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Brown Butter Apple Cider Muffins (Easy Fall Recipe)

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These brown butter apple cider donut muffins are a quick and easy fall treat that tastes like a trip to the orchard. With a nutty brown butter base, reduced apple cider, and a cinnamon sugar coating, they’re the perfect crowd-pleasing breakfast or brunch item.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (for coating)
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for coating)

Instructions

  1. Reduce the apple cider: Pour 1 cup apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about ⅓ cup. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Brown the butter: In the same saucepan, melt ½ cup unsalted butter over medium heat. Swirl occasionally. Once the butter foams, then subsides, and brown specks form at the bottom (about 5-7 minutes), remove from heat immediately. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
  4. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ginger. Set aside.
  5. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the browned butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 egg, ½ cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and the reduced apple cider until smooth.
  6. Combine wet and dry: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined (a few lumps are fine). Do not overmix.
  7. Fill muffin cups: Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
  8. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
  9. Make coating: While muffins cool, melt ¼ cup unsalted butter in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
  10. Coat muffins: Working one at a time, brush the top of each warm muffin with melted butter, then dip into cinnamon sugar mixture to coat evenly. Place back on cooling rack to set.

Notes

Don’t skip reducing the apple cider—it concentrates the flavor. Watch the brown butter carefully to avoid burning. For best results, use room temperature ingredients. Coat muffins while still warm for the sugar to stick.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter, apple cider, muffins, fall recipe, cinnamon sugar, easy, breakfast, brunch

Find it online: https://spoonmira.com/brown-butter-apple-cider-muffins-easy-fall-recipe/