Bursting with bits of apple, cinnamon, and topped with a simple glaze, these apple muffins are a great way to start your day or as a delicious snack. They are a little like a homemade apple fritter without frying.
Introduction
I love apple fritters and muffins, even more than chocolate covered chocolate donuts. So, it is time to make my own. But I don't want to fry them, so I'm going with muffins. I don't like to fry things; I see the oil as wasted in a small home cooking, and I don't think most of you would make them either.
I started this recipe last week. I had a plan. I would bake fritters instead of frying. I get away with that frequently with meat. It worked but not quite good enough. My wife suggested muffins instead. So muffins it was.
I started with Cook's Country Apple Fritter Recipe. The batter of apple fritters is very close to muffins. It is a relatively simple and straightforward recipe. Like all Cook's Illustrated recipes, it is well thought out.
One point they make is to "keep it dry," meaning the apple needs to be dried some. This was accomplished by paper towels and mixing the apple in the dry components of the recipe to pull moisture out of the apple.
Of course, the big change was converting to muffins from deep frying. Actually, it was not a big deal. The batter of fried apple fritters is like a muffin batter. So I just cooked until done.
The last change was the glaze. They used an apple cider based glaze that I felt was just too much apple. I used a milk-based glaze.
My Rating
I think a very high 4 or lower 5. I love apples, so I'm going 5.
🍎The Apples
Some good choices are Cortland, Gala, Roma, Honeycrisp, Northern Spy, Pink Lady, Fuji, Granny Smith, or Ida Red. But I’m not very picky about my apples.
There are many good apples for cooking and a few not so good, but I believe you use what you have. Delicious Apples are probably the only common poor choice.
Here is a list from The Kitchn that includes most apples.
🧁Jumbo and Mini Muffins
This recipe is for 12 standard size muffins, but you can make different sizes. Make them like you want: mini, regular, or jumbo just cook to the endpoint and not by time along.
Generally, bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes.
⏰Cooking Time
Cooking time will vary by the oven and even the pan used. Generally, the muffins will take 23 to 25 minutes but always bake to the endpoint.
The good old toothpick test is generally always good to determine when the muffins are done. Also, done is about 200° on an instant-read thermometer can be helpful if in doubt.
🖊️Notes
These are low fat and low in calories, so a relatively "healthy" treat to fit many diets.
Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3-4 months.
📖Muffin Recipes
Really Good Banana Nut Muffins
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Prep a 12 muffin pan with liners.
Peel 2 medium apples and chop into ¼ inch pieces (about the size of a peanut). Spread over paper towels and firmly pat with more paper towels to dry some.
Mix dry together. 2 cups of flour, ⅓ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Mix well, add apple, and mix to coat the apple.
Combine wet ingredients. ¾ cup apple cider, 2 eggs, and 2 tablespoons melted butter—wisk to combine.
Add wet to dry and mix to combine.
Fill the muffin liners to about ¾ full.
Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. About 23-25 minutes.
Mix glaze of ⅔ cup powder sugar, a few drops of vanilla, and about 2 teaspoons of milk.
After muffins cool on a rack for about 10 minutes, coat with glaze.
📖Recipe
Easy Apple Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 apples - peeled and cut into ¼ inch pieces
Dry
- 2 cups flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Wet
- ¾ cup apple cider - or juice
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter - melted
Glaze
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk - adjust as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Prep a 12 muffin pan with liners.
- Peel 2 medium apples and chop into ¼ inch pieces (about the size of a peanut). Spread over paper towels and firmly pat with more paper towels to dry some.
- Mix dry togeather. 2 cups of flour, ⅓ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Mix well, add apple and mix to coat the apple.
- Combine wet ingredients. ¾ cup apple cider, 2 eggs,and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Wisk to combine.
- Add wet to dry and mix to combine.
- Fill the muffin liners to about ¾ full.
- Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. About 23 to 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Mix glaze of ⅔ cup powder sugar, a few drops of vanilla, and about 2 teaspoons of milk.
- After muffins cool on a rack for about 10 minutes, coat with glaze.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- A very easy recipe to cut in half but you really don't want to do that do you?
- Most apples other than delicious are good for this recipe.
- Be sure to cut the apples small and dry well or you will have small steam pocket holes in your muffins.
- Cooking time will vary by the oven and even the pan used. Generally, the muffins will take 23 to 25 minutes but always bake to the endpoint.
- When are they done? The good old toothpick test is generally always good. Also, done is about 200° so an instant-read thermometer can be helpful.
- This recipe is for 12 standard size muffins, but you can make different sizes. Make them like you want: mini, regular, or jumbo just cook to the endpoint and not by time along. Generally, bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3-4 months.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published November 1, 2016. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Linda
I'm embarrassed to need to ask this, but... do you need to heat the glaze when mixing or just mix the powdered sugar with the milk and drizzle without the heat?
Thanks so much - love your recipes!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Linda,
Just cold. It comes together easily. If I make frosting, I like to beat room temperature butter to start then beat in the other ingredients.
Dan
Jan
I would like to make them jumbo muffins. How long would I have to bake them?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Jan,
Welcome to the blog.
I have never done jumbo with these. I will give a few generalities. It is usually only a few minutes different not anything like double. The good old toothpick test is generally always good. Also, done is about 200 degrees so an instant-read thermometer can be helpful.
My only jumbo muffin recipe is https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/cinnamon-nut-muffins/ but no raw apple to cook.
Let me know how it comes out.
Dan