Chef Alyssa: "Puffins"

Now I know what you're thinking: and this recipe has nothing to do with the animal. Puffins are a hybrid of muffins and pancakes, and they're my new favorite thing to make for the week and grab on the way out the door for breakfast in the morning. They're simple to make, easy to store, perfect for the go, and most importantly, they're delicious.

You Will Need:

• 1 box of original pancake mix. I used Aunt Jemima's.
• Ingredients according to box directions. The Aunt Jemima mix called for 3/4 cup of milk, 1 tbsp of oil, and 1 egg.
• Any mix ins you prefer, if you want any. This particular batch were banana chocolate chip, and my extra ingredients are as follows.
• 1 tbsp of maple syrup
• 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1 tsp of sugar, mixed before adding in
• 1 whole banana, sliced
• A handful of chocolate chips, depending on personal preference

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Dump 1 cup (or however much it says according to box instructions) of boxed mix + wet ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. Add in any extras you want in your batter (I've also done these with Nutella and blueberries, but want to try some with bacon and walnuts, too!). Mix until everything is equally combined. 

Line a 12-count cupcake pan with bakery liners and pour in batter, making sure the batter is equally distributed between all of the tins.

Bake in a 350° oven for 12-15 minutes or until fully risen and cooked through the center (don't be afraid to use the classic toothpick method for checking!). Once they're out of the oven, let cool for about 5 minutes, take out of the pan, and enjoy!

If you're interested in making these to last the whole week, I recommend storing them in an airtight container at room temperature. Just make sure when you take on out, you reseal the container properly!

What is your favorite type of pancake?

Alyssa