Apple Cider Donut Muffins
Makes: 12 servings Prep 30 mins Start to Finish 1 hr 15 mins
INGREDIENTS
- 2cups apple cider
- 3 1/4cups whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1/2teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3cup reduced-fat buttermilk
- 6tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1cup sugar
- 2large eggs
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees . In a small saucepan, bring cider to a rapid simmer over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon and nutmeg. In a small bowl, combine applesauce and buttermilk.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream butter and 2/3 cup sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat until incorporated, scraping down bowl between each addition. Add flour mixture, alternating with applesauce mixture, in three batches. Fold in 1/4 cup reduced apple cider.
3. Fill each cup of a nonstick muffin tin and bake until puffed and set, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Cool pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Working one at a time, remove muffins from pan and lightly brush all over with remaining reduced cider. Let cool completely on wire rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days (refrigerate or freeze leftovers after that). Combine remaining cinnamon and sugar in a small airtight container.
4. To serve, microwave muffin in 15-second increments until warm, then toss it in cinnamon-sugar mixture.