 Sep, 2010

    Make a peanut butter version...just substitute 3/4 cup peanut butter instead of dried fruit and add a little more milk to batter...extra protein punch!! Also, can reduce salt and no vanilla, so cuts down on ingredients too!

  • karmadee
    20 May, 2010

    I reduced the water and added a banana. Made them for my baby and he LOVED them!
    http://andpuppydogstales.blogspot.com/2010/05/baby-foodie-banana-quinoa-...

  • mmmorgans
    10 Apr, 2010

    feminiSh I was just about to post how to veganize this recipe and saw your comment!! You can also use Ener-G egg replacer or 1 tbsp flax powder 3tbsps water...Can't wait to try these :)

  • feminiSh
    19 Sep, 2009

    I've made this recipe three times already. Today I made it vegan style with a few other adjustments: 1 banana instead of an egg, soy milk instead of whole milk, I added 2 tbs honey to liquid mixture, and 1/2 tsp each of cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon to dry mixture. Delicious!

  • DUX711
    20 Jun, 2009

    To Viollettt (sp?) I found quinoa at Trader Joe's. Hope there is one near you!

  • savarine
    19 Oct, 2008

    These muffins are great, and extremely easy to make, in addition to being high-protein. There were lots of good suggestions for different things to add to change the flavor slightly, and someone even posted a link to a calculator that figures out the calorie count for recipes. Great recipe, great posts!

  • ehguy11
    21 Sep, 2008

    These came out great! But I'm partial to brown sugar anyway. I used currents instead of raisins too. This recipe is another great way to incorporate quinoa into our diet.

  • LivingTheGoodLife
    15 Aug, 2008

    I made these recently with whole wheat flour and added cinnamon. These muffins were very tasty, but I believe I overworked the batter which made the muffins come out too chewy. I'll try adding dried cherries, dark chocolate and walnuts into another attempt at this recipe and not overwork the batter. They are very satisfying and they kept me satiated for longer than regular muffins do.

  • thefoodie
    31 Jul, 2008

    I would just bake them all and afterwards freeze them. This is what I do at my home too. I usually make batches and have 1 for breakfast. The night before I just pop it in the fridge and your ready to go.!

  • learning2cookat39
    30 Jul, 2008

    Is it possible to refrigerate the batter and bake a few at a time? How long would the batter last if I did this? Do I need to add any liquid before making subsequent batches? (I 'm alone so eating 12 is hard!)

  • thefoodie
    5 Jul, 2008

    My 11/2 yr. old LOVES my modified version. 3/4c. quinoa, 1/4c. flax. No oil:replace with applesauce. Bc ap. sauce is used only 1/2c. dark sugar. and no need for white flour. 1c. whole wheat flour, 1/2c. wheat germ, and 1/2c. wheat bran. I bake for 35-40 min. Results are fab. I get requests! Please experiment.

  • jonekarrels
    14 May, 2008

    These are very simple tasting but good anyway. I added freshly ground nutmeg and think I could have added more. Raisins are okay but might try something else next time. Fluffy with a crunchy top.

  • karenlewis
    28 Apr, 2008

    My first time using quinoa in baking--and it IS GREAT! These muffins have great texture, but next time I will add fresh grated nutmeg or other spice to make them even better!

  • aandwkandeez
    14 Apr, 2008

    These are great! Since raisins are not very popular in my house, I made a few changes to the recipe. MY KIDS LOVED THEM!!!! I have a ten year old and fourteen year old and they could not get enough of these. Nor could my husband. I changed the cooking liquid to a mix of 60% apple juice and 40%water and substituted dried apples for the rasins. To keep tabs on portion size I make them in the mini muffin pans.

  • rebbles
    8 Apr, 2008

    Each time I make these muffins I bring a few into the office with me, and they have been a big hit every time - even with my co-workers who usually walk in with a breakfast from McDonald's! They are miracle muffins - healthy, tasty, and easy!

  • printthis
    5 Apr, 2008

    Try Whole Foods or any other natural market in your area. Also try the Natural/Organic section of your supermarket. Ask the manager -- you may not be the only one looking, so they may bring it in. Health food stores are another possible source. If all else fails, try online. It's worth it -- quinoa's great!

  • Viollettt
    3 Apr, 2008

    I wish I could find Quinoa in the stores here.

  • Viollettt
    3 Apr, 2008

    I can't find quinoa anywhere. Wish I could. I would love to try this new item.

  • yawaii30
    26 Feb, 2008

    My son and I made these for a cub scout snack and 8 out of 10 kids liked them....I noticed when I got home that I had forgot to add the baking powder. My daughter also liked them. I did sub. milk chocolate chips for the raisins.

  • ssplam
    24 Feb, 2008

    I went out and bought some Quinoa for the first time just to try this recipe and I loved it. Great way to add some fiber to the diet as well. The texture as the recipe above is written, is moist and delicious. Tastes a bit like a bran muffin, but with the lovely nuttier taste of the quinoa itself. I look forward to trying some of the variations mentioned below plus a few of my own.

