Muffins, deliciously remixed

Olive oil and roasted sweet potatoes make these extra-moist. You can substitute 1 cup of mashed banana for the sweet potatoes; reduce the sugar to  1/2 cup and bake as directed.

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
•  3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing (optional)
• 1  1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1  1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
•  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
•  3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60 percent cacao), coarsely chopped (1 cup)

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork; place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Let cool, then scoop out and mash flesh; discard skins. Measure out 1 cup, reserving remainder for another use.

2. Reduce oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups or lightly brush with oil. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, oil and mashed sweet potato. Stir wet ingredients into dry until just combined. Fold in chocolate.

3. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until golden and tops spring back when lightly touched, about 24 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in tin, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Nutritional analysis per muffin: 323 calories, 22 grams fat, 33 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 53 milligrams cholesterol, 183 milligrams sodium, 5 grams dietary fiber, 56 percent of calories from fat.

Almond flour lends a nutty note to this treat. To make your own almond flour, pulse 1 cup of sliced or slivered almonds at a time in a food processor until finely ground.

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for brushing (optional)
• 2 cups almond flour
•  1/2 cup fine cornmeal
• 1  1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
•  3/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• Grated zest of  1/2 lemon
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1  1/2 cups fresh blackberries, halved

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups, or lightly brush with butter. In a small bowl, whisk together almond flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Beat butter with sugar and lemon zest on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Fold in 1 cup blackberries.

2. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Scatter remaining  1/2 cup blackberries on top; sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden and tops spring back when lightly touched, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in tin, then run an offset spatula around edges and transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Nutritional analysis per muffin: 258 calories, 13 grams fat, 26 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams protein, 74 milligrams cholesterol, 128 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber, 45 percent of calories from fat.

Applesauce makes these muffins extra-tender. Fresh diced apple adds a refreshing pop of flavor.

• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing (optional)
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup wheat bran or toasted wheat germ
• 2 tablespoons millet
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into a  1/4 -inch dice (about 1 cup)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups, or lightly brush with butter. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, wheat bran, millet, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, egg and applesauce. Stir wet ingredients into dry until just combined. Fold in apple.

2. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until golden and tops spring back when lightly touched, about 24 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in tin, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Nutritional analysis per muffin: 156 calories, 8 grams fat, 19 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 38 milligrams cholesterol, 161 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber, 46 percent of calories from fat.

This recipe is inspired by the legendary Rebel Within muffin at San Francisco bakery Craftsman and Wolves.

• 11 large eggs, room temperature
•  1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon safflower oil, plus more for brushing (optional)
• 8 ounces breakfast sausage, casings removed
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
•  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•  3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
•  1/2 cup sour cream
•  1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 1 cup finely shredded Asiago (4 ounces)

1. Prepare an ice bath. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully add 9 eggs; boil 6 minutes. Transfer to ice bath until cool enough to handle, then carefully peel and transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.

2. In a medium skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, stirring to break up until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool slightly. Chop into pea-size pieces.

3. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line 9 cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups, or lightly brush with oil. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. In another bowl, whisk together remaining  1/2 cup oil, sour cream,  1/4 cup water and remaining 2 eggs. Stir wet ingredients into dry until just combined. Fold in sausage, scallions and  1/2 cup cheese. (Batter will be thick and doughlike.)

4. Fill each prepared muffin cup with 2 tablespoons batter. Nestle a cooked egg in each. For each cup, scoop 2 more tablespoons batter and flatten it slightly to form a disk. Cover egg with disk; gently press to seal. Sprinkle tops with remaining  1/2 cup cheese. Bake until golden and tops spring back when lightly touched, about 22 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in tin, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Tip: Muffins freeze beautifully. To make sure they don’t get squished in the process, place them in the freezer on a sheet pan; then, once they’re frozen, transfer them to a resealable plastic freezer bag. Before serving, wrap them in parchment-lined foil and heat in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.

Nutritional analysis per muffin: 496 calories, 35 grams fat, 26 grams carbohydrates, 18 grams protein, 295 milligrams cholesterol, 629 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 64 percent of calories from fat.