Apple Cinnamon Muffins (Easing into a delicious autumn)

The start of the school year makes me think of cozy sweaters, red wine and apples. There are good things about the end of summer and those are three of the best.

It is also the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and a little comfort food is in order.

We’re hoping to go on an apple-picking excursion here on Long Island soon and so, I am assembling recipes that will help me use the far-too-many apples we pick on such occasions. And of course, with the beginning of school, I like to have mini-muffins to include in Leandro’s lunchbox (did you know we call it “lonchera” or “loncherita” in Puerto Rico? How cute is that?) and our repertory has been a bit limited up to now.

Thus these apple-cinnamon muffins, lifted almost exactly from Kids Cook! Fabulous Food for the Whole Family by Sarah Williamson and Zachary Williamson. We inherited the book from Leandro’s godparents (and godbrothers, as he likes to call Sean and P.J.) and it has a lot of get-your-kids-in-the-kitchen recipes that we play around with.

These are not-too-sweet, teeny-tiny (the recipe makes a very scant 48 mini-muffins), misshapen little muffins that are  endearing and perfect with tea or cider. They are not really going to help you get rid of 20 pounds of apples – the recipe calls for just one — but it is so easy and requires just one bowl, so clean-up is not so bad. Which means we’ll be doing it again and again. Especially if I make the move to paper muffin cups, cause I am getting really sick of greasing and cleaning out 48 little cups in my muffin tins….

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

(makes 12 muffins or 48 mini-muffins)

¾ cup milk

½ cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 medium-sized red apple, peeled, cored, diced small (Avoid Red Delicious. Try Cortland, Rome, Gala or Pink Lady or any apples you would use for pie)

2 cups flour

1/3 cup light brown sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

Sugar to sprinkle

Preheat oven to 400°F. Beat the milk, oil and egg together, then stir in the diced apple.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix well. Fill greased or lined muffin tins about halfway and sprinkle the top of each with a bit of sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes for standard-size muffins and 13 minutes for mini-muffins.

Tags: apple cinnamon muffins, apples, autumn food, baking with kids, cooking, desserts, food, mini-muffins, recipes, teatime treats, vegetarian