  • emilysophie
    23 Feb, 2008

    I tried them with plain kefir instead of the milk, and whole wheat flour. Moist and delicious! I add chopped walnuts, and dried apricots, and almonds for more nutrition.

  • stexter
    13 Feb, 2008

    My 4- year old grandson is on a gluten-free, milk-free diet so I've tried diasterous recipes found online using rice, millet, bean flour. Quinoa is gluten-free and I've had great results-texture is great! Substituting rice milk has worked also.

  • elizaboothy
    10 Feb, 2008

    This may sound crazy for a healthy recipe, but I used chocolate chips instead of raisins (I'm trying to get a three-year-old to eat more fibre). The warm cooked quinoa melted the dark chips and results were subtle, but delicious. Overall, this is a great recipe and a great way to get a little kid to eat quinoa.

  • JohnR101
    9 Feb, 2008

    I made these muffins for the first time and they were EXCELLENT! I used a mix of dried berries and raisins instead of only raisins and also made a batch without any fruit for my mother since she doesn't like dried fruits.

  • beverlygmu
    23 Jan, 2008

    Very good. I used half all purpose flour, half whole wheat.

  • beverlygmu
    23 Jan, 2008

    Very good. I used half all purpose flour, half whole wheat.

  • bitzla
    21 Jan, 2008

    I just made them this morning

  • JennB
    19 Jan, 2008

    I love these muffins! My aunt made them and used dates instead of raisins. She cannot make them fast enough! What a great introduction to quinoa. I just bought some and am excited to start cooking with this wonderful grain.

  • mrsrichman
    17 Jan, 2008

    Baking rarely fits all those criteria at once. But one can alter this recipe a bit to suit those requirements: You'd want to replace the white flour with whole wheat flour for starters, then skip the sugar and use Splenda or even agave nectar (also low glycemic) Quinoa has a lot of protein to begin with, but if you lose the raisins and instead use nuts, you'll get more protein and good fats to keep you full through to lunch. Oh yes, and 2 egg whites, no yolk. I'm going to try it this way,

  • therampslivecomdharmazeek
    17 Jan, 2008

    so what's a girl to do? have any suggestions for something to make that has protien, low fat, high fiber, low sugar? sandy

  • kerryannmay
    13 Jan, 2008

    Assuming you make 12, each muffin has calories 287, Fat 7 g, Sat Fat .6g, Carbohydrate 51.3g, Dietary Fiber 2.6g; Sugars 0.6 g; Protein 6.1 g;

  • staramy
    12 Jan, 2008

    I found this recipe calculator that all you do is plug in your ingredients and serving size and it shows you the nutritional info for you ...... http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

    Hope that helps everyone :)

  • staramy
    12 Jan, 2008

    I found this calculator online, just put in your ingredients and serving size and it calculates all for you :) hope it helps

    http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

  • staramy
    12 Jan, 2008

    I found this calculator online, just put in your ingredients and serving size and it calculates all for you :) hope it helps

    http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

  • georgineb1
    12 Jan, 2008

    This recipe is in the Everyday Foods magazine. The magazine has the nutritional content for it's recipes.

  • mysterykeeper
    11 Jan, 2008

    I added a 1/4 cup of chopped, dried cranberries and a teaspoon of orange zest. It makes for a nice melange of flavours, I would probably cut back on the sugar for the next batch. The dried fruit gives a nice sweetness.

  • mysterykeeper
    11 Jan, 2008

    The Muffins are excellent, though fairly sweet. The muffins do stick to the muffin papers, but it is not that bad.

  • dcush
    11 Jan, 2008

    Nutritional information would be great to know. These muffins look great, but gotta know if they are good for me.

  • sophie78
    11 Jan, 2008

    Please include nutritional info for recipe. Weight Watchers is all about points and we can't eat/cook what we can't calculate. Thanks!

  • mjhelme
    11 Jan, 2008

    I would be iffy about that, but if you do, omit the baking powder bc it's already in your flour. And muffin papers would probably stick to the actual muffin when you try to peel them off because these have such little fat. good luck!!

  • mjhelme
    11 Jan, 2008

    I would be iffy about that, but if you do, omit the baking powder bc it's already in your flour. And muffin papers would probably stick to the actual muffin when you try to peel them off because these have such little fat. good luck!!

  • socknitster
    11 Jan, 2008

    Yes I would also like complete nutrition information on this recipe including grams of fiber, sugar and protein. With this amount of sugar, it would need a lot of protein and fiber to make up for it and make it an acceptable glycemic load for breakfast.

  • Karenbearj
    11 Jan, 2008

    How many calories per serving of the Quinoa muffins?

  • MomFromMA
    11 Jan, 2008

    My daughter is diabetic. This would be a great high protein breakfast for her, but do you have the nutrition information? Especially the carbohydrate count.

  • f0wlball
    11 Jan, 2008

    Can self rising flower be used. Can muffin papers be used?