Apple Cider Muffins
These Apple Cider Muffins are a delicious fall breakfast. The muffins are tender and moist, flavored with apple cider, brown sugar, and warm spices, and topped with a crisp, buttery streusel. And to keep this recipe a little healthier, I used applesauce instead of vegetable oil to keep the muffins oil-free!
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This Is the Perfect Fall Muffin Recipe!
As soon as it hits September 1st, my cravings for brown butter apple crisp, cinnamon apple bars, and deep dish cranberry apple pie skyrocket. But as much as I wish I could spend every weekend baking with fresh apples, I have to restrain myself now that most of my kids are out of the house. (Such a bummer!)
Enter: these apple cider muffins topped with a buttery oat streusel. They give me that same spiced apple flavor that I crave throughout the fall, but since they’re muffins they contain much less sugar than cobblers, crisps, and pies. Win-win!
Here’s why you need to make a batch:
✔ Spiced Apple Flavor: The apple cider gives these muffins so much fall flavor, and the blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves add warmth.
✔ No Oil: I used applesauce in the muffins instead of oil; the muffins still turn out super moist and fluffy, they’re just a little healthier this way.
✔ Quick and Easy: You can have the full batch of muffins assembled and baked in 30 minutes flat, promise!
Enjoy!
-Katie
The Main Ingredients
I’ve listed all of the ingredients with their measurements in the recipe card below, but let’s go over the main items you’ll need to make these scrumptious apple cider spice muffins.
- Apple Cider — Buy fresh apple cider that’s unsweetened and unspiced. We’re reducing the apple cider to pack even more flavor into the muffins, so don’t skip that step!
- All-Purpose Flour — Gives the muffins structure. Make sure to measure using the spoon and level method as adding too much flour can result in dry muffins.
- Spices — Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves enhance the apple cider flavor.
- Melted Butter — Adds richness and delicious flavor to the muffins.
- Brown Sugar — Adds sweetness and depth of flavor. If you don’t have brown sugar, granulated sugar will work too.
- Unsweetened Applesauce — Acts as a substitute for vegetable oil in these muffins. It adds moisture and extra apple flavor.
- Egg — Helps bind the muffin batter together during baking.
- Vanilla Extract – Enhances the sweetness and apple flavor of the muffins.
- Old Fashioned Oats — Adds great texture to the crumble topping. You can use instant oats too, but the streusel will be much drier and more crumbly.
How to Make Apple Cider Muffins
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- Reduce the apple cider on the stovetop. We do this first because the cider “syrup” has to cool before it’s safe to add to the batter (otherwise you’ll scramble the egg — ask me how I know!).
- Make the muffin batter. You know the drill! Combine the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls before whisking them together.
- Prepare the crumble topping. Here’s how I like to cut butter into flour so my streusels end up with nice big crumbles.
- Assemble and bake. Divide the batter between 12 greased or lined muffin cups, then sprinkle about a tablespoon of streusel over each. These muffins need to bake at 375ºF for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Katie’s Tip: If you want these apple cider spice muffins to taste like apple cider donuts, leave off the streusel and dip the tops of each baked muffin in melted butter before coating in cinnamon sugar.
Recipe Tips
- Start with room temperature eggs. The muffin batter will mix together more evenly if all of the ingredients are room temp.
- Fresh apple cider is THE key ingredient. This type of cider doesn’t contain any extra sugars or spices added. It’s usually located in the produce department in grocery stores rather than on the juice aisle. It can be seasonal, so look for it during the fall and winter months.
- Don’t skip the step where the apple cider is reduced! This creates an apple cider concentrate for a more pronounced apple flavor in these apple crumble muffins.
- Rotate the pans halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots. This will help them brown evenly.
- Can’t buy apple cider where you live? Use a natural apple juice (versus one from concentrate) for a similar flavor profile.
More Fall Muffin Recipes to Try
I have TONS of muffin recipes on my site, but here are my favorites to make in the fall.
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Apple Cider Muffins Recipe
These apple cider muffins are a delicious fall breakfast! They're tender and moist, flavored with apple cider, brown sugar, and warm spices, and topped with a crisp, buttery streusel.
Ingredients
For the Muffins
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Oat Streusel Topping
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
Instructions
For the Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the apple cider to a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer until it has reduced to ½ cup– this should take about 15 minutes. Once reduced, set the cider aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves.
- In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter and light brown sugar. Then add the reduced apple cider, applesauce, egg, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix – it's okay if there are a few lumps.
- Divide the muffin batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each with about ¼ cup of batter.
For the Oat Streusel
- In a small bowl, combine the oats, all-purpose flour, and brown sugar. Add the cold butter and use a pastry cutter or two knives to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of streusel over each muffin.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins to a wire rack and cool completely before storing.
Notes
To store: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you'll want to freeze the apple cider muffins (here's How to Freeze Muffins).
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 176mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 3g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Claire says
Katie, these look amazing!! Unfortunately I can’t buy apple cider in Germany (they only sell the alcoholic, carbonated kind here). Do you think I could use apple juice instead? I know the spiced flavor won’t be as strong, but texture-wise I’m wondering if it will work.
Katie Kick says
Can you find a natural apple juice (vs one from concentrate)? I think if you used that it would work!