Citrus Date Muffins

  This recipe for Citrus Date Muffins from the Best of Country Bread has two of my families favorite things. Dates and Pecans, how can you go wrong. The orange glaze just finishes them off. It is a glaze made with granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar.

  I spooned the glaze on and let it soak in and then spooned the remaining glaze on for the second time. If you can buy them, get juice oranges instead of navels as it won’t take as many oranges for the amount of juice needed. I used the ¼ cup and that was plenty for us.

  In the picture they look like they separated top from bottom but they did not. Just a shadow line in the picture. These are a coffee cake type of muffin as opposed to a muffin you would eat with a meal. Enjoy with your cup of coffee or favorite tea.

Citrus Date Muffins

Oven Temp: 375°   Yield 16 muffins

½ cup chopped dates

½ cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons plus 2 cups all purpose flour, divided

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

⅔ cup buttermilk

GLAZE:

½ cup sugar

¼ to ⅓ cup orange juice

2 teaspoons grated orange peel

  Grease and set aside muffin pans. Heat oven to 375°

  In a bowl, combine dates and pecans; add the 2 tablespoons flour, tossing to coat and set aside.

  In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. 

   Combine the baking soda, salt and remaining 2 cups flour; add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with flour. Fold in the date, nut mixture (batter will be stiff). Fill greased muffin cups ⅔ full. Bake at 375° for 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

  Cool in pans for 5 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. 

While muffins are baking combine glaze ingredients and cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Spoon over warm muffins.