Apple Muffins – Once Upon a Chef

Apple Muffins – Once Upon a Chef

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These apple muffins are chockfull of apples, scented with warm spices and finished with a crunchy brown sugar topping.

Adapted from King Arthur Flour, these are lovely apple muffins. They’re made partially with whole wheat flour, which gives them a wholesome, nutty flavor. They’re also chockfull of tart apples, not too sweet, and enriched with low-fat yogurt, so no one will accuse them of being cupcakes pretending to be muffins. The recipe calls for a full tablespoon of cinnamon along with a hint of nutmeg and cloves, which complement the apple flavor and make the house smell amazing. But the best part of these muffins might just be brown sugar topping, which gives the lids an irresistible crunch.

What you’ll need to make Apple Muffins

how to make apple muffins

SteP-by-Step Instructions

To begin, combine the butter, sugar and brown sugar.

creaming butter and sugar

Beat until light and fluffy.

how to make apple muffins

Add the egg.

how to make apple muffins

Then beat again.

how to make apple muffins

Add the yogurt.

how to make apple muffins

Beat again.

how to make apple muffins

Add all the dry ingredients right to the bowl.

dry ingredients

Mix until just combined. Note that the batter will be very thick.

how to make apple muffins

Add the diced apples.

diced apples in batter

Then stir them in.

batter with apples

Use an ice cream scoop to transfer the batter to a muffin tin.

apple muffin batter in muffin pan

Sprinkle the tops  generously with brown sugar.

apple muffin batter and brown sugar topping in muffin pan

Bake for about 25 minutes.

apple muffins fresh out of the oven

Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. (Note: I made a few minor changes to the original recipe. First, I added nutmeg and cloves to add more spice. I also reduced the brown sugar topping by a few tablespoons — they are plenty sweet with this amount but feel free to add more or less to suit your taste. To see the original recipe and read the rave reviews, click here.)

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Spiced Apple Muffins

These apple muffins are chockfull of apples, scented with warm spices and finished with a crunchy brown sugar topping.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with back edge of knife
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with back edge of knife
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 cups peeled, cored, and finely chopped baking apples (you’ll need 2 large apples)

For Topping

  • 6 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  3. Add the egg and mix well, stopping to scrape the bowl if necessary.
  4. Beat in the yogurt. The batter will look grainy.
  5. Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Beat on low speed until just combined. The batter will be very thick.
  6. Add the chopped apples and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
  7. Use an ice-cream scooper or large spoon to divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. The cups should be full. Sprinkle the 6 tablespoons of brown sugar evenly over top.
  8. Bake the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
  9. Remove the muffins from the oven, cool them for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn them out onto a rack to finish cooling completely.
  10. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 – 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.

Nutrition Information

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  • Serving size: 1 muffin
  • Calories: 221
  • Fat: 9g
  • Saturated fat: 5g
  • Carbohydrates: 33g
  • Sugar: 16g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 4g
  • Sodium: 207mg
  • Cholesterol: 37mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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