When I began seeing my IG feed flooded with pumpkin spice things, I knew fall had arrived. However, the temperature is still in the 70s here, so mentally I’m not sure I’m not quite there yet.
As I casually perused the farmers market and all their fall harvest vegetables, the 2875 types of apples stood out to me. Anybody wonder how they come up with all those names? It feels like parents trying to come up with trendy baby names, but for apples – Paula Red, Jonagold, Melrose, Braeburn. I mean, amiright?!
So, what makes a muffin so tasty you gotta go back for another? For me, number one is there must be a streusel topping – that’s a given. It should be light, fluffy, flavorful and have just the right amount of sugar. It can’t be too sweet like a cupcake, but it should have a nice balance. Chances are there’s fruit with natural sugars or chocolate chips that’ll boost up the sweetness.
The classic pairing of apples and cinnamon is of course a given. But, I really wanted these muffins to stand out from the rest – and scream fall! So, if you have some of these warm and ground spices in your cabinet, you should add them into the recipe.
Do I have to use walnut oil?
You can substitute vegetable oil if needed, but what I absolutely love about walnut oil is that it adds a rich and nutty flavor & smooth texture to the muffins making them truly irresistible.
What type of apples should I use?
My preference would be Honeycrisp because they are crunchy, juicy, sweet and pair nicely with the warm spices when baked. You can also use Granny Smith, but it could result in a tartier flavor.
Speaking of warm spices – do I have to use those weird ones listed in the recipe?
I love them and think it’s the perfect time of year to have these spices in your cabinet. The unique combination of allspice, cardamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg bring these fall flavors to life!
You could also use these spices in other baking recipes such as pies or savory recipes like soup or even make your own almond milk plus some of these spices!
Okay. You convinced me to buy these fall spices. Have another brunch recipe idea?
You got it. Fancy spiced oatmeal!
Brown some butter in a skillet with maple syrup and orange juice. Once reduced, add chopped apples and warm spices and sauté them to produce beautifully golden caramelized apples. Add these on top of a bowl of steel cut oats and garnish with almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts. Bon appétit!
Here's a how-to video of me making these!
These muffins are so light, fluffy, delicious and dare I say, sweet and savory! The warm notes of cinnamon and nutmeg paired with the sweetness of the apples is a match made in heaven. Plus the brown sugar streusel topping is simply irresistible.
I’m so grateful you stopped by! Have a look around at some of my favorite recipes and stay a while.
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