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Apple Cider Muffins Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Apple Cider Muffins Recipe

I make these apple cider muffins every single year the moment fall weather hits, and honestly, sometimes even before it does. There's something about the smell of cinnamon and simmering cider filling my kitchen that just feels like the start of the season.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup fresh apple cider – gives the muffins their signature apple punch just don't grab apple cider vinegar by mistake
  • 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour – the base structure for the muffins
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder – helps the muffins rise nice and tall
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda – works with the acidity in the cider for extra lift
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt – balances out all the sweetness and spice
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon – the backbone of that warm fall flavor
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice – adds a subtle cozy depth
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves – a little goes a long way here
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg – rounds out the spice blend beautifully
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil – keeps the muffins moist instead of dry and rubbery
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar – adds moisture and a caramel-like note
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar – balances the brown sugar for the right sweetness
  • 2 large eggs room temperature – gives the batter structure
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce – layers in even more apple flavor
  • 1 and 1/2 cups peeled shredded apple – use a mix of tart and sweet apples for the best flavor
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts optional – adds a nice crunch if you like texture

Method
 

  1. I start by pouring the apple cider into a small saucepan and letting it simmer over medium heat. It takes about 20 minutes to reduce down to a concentrated 1/4 cup. This step matters because plain cider is too watery to add real flavor to the batter. Once it's reduced, I let it cool for at least 10 minutes before moving on.
  2. While the cider cools, I whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all the spices in one large bowl. Getting the spices evenly distributed here means every bite of the finished muffin tastes balanced. I set this bowl aside once everything looks combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, I whisk the oil, both sugars, eggs, applesauce, and the cooled cider reduction together until smooth. This mixture should look glossy and well blended before you move to the next step. There's no need for a stand mixer at any point in this recipe.
  4. I pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined, being careful not to overmix. Then I gently fold in the shredded apple and walnuts if I'm using them. The batter will look thick and a little chunky, which is exactly right.
  5. I divide the batter evenly among the muffin liners, filling each one all the way to the top. Baking starts at a high 425°F for 5 minutes, then I drop the oven down to 350°F for another 15 to 16 minutes. That initial blast of heat is what gives the muffins their tall, bakery-style dome.
  6. Once the muffins are baked, I let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then I brush the warm tops with melted butter and roll them in a cinnamon-sugar mixture. This final touch is what makes these taste like apple cider donuts in muffin form.

Notes

  • I always shred my apples fresh right before mixing, since they brown and release moisture if they sit too long.
  • I like using one tart apple and one sweeter apple together for a more layered flavor.
  • I never skip the high-heat start in the oven, because that's what gives the muffins their tall shape.
  • I make the cider reduction a day ahead sometimes just to save myself a step on baking day.
  • I fill my muffin liners generously, since a fuller liner bakes up into a much prettier dome.