Cozy Bakery Vibes from the Comfort of Your Own Home

A freshly baked warm winter muffin is a perfect start to a cold winter morning. There’s something so romantic and cozy about a winter trip to a bakery– the gentle heat waves wafting from the ovens, the sweet smells of the daily bake, gazing out at snowy street scenes through foggy windows, and savoring the perfect crumb texture of a well spiced muffin. Of course, a daily trip to the bakery can be quite a luxury (and a pretty penny). Save these indulgences for special occasions and instead, transform your home into the most sustainable pastry shoppe on the block!
Muffin making and quick breads are generally some of the most fail-safe baking recipes even for baking amateurs. Stick with a basic base and then add-in a few extras if you’re feeling creative. Enjoy delicious freshly baked goodies from the comfort of your own kitchen with a few basic ingredients and some clean-cooking muffin making supplies.
Baking tools to transform your kitchen
To start, you’ll need a classic muffin baking tin. This pure stainless steel muffin pan by Fox Run is our personal favorite. The 18/0 stainless steel evenly distributes heat for the perfect bake. There are no non-stick coatings that could transfer concerning forever chemicals (PFAs) into your food. It is lightweight but durable and resists warping.

Reusable silicone muffin liners are a great way to cut down on single use disposables. This set by Lekuéare made from 100% pure platinum silicone that is heat stable up to 400 degrees F. They are sturdy yet flexible, fun and colorful, and best of all, endlessly reusable and dishwasher safe. We also love these compostable, unbleached muffin cups by If You Care.

Round out your kitchen supplies with a great stainless steel mixing bowl and a set of durable silicone spatulas by RSVP, a multipurpose glass measuring pitcher by Pebbly, and a reusable airtight silicone Stasher bag for storage. Now start baking!

A not-so-basic, basic winter muffin recipe
We love this twist on a basic banana muffin recipe from our friends and partners over at Sun Potion. This recipe was contributed to Sun Potion by Alice York– a yoga teacher, meditation guide, writer, and editor living in Chicago. It’s simple to follow but yields an elevated, luxurious morning muffin that’s not only delicious but nutritious to boot.

In this Banana Bliss Muffin recipe, the secret ingredient is Sun Potion’s spiced raw cacao mix, Anandamide. Just one tablespoon of Anandamide adds a hint of heat (from cinnamon, cayenne, cardamom, and black pepper) and a host of immune-boosting, heart-opening, mood-balancing goodness (from adaptogenic Ashwaganda, Reishi mushrooms, Maca, Moringa, Mucuna Pruriens, and Astragalus).
INGREDIENTS
2-3 ripe bananas
¾ cup coconut sugar
½ cup coconut oil, melted
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups flour (or any 1:1 gluten free flour)
1 tbsp. Sun Potion Anandamide
½ tsp. Sea salt
½ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Feel free to add chocolate chips, toasted nuts, cacao nibs, hemp seeds, dried cranberries, coconut flakes, or any add-on of your choice.
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, Anandamide, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork and pour coconut sugar in to mix. Add in melted coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract and gently stir.
Mix the dry ingredients little by little into the wet ingredients. Fold in and combine without overworking.
Sprinkle in any additional mix-ins of your choice.
Fill the batter into your lined muffin tin (makes 12 small to medium muffins).
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Wait about 10 minutes before cooling on a baking rack.
Set the mood and enjoy the ambience
With your muffins in the oven, put the tea kettle on and prepare an inviting cup of Hampstead tea or Golde’s Mushroom Hot Cocoa sweetened with a touch of immune boosting Manuka Honey. Be sure to use your favorite ceramic mug too- treat yourself!

Set the soundwaves with a classic LP or throw on your favorite playlist to enhance the cozy vibes. We’re imagining some feel good jazz or a quaint French café soundtrack. Curl up with a soft blanket and get lost in a book or invite a friend over to catch up over freshly baked friendship muffins!
When you do have the occasion to visit your favorite local pastry shop, soak up the ambience and dine-in. You’ll avoid the extra waste of plastic clamshell packaging and single use paper bags and napkins that quickly end up in the landfill. And, you may pick up some inspiration from the pastry case for your next baking project.