D.C.'s Most Interesting Muffins

A muffin is simply one of the best breakfast-on-the-go options out there. The pastry provides a great excuse for something resembling cake in the morning, plus it pairs perfectly with coffee. Bakers have moved beyond the classic blueberry or cranberry-orange to develop creative new flavors. Here are half a dozen muffin options in D.C. that truly stand out from the rest.

Uprising Muffin Company
1817 7th St NW

This Shaw bakery uses locally-sourced ingredients to specialize in the dense breakfast treat, but one muffin stands out as mightier than the rest of the lineup. The savory bacon egg and cheddar muffin, studded with bites of real scrambled eggs and covered in a crunchy cheese top, is their take on a breakfast sammie. Arrive early before they sell out.

Uprising Muffins [Photo: Facebook]

Baked & Wired
1052 Thomas Jefferson St NW

Any pastry would be a good choice at this beloved bakery, but their donut muffin mash-up is truly exceptional. The muffin-shaped creation with the texture of a cake donut is rolled in cinnamon sugar (but not sickly sweet), and baked instead of fried to save a few calories. Try the donut muffin on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.

The donut muffin [Photo: Official]

Three Fifty Bakery and Coffee Bar
1926 17th St NW

Conveniently located in between the Dupont and U Street metro stops, this neighborhood bakery focuses on small-batches to offer that homemade standard. The ricotta muffin, starring licorice-like anise, is unlike any other muffin in both taste and texture. Wash it down with the shop's illy coffee and the day is guaranteed to start off right.

Ricotta Muffin [Photo: Felisa F/Yelp]

Grassroots Gourmet
104 Rhode Island Ave NW

Want a muffin with a kick? Try the spicy pepper jack corn muffins at Bloomingdale's small family-run neighborhood bakery with photos on the wall give a homey feel on Rhode Island Avenue. The bits of cheese add a nice touch to the crumbly classic.

[Photo: Official]

Bread Furst
4434 Connecticut Ave. NW

Renowned chef and baker Mark Furstenberg built a reputation on artisanal bread but, despite the name, Bread Furst offers so much more. The mango muffin offers a taste of the tropics, ready to transport even on the coldest winter day. Bakers can be seen hard at work through the glass, because this star shop has nothing to hide.

Pastries at Bread Furst [Photo: Facebook]

Bayou Bakery
Multiple locations

Bayou Bakery got into the croissant hybrid game recently with its introduction of the Cruffin. David Guas and Tress Wiles were inspired by Australian pastries for this dish, which owes a debt to a kouign-amann.

[Photo: Official]