Autumn in August: Apple Crisp Muffins

Apple Crisp Muffins

And, so Autumn in August continues with these Apple Crisp Muffins from Taste of Home's Fall Baking 2011. By the way, the new TOH Fall Baking for 2012 will be out at the end of August. I am beyond excited!! The 2011 edition is one of my favorite resources. It's littered with post-it flags. As soon as I layed my eyes on this recipe, I had to mark it. There was nothing about these muffins that I didn't like from the moist muffins filled with tangy Granny Smith apples to the creamy filling highlighted with maple and orange to the crunchy streusel topping. These muffins are delicious!

Apple Crisp Muffins

from Taste of Home's Fall Baking 2011

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 egg, beaten

1 cup 2% milk

1/2 cup canola oil

2 cups finely chopped peeled apples

Filling:

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp. maple syrup

4 tsp. grated orange peel

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Topping:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 tbsp. cold butter

1/4 cup. chopped pecans

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, combine the egg, milk and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apples. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full.

In a small bowl, beat the filling ingredients until smooth. Drop by tablespoons into centers of muffins.

For topping, in a small bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over filling. Bake at 400 degrees for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack. Yields: 1 dozen.

 

My husband gave me the best compliment on these when he said they tasted like they came out of an actual bakery. They were absolutely delicious. It was the grated orange peel in the filling that really made the flavors of the apples and cinnamon pop. This is going down as one of my favorite muffins recipes.

 

#AutumninAugust