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Cozy Brown Butter Apple Cider Donut Muffins – Easy Fall Recipe

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These muffins have the domed, golden tops of a bakery-style muffin and the dense, tender crumb of a cake donut, with a crackling cinnamon-sugar coating. Made with brown butter and reduced apple cider, they taste like a trip to the apple orchard without the mess of deep-frying.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • ⅔ cup apple cider
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • For the cinnamon-sugar coating:
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter: Place ½ cup unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt completely, then continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns deep amber and smells nutty (about 4-5 minutes). Pour into a heat-safe bowl to stop cooking. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Reduce the apple cider: In the same saucepan, pour in ⅔ cup apple cider. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about ¼ cup and syrupy. Pour into a small bowl and let cool.
  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 flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt for about 30 seconds.
  5. Mix wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, cooled brown butter, and reduced apple cider until smooth.
  6. Combine: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula just until no streaks of flour remain (10-12 strokes). Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine.
  7. Fill muffin cups: Divide batter evenly among 12 cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
  8. Bake: Place muffin tin in preheated oven and bake for 16-19 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Prepare coating: While muffins bake, melt ¼ cup butter in a small bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, mix ½ cup granulated sugar with 1½ teaspoons cinnamon.
  10. Coat muffins: Let muffins cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes. Working one at a time, remove a muffin, brush top and sides generously with melted butter, then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated. Place on a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining muffins.

Notes

Don’t rush the brown butter; use medium heat and watch for amber color and nutty smell. Reduce the cider properly to avoid watery muffins. Room temperature ingredients emulsify better. Mix batter gently to avoid tough muffins. Coat muffins while still warm for best adhesion. Muffins taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter, apple cider, donut muffins, fall recipe, cinnamon sugar, easy muffins, baked donuts

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