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Kid-Approved Brown Butter Apple Cider Donut Muffins (Easy Recipe)

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These brown butter apple cider donut muffins capture the cozy, spiced flavor of classic apple cider donuts without the mess of frying. Made with simple ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes, they’re a kid-approved treat perfect for busy mornings or fall brunches.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup apple cider (reduced to about ¼ cup)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ½ cup buttermilk (or ½ cup milk + ½ tablespoon vinegar)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for topping)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for topping)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
  2. Reduce the apple cider: In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup apple cider to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer for 10-12 minutes until reduced to about ¼ cup. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  3. Brown the butter: In the same saucepan, melt ½ cup unsalted butter over medium heat, swirling occasionally. Cook until it foams and brown specks form at the bottom, then immediately pour into a heat-safe bowl to stop cooking. Let cool.
  4. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  5. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, vanilla extract, cooled brown butter, and reduced apple cider until smooth.
  6. Combine: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine.
  7. Fill muffin cups about ¾ full with batter.
  8. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. While muffins bake, mix ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in another bowl.
  10. Let muffins cool in the pan for 2 minutes. Remove and, while still warm, brush tops with melted butter and dip into cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on a cooling rack.

Notes

Don’t skip reducing the cider—it concentrates the apple flavor. Brown butter can burn quickly; watch closely and remove from heat as soon as brown specks appear. Coat muffins while warm for best topping adhesion. For dairy-free, use vegan butter and dairy-free milk with vinegar. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider muffins, brown butter muffins, donut muffins, fall muffins, kid-friendly muffins, easy muffin recipe

Find it online: https://willarecipes.com/kid-approved-brown-butter-apple-cider-donut-muffins-easy-recipe/