I want to tell you about muffins buuuuut…
…I can’t talk because I’m in hysterics over this video of Tom Hanks performing a poetry-slam version of Full House. Full. Freaking. House. One of my favorite shows — the kind I might still watch late at night and again before dawn. Uncle Jesse was my first TV crush.
Well, actually my true first crush was Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing. Then came Uncle Jesse, and later Zack Morris when my daydreams escalated. I spent days imagining I was Kelly Kapowski, trying to dress like her (a look I wouldn’t recommend), and even wore it for Halloween more than once. If you’d asked me in 1992 who my hero was or who I’d want to have dinner with, I probably would have said Kelly Kapowski — the character, not the actress — living in crop tops and an off-the-shoulder Bayside sweatshirt. I may have attempted to recreate that look thousands of times; most recently this past summer.
I hate myself.
Anyway, the video only deepened my love for Tom Hanks. I’d love to be one of those people who casually run into him at a restaurant and then fake a bunch of tipsy photos. He’s just the coolest.
Now that I’ve indulgently revisited some of my youth (and accidentally ate a plate of microwaved nachos out of nostalgia), I can get to the point: cute little apple muffins.
Confession time: I had these muffins ready to share after making them last week, but after reading a comment from Erin — who caramelized her Brussels sprouts in apple cider — I knew I had to experiment. I made another batch, this time cooking the apples in extra apple cider to amplify the apple flavor. My computer insists I meant “apply” but no — I mean very, very apple-y. Erin was brilliant: caramelizing the apples in cider makes them even more delicious than cooking them in butter, and both ways are excellent.
These muffins are hearty yet light enough for breakfast. Made with whole wheat pastry flour, oats, apples, applesauce and a touch of brown butter, they strike a nice balance — not overly sweet, packed with fruit, and great as a snack. If you want to be indulgent, top them with the brown butter apple cider glaze. There’s brown butter in the muffins too — because if you’re going to use butter, why not brown it? That’s my new motto.
Loaded Apple Cider Oatmeal Muffins with Brown Butter Apple Cider Glaze
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Ingredients
- 2 honeycrisp apples, diced
- 3 tablespoons apple cider
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup loosely packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 4 tablespoons brown butter, melted and cooled
- 1/3 cup apple cider
Brown Butter Apple Cider Glaze
- 4 tablespoons brown butter, melted and cooled
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2–3/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat a small skillet over medium-low and add the diced apples with 3 tablespoons apple cider, plus a pinch of cinnamon and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft and caramelized, about 8–10 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside. Line a muffin tin with liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg and brown sugar until smooth. Add vanilla, brown butter, applesauce and apple cider, whisking until combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the cooked diced apples. Do not overmix. Fill each muffin liner two-thirds full (an ice cream scoop helps make even muffins).
- Bake 15–17 minutes, until tops are no longer wet and are slightly golden. Top with glaze if desired.
Brown Butter Apple Cider Glaze
- Combine brown butter, vanilla and powdered sugar in a bowl. Whisk until smooth, then add 1 tablespoon apple cider and whisk. If the glaze is too thick, add cider in 1/2-tablespoon increments until it reaches the desired consistency. If it becomes too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Spoon glaze over warm muffins or dip the tops before serving.
Notes
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These muffins are also excellent with a handful of cinnamon or white chocolate chips for a subtle, sweet twist.