Easy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

I just want to share something sweet and easy today. I love fresh muffins, but sometimes I feel like they are too complicated and time consuming to make at the last minute. Plus, I don’t always have the necessary ingredients (like blueberries). These easy apple cinnamon muffins are great for a last minute breakfast goody because they’re fast and easy, but also because most people usually always have one or two apples on hand.

Another bonus to this recipe is that it can be made as a loaf, as well, although it takes about four times longer to bake. I prefer the muffins because they’re faster, but also because they’re already perfectly portioned and you don’t have to wait as long for them to cool enough to eat.

For these muffins, you need unsalted butter, eggs, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, salt, sugar, brown sugar, chopped or shredded apples, and all-purpose flour.

For the apples, I use one fuji apple and one granny smith. You can really use any type of apples that you like, I just always like to use a sweet and a tart. I also prefer to shred the apples because they release a lot of juice that way, and I think that it helps make the muffins moist and soft. Be sure to peel and core the apples before shredding or chopping.

To get started, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and combine until mixed well, but don’t over beat. Scrape the bowl and add half of the flour mixture. Stir the batter until just combined, add half of the apples, and mix together. Add the other half of the flour and stir again until just combined. Add the remaining apples and mix the batter until thoroughly combined.

For muffins, line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each one with two tablespoons of batter. Bake at 375 for 17 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. If you decide to make a single loaf of bread with this, grease and flour a loaf pan and pour all of the batter in. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring the loaf to a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool for another 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

About halfway through the bake time, I like to sprinkle the tops of these with turbinado sugar for a sweet little crunch. Plus, it looks pretty. These are sweet and simple and take no time at all, and they make a great last minute breakfast treat! Enjoy!

Easy Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Makes 18 muffins or 1 loaf

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 medium apples; peeled, cored, and sliced or shredded

For muffins: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
For loaf bread: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan.

Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves in a small bowl and set aside.

In a medium bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and combine until mixed well, but don’t over beat. Scrape the bowl and add half of the flour mixture. Stir until just combined, add half of the apples, and mix together. Add the other half of the flour and stir again until just combined. Add the remaining apples and mix the batter until thoroughly combined.

For muffins, drop 2 tablespoons of batter into each cup of the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.

For loaf bread, pour all of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Recipe be Darla