Mulled Apple Cider Muffins | Muffin Mondays

Happy Monday! Are you ready to tackle the week? I know I would rather stay in my warm bed than face the cold, but the thought of warm apple cider is enough to get me out of bed. And warm apple cider paired with hot out of the oven mulled apple cider muffins, yes please! Wait mulled means I’m boozing first thing in the morning, a little won’t hurt right. May just be the little boost I need to face the cold day.

They mufins can be as boozy as you like. I tried them brushed with bourbon for a more mulled taste and without the extra bourbon, both were wonderful especially when enjoyed warm. The apples are juicy and soft and wonderfully seasoned with cloves and all-spice. The muffin is crumbly and only faintly sweet. Warm winter spices wrap around the muffin. The cinnamon is most prominent and delicately rounded out by the nutmeg and cardmom. If you love warm mulled apple cider you will love these!

 continue reading for recipe…

Mulled Apple Cider Muffins

adapted from How Sweet It Is

ingredients:

2 apples, diced (I used Fuji because I like them)

5 tablespoons apple cider (plus a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, 3 all spice pods and 3 cloves)

1 cup all purpose flour (you can also use whole wheat flour)

½ cup almond meal

½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cardamom

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of all spice

1 large egg

1/3 cup loosely packed brown sugar

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

4 tablespoons brown butter (butter melted, browned, then cooled)

1/3 cup apple cider

¼ cup bourbon, plus additional if you want to brush over the top of the warmed muffins (I used Bulliet bourbon)

directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat and add diced apples with 5 tablespoons apple cider and a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, 3 all spice pods and 3 cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally until apples are soft and slightly caramelized 8-10minutes. Pull out all-spice and cloves then set aside to cool.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside. Line muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl whisk together egg and brown sugar until smooth. Add in vanilla extract, butter, apple sauce, apple cider and bourbon until smooth. Gradually add in dry ingredients mixing until just combined. Do not over mix! Fold in diced apples. Fill each muffin liner 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until muffins are slightly golden and when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

*optional brush warm muffins with extra bourbon so it soaks in like a rum cake, gives the muffin more of a mulled taste.

Enjoy (with some warm mulled cider too)!