Healthy Apple Cider Muffins for #MuffinMonday

Apple cider and nutmeg-spiced whole grain baked treats covered with cinnamon sugar are a lightened-up version of the popular fall donut.

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Eating with the seasons means that change is constant. Come to think of it, being a military spouse means the same thing. Being a parent means the same thing--once you get a handle on one age, growth and development means your newfound knowledge is sorely lacking. Again. Heck, I guess being human means that change is constant. I'm getting off track.

This website focuses on using seasonal produce, and it's Fall, so we're talking apples, apple cider, buttercup and butternut squash, and that's just the start of the alphabet. As the seasons change so does the offerings in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share and at the farmer's market. Just like my dogs warmly greet me even if I just ran upstairs for a pair of socks, I warmly greet the arrival of each new season (although with considerably less tail wagging).

One of my favorite fall delights is an apple cider donut. I'll pick up a few at the farmer's market. I'll buy some at an orchard farm stand. I'll even get a box at Super Target if I see 'em, because I love the flavor so much. For this month's Muffin Monday, I decided to challenge myself to make this at home. Muffin style.

These little gems are a healthy homemade version of the popular Fall treat--apple cider donuts. Using white whole wheat flour, cutting the fat and sugar in half, and baking instead of frying are all ways I've lightened up this autumn delicacy while preserving the cake-like interior and sugary exterior.

I checked out a number of recipes online, and the first thing they had in common was to reduce fresh apple cider into syrup by boiling it gently on the stove top. So I did that. In fact, I did that about a week before I finally made the muffins--so if you've got some time on your hands and some apple cider--knock that task out.  To make it easier to know how your apple cider reduction is progressing, keep a glass (pyrex) measuring cup handy by the stove. That way, you can measure the hot cider and determine if you're done boiling or need to simmer a bit more.

I used this apple cider donut recipe as my inspiration. I chose to bake these in a mini muffin pan for 2 reasons--first, to give the bite-sized donut hole sensation as I ate it, and second because my spouse would be taking most of them to the detachment to share with cadre and cadets. Although I lightened up the batter, I kept the finishing touches of melted butter and a whirl in cinnamon sugar so that the initial bite really reminded me of an apple cider donut hole.

I also made a video, since I am a visual learner, to show you how to mix up the batter, how quick it is to prepare a pan of muffins, and how to finish them after baking.

Notes:  Start early--you'll need to reduce the apple cider and then cool it before mixing up the muffin batter. I recommend doing this on a separate day, up to a week before you're ready to bake. These muffins will freeze just fine after baking. Once thawed, complete the finishing step with the melted butter and cinnamon sugar. This recipe is easily doubled.

Healthy Apple Cider Donut Muffins
By Kirsten Madaus

Apple cider and nutmeg-spiced whole grain baked treats covered with cinnamon sugar are a lightened-up version of the popular fall donut.

Prep time: 00:25
Cook time: 00:12
Total time: 00:42

Yield: 28 to 30 mini muffins
Ingredients:
2 cups apple cider(*to be reduced before use)
oil spray for coating pan
2 large eggs
¼ cup vegetable oil
⅜ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 ounces by weight or 2+⅛ cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (I use Diamond Crystal brand)
½ teaspoon baking soda
1+¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg
for topping: ½ cup granulated sugar
for topping: 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
for topping: 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:

At least an hour before you're ready to bake (and up to 5 days before) pour apple cider into a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and simmer until reduced by half. I find it useful to leave the measuring cup by the stove so I can measure how fast the cider is reducing. Let cool.

When you're ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 24 well mini muffin pan with vegetable oil spray. You don't want to use paper liners with these muffins since you're going to finish them with butter and cinnamon sugar.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cooled/reduced apple cider, eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla until well blended.

In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg.

In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ½ cup sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Dump wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.

Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned.

Let cool 5 minutes in pan, then transfer to baking rack.

Melt butter in small container. Brush muffin tops with melted butter, the swirl in reserved cinnamon sugar.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

If you'd like to freeze these muffins, do so after baking and before the butter/cinnamon sugar step. Once thawed, continue to finish the muffins with butter and cinnamon sugar.

You'll have extra cinnamon sugar. Make a piece of cinnamon toast or something.

For more recipes using apples or apple cider, please see my Apples and Apple Cider Recipes Collection. This collection is part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me eating from the farm share, the farmer's market, the garden, the neighbor's garden, and great deals on ugly produce at the grocery store.

I'm sharing more recipes on my Pinterest boards, follow me there. If you like a good peek behind the scenes like I do, follow me on Instagram. Need a good read? I'm sharing articles of interest on my Facebook page, follow me there. Want to know How to Use This Blog?

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.
Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

• Chocolate Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cranberry Maple Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Healthy Apple Cider Donut Hole Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Marble Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Pumpkin Raisin Bran Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Quick Blackberry Jam Muffins from Food Lust People Love

Now for a Behind the Scenes. I'm still finding the best lighting for photos in my new home--and the best set up to record a video as the kitchen, while lovely and spacious, is kinda dark. For this recipe I relied on my pilates machine as a workspace. I also forgot how to operate the camera, and took this photo while I was trying to start the recording button.