We first discovered these in Lancaster, at the Central Market, and recreated them at home.
Total Time: 55 minutes; Hands-On Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the topping:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 T cinnamon
- 4 T unsalted butter, melted
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 375° and set a rack to the middle position. Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan and set aside.
- Put the apple cider in a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Set aside to cool.
- Using a standing or handheld mixer, cream the butter with the sugar in a large bowl at medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each. Add the vanilla extract and blend.
- In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add a third of this mixture to the butter mixture and beat just to combine.
- Add half the reduced cider and beat to combine. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture, then the rest of the cider, then the remaining flour mixture.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups and transfer to the oven.
- Bake until tops are firm and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes.
- While muffins are baking, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping.
- Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes.
- As soon as the muffins are cool enough to handle, brush their tops and sides with butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
