Description
These foolproof apple cider doughnut muffins concentrate the flavor of real apple cider for a tender, spiced treat that tastes like autumn. With just a few simple ingredients and an optional cream cheese glaze, this beginner-friendly recipe is perfect for fall mornings.
Ingredients
- 2 cups apple cider (100% pure, reduced to 1 cup)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 oz full-fat cream cheese (softened, for glaze)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
- 1–2 teaspoons milk or cream (for glaze)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon (for glaze, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
- Pour 2 cups of apple cider into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by half (about 1 cup of thick syrup). This takes 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cooled reduced cider, melted butter, and granulated sugar.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Gently fold together with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; the batter should remain lumpy.
- Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling them about ¾ full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Tops should be golden brown.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the glaze, whisk softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon until smooth. Drizzle over cooled muffins.
Notes
Do not skip reducing the cider; it concentrates the flavor and prevents the muffins from being too wet. Ensure the reduced cider is completely cool before adding to the batter to prevent melting the butter. Do not overmix the batter, as this leads to tough muffins. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze unglazed muffins for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
Keywords: apple cider muffins, doughnut muffins, fall baking, easy muffin recipe, beginner baking, cream cheese glaze, autumn recipes