Cracked Wheat Muffins

These muffins have that hearty, grainy chew that makes you feel like you’re actually eating something substantial with your morning coffee.

Cracked wheat soaks in milk for 10 minutes to soften up, then gets stirred into a simple batter of flour, sugar, baking powder, egg, and melted shortening. The key is mixing just until combined. A lumpy batter is exactly what you want for muffins that rise tall with a tender crumb.

Golden on the outside, wholesome and slightly nutty on the inside. They’re a world away from the sugary, cake-like muffins at the coffee shop.

Kitchen Tips

• Let the cracked wheat soak for the full 10 minutes. Unsoaked bulgur will be too crunchy and won’t blend into the batter.
• Do not overmix. Stir until the flour just disappears and stop. Overmixed muffin batter makes tough, flat muffins with tunnels.
• Fill the cups two-thirds full. This gives them room to dome up nicely without overflowing.
• A pat of butter and a drizzle of honey on a warm one is all you need.