I’m still pretty freakin’ excited about my two day-old niece, Liana. Â I think people at my clinical may be a little (okay, a lot) sick of me showing them pictures and talking about how much I want to pinch her chubby cheeks.
I’m a woman obsessed.
Anyway, I’m forcing myself to move on and talk about other things–at least until next weekend, when I go visit.
So until then, feast on these.
Apple cinnamon muffins–made with half whole-wheat flour, filled with sweet apple pieces and perfectly finished with a crunchy sugar topping. Â These are seriously really good. Â I love anything apple-cinnamon flavored (real apple and cinnamon, that is–no lollipops or anything), and the sugar top just puts them over the edge.
Apple Cinnamon Muffins (adapted from Cooking for Seven)
- 1 C all-purpose flour
- 1 C whole-wheat flour
- 1 t baking soda
- 1 t baking powder
- 1/4 t salt
- 1 T cinnamon
- 1/2 C butter at room temperature
- 1 C brown sugar, divided (3/4 C and 1/4 C)
- 1 egg
- 1 C plain yogurt (I used fat-free)
- 3 small or 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners. I actually made these into mini muffins (the better for sharing), with two big muffins leftover.
Cream the butter and 3/4 C of sugar together in the mixer bowl until fluffy, then add the egg and beat ’til well combined.
Gently mix in the yogurt.
Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flour, and mix until just combined.
Stir in the apple pieces.
Gosh, I love when the batter tastes so good you know right away the muffins will be a success.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin tins. Â It was a teensy bit difficult to get even amounts of apple pieces and batter into the little cups, but it just took a small amount of nudging around with a spoon. Â Much easier with the big muffins!
Top the muffins with the remaining brown sugar–it’ll be a nice, thick coat.
Bake on the middle rack for 5-10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 400 and continue to back until an inserted toothpick comes out dry, an additional 5 minutes or so.
I don’t know if it was the high baking temperature or what, but I was crazy about the sugar crust that formed on top!
Very satisfying to bite through.
Combine that with sweet and warm cooked apple, and this is the perfect fall spring treat.
I’ll probably make it double as often in the fall, when my apple craving goes stratospheric.
Stratospheric–that’s for you, Mom! (She’s a science teacher).
Also, I thought I’d share with you one of my other favorite things–when Henry goes into what we call “crack mode”. Usually around when we want to go to bed, he randomly starts twitching and contorting his body, frenetically rubbing the top of his head against any surface he can find. Â Once that phase passes, he starts chasing after Fritz, trying to bite off chunks of his flesh in what he apparently finds to be a very amusing game. Â I am never the target, but he will leap over tall buildings, sneak under the couch, or hide in wait to get his teeth into Fritz–preferably his ankles.
The only thing that will stop him is if I intervene.  Fritz can yell, run, swat, spray–anything he has tried has never worked.  And I’ll admit it–I hiss at him one time, and he stops. Kind of emasculating for Fritz.
Five minutes after this phase has started, it’s over. Â By then, Fritz is usually in bed, and Henry comes sauntering in, purring, as if Mr. Hyde never made an appearance. Â He curls up on Fritz’s lap (never mine), and Fritz forgives him.
Until the next night. So if you see the above seizure-like paroxysm…run.
17 comments
1 ping
Skip to comment form ↓
sandy
March 15, 2012 at 10:45 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
These sound so good – you are making me hungry.
Congratulations on your niece.
Jen
March 15, 2012 at 11:01 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Sweet pictures and your cat stories crack me up every time
Erica Lea | Cooking for Seven
March 15, 2012 at 11:33 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Lovely writing and gorgeous photos, Lauren! So glad you enjoyed the muffins.
Lauren Zietsman
March 16, 2012 at 3:58 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
thanks for the inspiration!
Hannah
March 16, 2012 at 6:02 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I guess you get to decide: alpha cat and no biting, no loving – or the best friend. Maybe Henry just knows your affections have been divided as of late.
Kathleen
March 16, 2012 at 9:28 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I am so glad you posted these!!! I (er, um, Freddy I guess) may just have to whip these up on Saturday.
Tasha
March 16, 2012 at 3:54 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Looks heavenly! One question – How much butter? It’s not on the ingredients list, but I’d love to try these. Thanks!
Lauren Zietsman
March 16, 2012 at 3:55 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
oops! thanks for letting me know! 1/2 C–I actually wrote 1/2 C sugar at room temperature…what?
Tasha
March 16, 2012 at 7:04 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Got it! Thanks for the lovely recipe and pictures
Jesica @ Pencil Kitchen
March 16, 2012 at 9:42 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
This is so delicious! I almost made one close to this but decided the muffin was sweet enough
Florence
March 17, 2012 at 6:22 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
It’s a really good basic,in summer you could use it with peaches, plums,cherries,lemon zest…..and of course, chocolate, almonds…..
Lauren Zietsman
March 18, 2012 at 10:06 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Definitely…plus it’s nice to have a basic low-fat recipe for friends and family who want that!
Dimitri
March 18, 2012 at 6:26 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Apple and cinnamon? Perfect! Great recipe!
Michelle
March 25, 2012 at 3:24 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thanks for the recipe, delicious! I shredding the apples instead of just cutting, didn’t want such large chunks in there, and they still turned out great. Love that they can taste great and be relatively healthy!
Ximena
May 1, 2012 at 6:04 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Lauren these are delicious, I just finished making them. I loved that you included yogurt in the recipe , such a clever idea.
My best wishes to you from Bolivia.
Lauren Zietsman
May 3, 2012 at 10:09 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
glad you liked them and I wish I was in Bolivia!
Shelly
August 31, 2012 at 2:49 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
This may be the recipe I used when I first entered cooking class! I am going to make it this week! how many servings does the recipe yield?
Fall and Winter Sweet Treats » A Full Measure of Happiness
November 12, 2012 at 9:02 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
[…] Apple Cinnamon Muffins […]