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Cozy Brown Butter Apple Cider Donut Muffins

brown butter apple cider donut muffins - featured image
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These Cozy Brown Butter Apple Cider Donut Muffins are everything you want in a fall treat—without the fuss of deep-frying or rolling out dough. They come together in about 35 minutes, which means you can have a warm, bakery-style muffin in your hand faster than you can say ‘pumpkin spice.’

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) apple cider
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted (for coating)
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (for coating)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. Grease your 12-cup muffin tin with butter or non-stick spray, or line with paper liners.
  2. Brown the butter: Place 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally as it melts. The butter will start to foam and crackle—that’s the water evaporating. After about 5-7 minutes, the foam will subside, and you’ll see golden brown specks forming at the bottom of the pan. The butter will smell nutty and amazing. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. Let it cool for 10 minut…
  3. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger. Whisk until everything is evenly distributed.
  4. Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cooled brown butter, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup apple cider, 1/2 cup buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
  5. Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold everything together gently. Stir just until you no longer see streaks of flour. A few lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing will make your muffins tough and dense.
  6. Fill the muffin cups: Use an ice cream scoop or a spoon to divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Each cup should be about 3/4 full.
  7. Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The tops should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
  8. Cool slightly: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
  9. Make the cinnamon sugar coating: While the muffins are cooling, melt 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of unsalted butter in a small bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon.
  10. Coat the muffins: While the muffins are still warm (but not hot), use a pastry brush to brush the tops and sides with the melted butter. Then roll each muffin in the cinnamon sugar mixture, pressing gently so the coating sticks.
  11. Serve: These are best enjoyed warm, right after coating.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the butter—it adds deep, nutty flavor. Use a light-colored saucepan to monitor color change. Buttermilk adds tenderness; if unavailable, add 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar to 1/2 cup milk and let sit 5 minutes. Coat muffins while warm for best sugar adhesion. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days; freeze uncoated muffins up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider muffins, brown butter muffins, fall muffins, donut muffins, easy muffin recipe

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