The Garlic Press

Apple Nut Muffins September 9, 2007

The new school year has begun and that means fall is close behind! To help get me in the mood, I made these Apple Nut Muffins from the Taste of Home Muffins and Cupcakes magazine. The muffin itself has a slightly cake-y texture and is delicious warmed. The filling wasn’t difficult to make but I thought that it needed some brightness so I added in some lemon juice until I liked the taste. If you don’t have time to make the apple filling, you could use your favorite jam. These also freeze very well.

This recipe makes 2 dozen regular sized muffins or 1 dozen jumbo muffins.

Apple Nut Muffins

Filling

2 Tablespoons butter

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups diced peeled apples

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

Muffins:

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups (12 oz.) sour cream

Cinnamon sugar

In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth. Add the apples; cook over medium low heat for 10 minutes or until tender stirring frequently. Add lemon juice and cook for 30 seconds. Taste. If you are satisfied, remove from heat and stir in the nuts. Cool.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.

Fill greased muffin cups 1/2 full with batter. Add a teaspoon of filling and top with remaining batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 16 – 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and then cool on a wire rack.

**For jumbo muffins, fill greased tin with 1/4 cup batter, then the filling and then the remaining batter. Bake 25-27 minutes.