Peanut Butter Oat & Pine Nuts Muffins

I've always associated pine trees with Christmas. In the past, I bought an artificial pine tree ... decorated with lights, ornaments and nicely wrapped Christmas presents were placed under the tree. It was also an activity that my kids (when they were kiddies) loved ... to help decorate the Christmas tree in our house.  Stored it up when the period was over.

About 2 years ago, I was on a business trip to Germany.  Had the opportunity to visit the dense woodland of the Black Forest - Schwarzwald.  Along the way up to the mountain, catching the glimpse of the dense surrounding of pine trees. Truly a wonderful scenic to enjoy. Of course! A slice of an unforgettable Black Forest cake !

So, do pine nuts come from pine trees? Yes (more info here) pine nuts are found inside the scales on pine tree cones. Here, I've added some pine nuts to this muffin recipe. (Realised that I didn't have any peanuts which I thought I have a pack inside the pantry)

Very festive looking ....   

Recipe adapted from : Taste of home
Below my modified version as I've halved the recipe, replaced with pine nuts and added some peanut butter chips.

Peanut Butter Oat & Pine Nuts Muffins
Yield: 5 muffins
Ingredients:
80g all-purpose flour
30g quick-cooking oats
60g packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt salt
1 small egg
20g peanut butter
100ml milk
20g pine nuts (Roast pine nuts for 3mins in preheated oven at 180°C, set aside)
20g peanut butter chips

Directions
1) In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

2) In another bowl, beat the egg, peanut butter and milk until smooth.

3) Stir into dry ingredients (from step 1) just until moistened. Fold in pine nuts and peanut butter chips.

4) Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 180°C for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

These nice peanut butter and oat fragrance with some nutty pine nuts muffins are best served warm for our brekkie.

Hope you will enjoy these warm and easy muffins during the Christmas season ^-^!

Happy baking !

I'm submitting this post to Cook and Celebrate (Christmas 2014), organized by Yen from Eat your heart out, Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids.

And

I'm submitting this post to "My Treasured Recipes #4 - Ho Ho Ho It's Christmas (Dec 2014)" hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders and co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House. 

Also

I'm joining Best Recipes for Everyone December 2014 Event Theme: My Little Cupcakes by Fion of Xuan Hom's Mom