Tassajara Spice Muffins

Every other week, we’re unearthing Heirloom Recipes -- dishes that have made their way from one generation's kitchen to the next.

Today: Carey Nershi of Reclaiming Provincial shares a spice muffin recipe that stood out in a house always full of treats.

If there is one motto my mother lives by above all others, it’s that a home should always be flush with treats. A bowl of popcorn that isn’t large enough to feed a family for several days is pointless. An empty cookie jar is a serious problem. The old wooden highchair that once held much tinier versions of my brother and myself now sits in the corner of the dining room, always occupied by a stack of tins containing extra cookies, brownies, and muffins. Options: That’s how we roll.

Given my mother’s religious baking habits, it’s no surprise that she has a number of go-to recipes in her repertoire. The sort of recipes that friends and family have come to count on for holidays and gatherings. For instance, our Easter and Thanksgiving tables are never without a basket of these spice muffins.

Mom has been making this recipe since I can remember. Even as a young, picky child, they were one of my favorites. I’d always insist that at least half be made without raisins -- a request that annoyed (and continues to annoy) my father to no end. The recipe comes from an old, well-used copy of the Tassajara Bread Book by Edward Espe Brown. They are surprisingly light for muffins made entirely from whole wheat flour, with a lovely sweetness from the honey and a hint of warmth from the spices. Enjoy them for breakfast, with dinner, or at any and all snack times in between.

Tassajara Spice Muffins

Makes: 12 muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 egg
1/4 cup oil (coconut or organic canola are ideal)
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.