Olive Oil Orange Muffins

Hella Olive: You’re probably thinking WTF do olives have to do with muffins? Well, a good olive oil is fruity (especially from southern Italy), and they are a key ingredient in these Olive Oil Orange Muffins. These bake with a slightly crisp top, moist on the inside, with citrus notes in every bite. So, yes, olives: there are uses other than savory cooking or martini garnishes.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 3/4 cup whole milk

• 2 large eggs

• Zest of 1 orange or lemon

• 1/3 cup mixed: half fresh orange juice, half Cointreau liquor (or all OJ if you don’t have it)

• Unsalted butter for the muffin pan

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and butter a muffin tin liberally.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk until combined.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the EVOO, milk, eggs, zest, and orange juice/Cointreau mixture, and whisk until combined.

4. Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir the ingredients until it’s combined and you don’t see any dry ingredients left, but try not to overmix. If it looks lumpy, that’s totally okay. Side note: if you overwork the batter too much. you’ll end up with dense muffins.

5. Fill the muffin tin 3/4 of the way with batter and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let muffins cool in the pan before removing. Serve with coffee, tea, or a shot of grappa.