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Cozy Cinnamon Apple Cider Donut Muffins: Easy Fall Recipe

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These Cozy Cinnamon Apple Cider Donut Muffins are the perfect fall treat, combining the tender crumb of a muffin with the crackly, cinnamon-sugar top of a donut. Made with reduced apple cider for intense flavor, they’re quick, easy, and guaranteed to fill your kitchen with the aroma of autumn.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (240 ml) apple cider
  • 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup (½ stick / 57 g) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. Reduce the apple cider: Pour 1 cup of apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes until reduced to about ¼ cup and syrupy. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk until smooth. Whisk in the reduced apple cider syrup.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined; do not overmix. A few small lumps are fine.
  6. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
  7. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes.
  8. While the muffins cool, prepare the coating: In a shallow bowl, mix ½ cup granulated sugar with 1 ½ tsp cinnamon. In another shallow bowl, melt ¼ cup butter.
  9. Remove muffins from the pan. While still warm, dip the top of each muffin into the melted butter, then immediately into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating generously.
  10. Place on a cooling rack and serve warm.

Notes

Do not skip reducing the apple cider; it concentrates the flavor and prevents gummy muffins. For best texture, ensure eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature. Start checking muffins at 16 minutes to avoid overbaking. The combination of butter and oil gives the perfect tender crumb.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider muffins, cinnamon sugar muffins, fall muffins, donut muffins, easy fall recipe, apple cider donut muffins

Find it online: https://breezybake.com/cozy-cinnamon-apple-cider-donut-muffins-easy-fall-recipe/