i love muffins.
really, i think they are one of the best breakfast foods… well actually a bacon egg and cheese on a everything bagel is my favorite breakfast. but muffins do come in a close second. i just like the way they are portable and it’s really just like eating a cupcake for breakfast.
but that’s the problem.
most muffins are full of calories, fat and sugar. though very tasty, that’s probably not the best way to start your day. so i tried to find a healthier muffin recipe that used apples (since we still have a lot of apples from our adventure to bulter’s orchard this past weekend). i quickly found one for spiced apple cider muffins. they are actually inspired by apple cider donuts which i love.
these muffins have lots of apples in a bunch of different forms: fresh apples, apple butter, and apple cider. yum! plus they are whole wheat and have relatively little oil in them. even better! look at all of those lovely apples…
these muffins are delicious! i would definitely suggest making them as a healthy, flavorful breakfast treat!
Spiced Apple Cider Muffins
adapted from Eating Well
Ingredients
Streusel
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, (optional)
Muffins
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apple butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup apple cider
- 1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 1/2 cups apples, peeled, cored and chopped
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 14 muffin cups with cooking spray or line cupcake tin with cupcake cups.
- To prepare streusel: Mix brown sugar, whole-wheat flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts, if using.
- To prepare muffins: Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.
- Whisk egg and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in apple butter, syrup, cider, yogurt and oil. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Gently fold in apples.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups (they’ll be quite full). Sprinkle with the streusel.
- Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 25 minutes.
- Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Printer Friendly Recipe: Spiced Apple Cider Muffins
miki's kitchen 