Apple Pie Muffins
Apple pie muffins are a delightful and delicious way to enjoy all the comforting flavors of a classic pie in a convenient, portable form. The process starts with a simple muffin batter, infused with a warm touch of cinnamon to create a cozy and spiced base. This cinnamon-scented batter serves as the perfect canvas, its light and tender crumb ready to hold the delicious fillings that make these muffins so special. The first layer is a scoop of the cinnamon muffin batter, creating a solid foundation for the flavors to come.
Next, a generous spoonful of apple pie filling is added to each muffin, bringing a burst of tender, spiced fruit right into the center. This layer of warm apples ensures that every bite is filled with that familiar, comforting taste of homemade pie. To top it all off, a buttery and crunchy crumble topping is sprinkled over each muffin. As it bakes, the crumble becomes golden brown and toasted, providing a wonderful textural contrast to the soft muffin and tender apple filling. The result is a perfect hybrid dessert that combines the best parts of apple pie and muffins into a single, irresistible treat.
Apple Pie Muffins
Makes about 15 muffins
Ingredients
For the Crumble:
75g light brown sugar, packed
15g granulated sugar
90g all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
4 Tosp unsalted butter, cold and diced (56g)
For the Apple Pie Filling:
2 cups apples, peeled and chopped (240g)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter (28g)
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (53g)
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/16 tsp ground nutmeg
For the Cinnamon Muffin Batter:
115g unsalted butter
300g all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
210g granulated sugar
240g buttermilk room temperature
2 large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
To make the crumble, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold, diced butter. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. Place the bowl in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
To make the apple pie filling, in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the diced apples, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir frequently until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender (about 5 minutes). Then pour in your cornstarch slurry and stir the slurry into the apple pie filling and cook for another minutes or two. Remove from the heat and let the filling cool completely.
To make the cinnamon muffin batter, in a large bowl, using an electric hand held mixer (or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment), cream together the melted butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Add in the Greek yogurt and mix until the mixture is smooth. Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until no dry streaks of flour remain.
Fill each muffin liner a little over halfway with batter (about 3/4 full). Spoon about a tablespoon of the cooled apple filling on top of the batter, followed by a generous tablespoon of the prepared crumble. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for another 11-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Serve warm and enjoy!
