Baked – Apple Cider Muffins

Hey there!  I realize I've been somewhat MIA lately, but believe me, good things are coming.  It seems like when I have the least time, I have the most ideas and when I have tons of time, I don't have many ideas.  Oh well. 

These apple muffins were seriously good.  It's no secret that I love apple + cinnamon and especially when they have a brown butter glaze on top.  Um, yes please!

Apple Cider Muffins – adapted from Sweet Treats & More

Makes a dozen (I got more like 14)

Ingredients:

1 c all-purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour (I substituted regular flour)
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/4 c butter – soft
2/3 c granulated sugar
1/3 c light brown sugar
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 c apple cider (or apple juice)
1 large apple (I used a Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and chopped (I forgot to peel it; it turned out great still)

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 350˚.  Place muffin liners in muffin tin or lightly grease muffin tin.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butters and sugars, then beat in eggs and vanilla.

Alternate mixing in dry ingredients with apple cider (half at a time) until just mixed in (don't overmix).  Stir in chopped apple.

Pour batter into prepared muffin tin and bake at 350˚ for about 25-35 minutes or until a toothpuck inserted comes out clean.  I usually set my timer for the least amount of time the recipe says and then keep setting the timer until it passes the toothpick test. 

The original recipe didn't include a brown butter glaze, but I felt like it was just screaming for some.  You can do it either way; it'd be almost as good without. 

Brown Butter Glaze – via Some Kitchen Stories (scroll down for the glaze)

Ingredients:

1/3 c powdered sugar
2 t half + half
1 T butter

What to do:

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook 3 minutes or until butter begins to turn a nutty brown and you can smell it when you're two feet away.  It should smell good by the way.  Add powdered sugar and half + half, stirring with a whisk until smooth.  Drizzle glaze over muffins  (I used a spoon).  Let stand until glaze sets. 

Enjoy!  And try not to eat them all, please.  ;)  xo, Ella