Apple Butter Muffins

October: National Apple Month

Our friends Pat and Phyllis S., who, like Islander, are Hawaii ex-patriates now living in South Texas, brought back some apple butter from Branson, Missouri, when they went on a road trip there.  Apple butter reminds us of applesauce but it is sweeter, spiced and slightly thicker with a warm caramel color.

Like our applesauce cupcakes, these apple butter muffins are a yummy quick breakfast or snack. Whenever we bake them, we are reminded of the fun times we have with our friends, especially of our own road trip with them through the Texas Hill Country where we stopped to eat lunch at an apple-themed restaurant in Medina, the Apple Capital of Texas.

Bake a batch of apple butter muffins during National Apple Month to share with good friends and warm your hearts throughout the autumn season.

Recipe

(Adapted from Recipe Girl)

For the muffins

• 1 ½ cups flour
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ sticks (¾ cup) butter, unsalted, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup apple butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the topping

• 1 tablespoon sugar, granulated white
• generous pinch of ground allspice

Directions

In a bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Melt the butter and cool slightly.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the apple butter. Stir in the melted butter. Mix in the vanilla.

Pour in the flour mixture and blend until moistened. Use a large scoop to put the batter in cupcake papers or a greased muffin tin.

Make the topping by combining the sugar with the pinch of allspice. Sprinkle on top of the muffins. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm. Yield: 12-15 apple butter muffins.

Notes

• Thanks to Pat and Phyllis S. for the apple butter.
• Search our blog for more recipes containing apples as an ingredient.