Apple Cider Donut Muffins

Name: Apple Cider Donut Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1½ cup all purpose flour; ¾ cup apple cider; 1 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp baking soda; 1¼ tsp ground cinnamon; 1 large egg; ¾ cup granulated sugar; ½ cup light brown sugar; ¼ tsp ground nutmeg; ¼ tsp salt; 7 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted; ½ tsp vanilla extract

Recipe GLPR9633a488c5c8fb

Breakfast

35 min

191 cal

Servings: 10

Oven

SNAP eligible

Tender, spiced muffins infused with warm apple cider, finished with a buttery cinnamon-sugar coating reminiscent of classic apple cider donuts. Perfect for breakfast or brunch.

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Ingredients

1½ cup all purpose flour

¾ cup apple cider

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1 large egg

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp salt

7 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a standard muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the apple cider, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix these dry ingredients together thoroughly.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix—small lumps are fine. The batter should come together with no streaks of flour remaining.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Use a large cookie scoop for even portions.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Do not overbake.
As soon as the muffins come out of the oven, turn them out onto a clean baking sheet or cutting board while still warm.
Pour the melted butter into a medium bowl. In a separate medium bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar with an additional 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Dip each warm muffin entirely in the melted butter, then roll it in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until well coated on all sides.
Place the coated muffins on a wire cooling rack positioned over a baking sheet to cool completely before serving.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4

These muffins rely entirely on staple pantry ingredients available at any Charlotte-area chain—flour, sugars, butter, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla are basics, and apple cider shows up year-round at Harris Teeter and Kroger. The actual prep time runs closer to 50 minutes once you account for measuring, mixing, and the full bake, so the 35-minute claim undersells it by 15 minutes. Cost per serving lands around $0.80–$1.00, driven mainly by butter and eggs, which is reasonable for a muffin. They reheat adequately in a toaster oven and work well for breakfast or a lunchbox, making them practical for a busy household, though they're best eaten fresh the first day.