Spiced Apple Cider Streusel Muffins

It's officially Fall.  I know because I caught my first nasty illness of the season.  I'm not sure if it's strep or just a monster sore throat but it's preventing me from eating and that just makes me grumpy.  Boo.  My secret cure to a sore throat is that Alpine sugar-free hot spiced cider that comes in little packets.  Seriously nothing cures a sore throat better than that.  Try it out! 

Turns out cider is also great in muffin form.

My secret to this recipe is to condense the apple cider nearly in  half to give it a distinguishable cider flavor.  Be sure not to mix the batter more than necessary or the muffins will be dry and dense.  These aren't super sweet so if you go slightly heavy on the sugar I won't snitch.  ;)

Happy Fall!!

Spiced Apple Cider Streusel Muffins

Recipe adapted from Food.com

For Streusel:
-1/3 cup packed brown sugar
-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-1/4 tsp nutmeg
-3 tablespoons cold butter

Stir brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a small bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

For Muffin mix: 
-1 3/4 cups Simply Apple or other cider
-1 3/4 cups  flour
-1/2 cup  sugar
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1 beaten egg
-1/3 cup vegetable oil
-1/4 cup applesauce

Pour cider into a shallow saucepan and heat over med-high heat to boiling.  Allow to boil and condense until cider equals 1 cup.  (5-10 minutes)  If you over-condense it, just add enough cider to get you back to 1 cup.  Allow to cool completely.

Fill a muffin tin with 12-15 baking papers.

 In a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

 In a small  bowl whisk together condensed apple cider, egg, vegetable oil, and applesauce until very well combined.  Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour your wet ingredients into it.  Stir just until moistened.  (This is important or you will have a tough chewy muffin.) There will still be lumps and light streaks of flour are okay.


To Assemble:

Spoon  1 Tbsp  batter into each muffin liner. Sprinkle a tsp of the streusel mixture on top, then fill with remaining batter. Add 1 Tbsp flour to the remaining streusel in bowl, then sprinkle streusel over the tops of each muffin.

Bake at 350° F  for 13-15 minutes or just until a toothpick comes out clean.  Do not overbake!

Allow to cool completely, then store in an airtight container.