Spiced Apple Muffins with Cinnamon-Sugar Crunch Topping

Spiced Apple Muffins with Cinnamon-Sugar Crunch Topping

I absolutely love breakfast muffins, but very rarely make them at home. They always seem to be more of an extra-special treat, saved for a trip to the bakery or a weekend breakfast. Or, in my case, a trip to the hospital. While I was in the hospital after I had Joseph, I made it a habit of ordering the blueberry muffin from the breakfast menu from “room service”. I’m about 98% sure that it was one of those prepackaged muffins from a box, but boy did it hit the spot at the time.

These muffins were another one of the items that I made while I was still pregnant and stashed in the freezer for quick and easy breakfasts once I got home from the hospital. I love that the muffins are packed with apples and tons of flavor… the perfect way to spice up a sleep-deprived, dreary winter morning.

While I really can’t tout most muffins as health food (and these are no exception), these do include fruit, so that counts for something, right?! Vegetable oil and buttermilk combine to create supremely moist muffins. Throw in a sugary, crunchy topping, and you have almost every possible flavor and texture covered.

If you want to freeze these, simply let them cool to room temperature, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 2 months. They thaw pretty quickly at room temperature, or you can microwave them to warm them up.

I really need to start making muffins more of an everyday habit, and not wait for a special occasion!

One year ago: Twix [Candy Bar] Tart

Two years ago: Chocolate Truffle Cookies

Four years ago: Moon Pies

Six years ago: Cucidati [Italian Fig Cookies]

Spiced Apple Muffins with Cinnamon-Sugar Crunch Topping

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Subtly spiced muffins loaded with chopped apples and topped with a buttery, cinnamon-sugar coating.

Ingredients:

For the Muffins:

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Gala apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped (about 1½ cups chopped)
• For the Cinnamon-Sugar Crunch Topping:
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Make the Muffins: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and allspice; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract until well combined and no lumps of brown sugar remain.

4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and, using a rubber spatula, fold until mostly combined. Add the chopped apple and fold gently until the apple is evenly distributed and no flour pockets remain.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups.

6. Make the Cinnamon-Sugar Crunch Topping: Stir together the melted butter, sugar and cinnamon until thoroughly combined, then spoon evenly over the tops of each muffin.

7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the muffin pan, then remove to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.