Description

Moist, spiced muffins that capture the essence of autumn with reduced apple cider and a crackly cinnamon sugar crust. These easy-to-make treats bridge the gap between a decadent donut and a convenient breakfast muffin.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups (480ml) pure unsweetened apple cider
½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (55g) melted butter (for coating)
½ cup (100g) dark brown sugar (for coating)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (for coating)
Pinch of salt (for coating)
Optional: ½ cup chopped apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
Optional: ½ cup walnuts or pecans

Instructions

Pour 2 cups of apple cider into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until reduced to about ½ cup of thick, syrupy liquid. Let cool completely.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the softened butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cooled cider reduction for about 2 minutes until pale and emulsified.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold together with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in optional apples or nuts if using.
Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling them about ¾ full.
Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The tops should be golden brown.
While muffins bake, mix the coating ingredients: ¼ cup melted butter, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
Immediately upon removing muffins from the oven, brush tops generously with melted butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the hot muffins.
Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Ensure the cider reduction is completely cool before adding to the batter to prevent the butter from melting. Do not overmix the batter to ensure fluffy muffins. Coat the muffins while they are still hot for the sugar to adhere properly. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, substitute butter with coconut oil.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 muffin
Calories: 280
Sugar: 28
Sodium: 250
Fat: 9
Saturated Fat: 5
Carbohydrates: 45
Fiber: 1
Protein: 4

Keywords: apple cider muffins, fall baking, cinnamon sugar donuts, easy muffin recipe, autumn breakfast, reduced apple cider, cozy baking