This recipe for Buttermilk Apple Muffins is the essence of fall. These muffins are warmly spiced, full of tender, sweet apples, and are as comforting as can be!
Imagine, if you will, something between luscious apple pie and warm apple cake.
That’s exactly what this recipe tastes like!
What’s in Buttermilk Apple Muffins?
- apples
- brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- lemon juice
- cinnamon, cardamom
- vanilla
- butter
- eggs
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder, salt
- golden raisins
- pecans or walnuts
I’m mean c’mon, how much do you want to combine all of those delicious ingredients!? 🙂
And let’s go ahead and call this sweet, amazingly comforting deliciousness a muffin — that way we can feel good about having it for breakfast. 😉
Is a Buttermilk Apple Muffin breakfast or dessert?
I think we all know a “muffin” is often dessert. I mean, if you frost it, it’s a cupcake. That said, it’s perfect in the morning with a cup of coffee.
I hope you’ll try this recipe over the weekend — have it for breakfast or for dessert!
You will be so happy you did. My advice . . . warm it slightly, and have it with a perfect cup of coffee.
Make sure you begin with fantastic apples — they should be sweet and crisp.
Taste them before you buy them — all you have to do is ask, and most produce departments will happily slice into one for you.
What are the best apples to bake with?
The best apples to bake with are apples that will keep their structure when heat is applied. We want to use apples that will stay in pieces, rather then turning int0 applesauce in our cakes, muffins, etc. Here are a few (of several) that work really well.
- Braeburn
- Fuji
- Granny Smith
- Honeycrisp
- Pink Lady
(I used Fuji in these Buttermilk Apple Muffins.)
I think making this Spiced Buttermilk Roasted Apple Muffin recipe is sure to bring you some fall joy!
Enjoy every last crumb of these oh-so-delicious Buttermilk Apple Muffins!
More delicious, fall apple recipes for you:
- My Mom’s Ginger Applesauce
- Fall Chai Spiced Apple Cake
- Caramelized Apple Brie Melt
- Dutch Apple Bread
Spiced Buttermilk Apple Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
For the apples
- 3 cups Fuji or Granny Smith apples, peeled, thinly sliced (from about 3 to 4 apples)
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the batter
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup golden raisins
For the topping
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup raw pecans or walnuts, very finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cut into small chunks
Instructions
- Prepare a muffin tin with 12 paper cups. Set aside.
To prepare the apples
- Preheat the oven to 400°F, and adjust a rack to the center.
- In a large bowl, gently mix the apples with the brown sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Add the butter to a sheet pan and place it in the preheated oven for about 30 seconds to melt it. Remove the pan from the oven and move it around to evenly distribute it. Then add the prepared apples and use a flat-bottomed spatula to gently mix them with the butter. Spread them out in a fairly even layer.
- Place the sheet pan back in the oven until the apples are soft, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Turn the oven heat down to 375°F.
For the batter
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the sugar, eggs and vanilla.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix just until smooth.
- Fold in the melted butter, the raisins and the roasted apples. (Use a rubber spatula to scrape every last bit of the butter and apples from the pan.)
- Fill the prepared muffin cups evenly -- each should be about 3/4 filled with the batter. Set aside.
For the topping
- In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar with the nuts and cinnamon. Then use your fingers to incorporate the butter -- it should be a crumbly mixture.
- Evenly distribute the topping on the surface of each muffin.
- Place in preheated 375°F oven until they've risen a bit above the top of the cups and are becoming golden, about 20 minutes.
- Let them cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
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Patricia@FreshFoodinaFlash says
Love all the fall apples and love the idea of cake for breakfast disguised as a muffin.
valentina says
Thank you, Patricia! Nothing like dessert for breakfast! 😉
Jillian says
These apple muffins look amazing and perfect for fall mornings!
valentina says
They are! Thank you, Jillian! Enjoy. 🙂
nicole says
Love everything about these! These look like autumn in a muffin wrapper! I am pinning these for future reference and I look forward to consuming a dozen! Thanks for sharing 🙂
valentina says
Autumn in a muffin wrapper — I LOVE that! Thank you! 😀
Amanda Mason says
I am SO jealous of that apple orchard – oh my goodness you lucky girl! I’m printing this recipe off as we speak – looks so amazing and you described it perfectly!
valentina says
Thank you so much, Amanda! If only it were my orchard! 😉 Thank you for checking out the recipe and I hope you love these as much as I do!
Michelle @ Vitamin Sunshine says
Yes!! I have been wanting to make apple muffins. So delicious!
valentina says
Perfect. 🙂
Diana says
Oh my God! These look absolutely AMAZING! I love apple pie and apple cake, so I can imagine what these muffins taste like. Pinning to try later!
valentina says
Thank you, Diana! Hope you try them. 🙂
Judy @My Well Seasoned Life says
Showed your picture to my mom and the first thing she said. “you making these Jude?” and yes I am. Thanks for these perfect fall treats.
valentina says
Oh I love that! Hugs to your mom! xo
David says
They look delicious, Valentina! I love the use of cardamom – that’s what really sets them apart!
valentina says
Thanks David! Love cardamom SO much. Happy fall to you and yours. 🙂
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
These were epic! I have a crush on them.
valentina says
Thank you, Dorothy! So happy you got to taste them! XOXO
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
In fact, I loved this so much I told all my readers! http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/recipe-crushes-7-great-recipes-from-food-bloggers/
valentina says
Thank you, my friend! 😀 xo
Catherine says
Super excited to make these! Do you know if I refrigerate the batter overnight and bake them fresh in the morning, will they still be as good? If I do so should I make the apples in the morning too?
valentina says
Hi Catherine, Though I haven’t tried it so I’m not 100% sure, I do think it would work to make the batter ahead of time and refrigerate. You could also roast the apples the night before — but I’d leave them out, wrapped tightly once they’ve cooled. I hope you love them and let me know how it goes. Enjoy & thanks for checking out my recipes. 🙂