Apple-Cinnamon Matzah Brei Muffins
My mom is world-famous—okay, maybe “Schloss-famous” (that’s my maiden name)—for two festive Passover dishes: Her matzah balls and her matzah brei. Matzah brei, which translates to “fried matzah,” is a yummy mix of egg-soaked matzah, which is cooked in a skillet like a pancake. It’s a standard breakfast or brunch dish served during the eight-days-long bread-free holiday.
My mom has whipped up a dozen or so creative variations in her days—depending on her eager audience, she might put a savory spin on it with salt, pepper and herbs, or it could be a sweet twist with cinnamon and honey, and sometimes she even adds chocolate chips (my sister, Debra’s fave). I know I have big shoes to fill in the matzah brei department, but I put my own lightened-up stamp on the classic.
This particular version features a mouthwatering mix of ingredients that transform typically bland, dry matzah into a super moist, subtly sweet bite that’s sure to satisfy. It tastes like a delicious mix of an apple-cinnamon muffin and French toast. They’re so incredibly moist and flavorful, I’m telling you! And if you can find whole wheat matzah, that’s a big bonus because it delivers extra fiber and minerals (if you can’t, no worries).
I mention a few serving suggestions at the bottom, for example, a drizzle of maple syrup or melty peanut butter, or a spread of fruity jam. But really, they’re scrumptious as is, without having to add anything extra. These have become my go-to breakfast during Passover week, two muffins with a cup of coffee (always coffee, lol). Hope you love them as much as I do.
Try these Cinnamon Sweet Potato Quinoa Pancakes!
Apple-Cinnamon Matzah Brei Muffins
Ingredients
- 5 whole wheat matzah sheets, broken up into very small pieces
- 6 whole eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoon butter, melted*
- 3 small to medium apples finely chopped, skin-on (~4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, or apple pie spice
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional chopped walnuts or pecans
- *You can swap butter with a neutral oil like avocado, grapeseed or canola oil.
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°. Add liners to a muffin pan and lightly mist the insides to prevent muffins from sticking when they’re done. (You can pour batter directly into a muffin pan that’s been liberally misted with oil spray, but it can be a bit fussy to remove them straight from the tin while keeping them intact. For that reason, I prefer using liners for this recipe.) Set aside.
- Place matzah pieces into a bowl, add about 2 cups hot water (enough to cover the top pieces) and soak for just 2 minutes. Drain well and set aside. *Do not let matzah sit in the water for longer than 2 minutes or it will become too mushy.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl with drained matzah pieces and stir to combine. Spoon batter evenly among the 12 muffin tin compartments; you’ll have a hearty amount in each (about ½ cup’s worth of batter). Cook about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy! You can serve an optional drizzle of maple syrup, melty nut butter, or jam.
- You can stash leftovers in the fridge for 2 to 3 days and simply warm in the microwave. Or you can wrap them individually and freeze them for up to a few months.
