Mulled Cider Muffins by @Donna_Fasano #Recipe

Welcome to November! Last month, I posted a recipe for Mulled Cider and this month I’m giving you a recipe for Mulled Cider Muffins. Bakeries everywhere offer Apple Cider Donuts this time of year. These delicious dunkers are very popular. I wanted to take the idea and add a twist of my own. Why, you might ask… well, because fried donuts give me indigestion, and I wanted the flavor of apple cider in a baked muffin. Here’s what I came up with.

Please don’t skip the first step! When you reduce a flavorful liquid, it gives your baked good an even more intense taste.

Mulled Cider Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients for the Mulled Cider Reduction:

• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 star anise
• 2 whole cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Ingredients for muffins:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 10 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mulled cider reduction

Ingredients for the coating:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 Tablespoon butter, melted

First, make the Mulled Cider Reduction. Directions:

1.    Place apple cider, star anise, cloves, and cinnamon in a small saucepan.

2.    Simmer on medium heat until reduced by half. You should end up with 1/2 cup of liquid.

3.    Remove the star anise and cloves from the mulled cider reduction and set the cider aside to cool.

Second, make the muffins. Directions:

1.    Heat oven to 350° F. Spray muffin tins with nonstick spray. Set aside.

2.    In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and the nutmeg, and then whisk to combine dry ingredients. Set aside.

3.    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 10 tablespoons of the butter, the brown sugar, and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. This will take about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract.

4.    Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add the mulled cider reduction. When the cider is fully mixed into the batter, scrape the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are combined.

5.    Spoon the batter into prepared muffin tin, filling cups about 2/3 full. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.

6.    While the muffins bake, make the coating. Whisk 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together in a small bowl to combine. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small pan over low heat. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes after baking. Then, brush them with the melted butter. Then dredge the muffins in the cinnamon sugar while they are still warm. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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About the author:

Donna Fasano is a USA Today Bestselling Author of sweet romance, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction. Learn more about her at her website. Sign up for her newsletter by clicking here.