Each year, my friends and I put together a fabulous meal before spending Thanksgiving with our respective families. Since we’re all so busy and spread across the map, it’s wonderful to have Friendsgiving, as we call it, to look forward to. On one such occasion, these apple cider muffins were devoured so quickly, I barely had a chance to try one. With Friendsgiving safely months away, this week I decided to try them again.
I rarely cook with apples because I prefer them fresh, but when I got my hands on some boiled cider from King Arthur Flour, I was intrigued and wanted to see what delicious apple-y things could be made without the inclusion of actual apples.
The original recipe, which inspired me to make these muffins, called them “doughnut holes.” But since they’re baked, one could argue that they don’t qualify as a classic doughnut. Also, I used a mini muffin pan instead of a doughnut pan.
When I used regular butter, the muffin’s texture was wonderfully chewy with a strong donut consistency. Oddly, when I used apple butter, the texture became more muffin-like. The choice of butter is yours, but I assure you that both will make a delicious muffin. And rolling it in cinnamon, cardamom and sugar adds the perfect finishing touch.
Apple Cider Muffins or “doughnut holes”
Approximately 36 Mini Muffins
Adapted by Amrita Rawat from a recipe originally published on feastie.com 2 cups flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
Pinch salt
½ cup butter, soft (or apple butter)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup boiled apple cider*
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup full-fat yogurt
1 Tbsp. dark rum
1 Tbsp. oil
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cardamom
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together until fluffy and combined. Add in the egg, and beat well. Add in the cider, syrup, yogurt, rum and oil.
• Use a spatula to stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture.
• Spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick spray and scoop the batter into each muffin mold, about a tablespoon for each mold so that it is no more than ¾ full. Bake for about 12 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
• In a bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and cardamom.
• Roll each warm muffin into the sugar mixture. (I used a toothpick to remove the muffin from the pan). If you don’t roll them in the sugar mixture immediately, and they cool, you can dip them first in melted butter and then roll them in the sugar.
* If you don’t want to order the boiled cider, try making it yourself like Brooklyn Farmhouse.
This article appears in August 2012.