The New Vintage Kitchen!A Vermont innkeeper's collection of seasonal vintage recipes, reimagined for today's cooks.

What’s better than an apple muffin? How about one topped with apple crisp?

Everyone loves the crispy part of the apple crisp the best, so why not let it rest on a muffin instead of a pan of apple slices? These muffins have lots of apple flavor, but if you want to add even more, soak the raisins or cranberries (I know there are raisin haters out there!) in Calvados apple liquor for a half hour before adding to the recipe. I’ve used applesauce in this recipe to replace some of the oil; it adds some flavor and a nice texture.

Apple Crisp Muffins

Two treats in one! A delicious apple muffin and apple crisp on top.

Muffins:

1 ½ cups brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup applesauce
1 large egg
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup sour cream
Milk, added to the sour cream to make full cup
2 cups diced apples, firm and flavorful
1/3 golden raisins or dried cranberries

Topping:

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 stick butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 apple, finely minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with 16 paper cups, or butter liberally. Make sure to grease the top of the muffin tins as well. I do this for all cupcakes and muffins as a little insurance against sticking. Make the topping mixture and set aside: Combine the sugars, flour, oats, butter, cinnamon, and mix well with a fork, or your fingers! Add the apples. You will want the consistency of cookie dough. For the muffins: in a large bowl, mix the brown sugar, oil, applesauce, egg, and vanilla. In a second bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a two-cup measuring cup, add the sour cream, then fill to the one-cup mark with milk. Mix it up. To the sugar mixture, add half the flour, then the milk mixture, then the rest of the flour by hand, a little at a time. Gently fold in the apples and the raisins. With any quick bread, you need a gentle hand in mixing so as not to develop the gluten in the flour. By the way, this recipe is also good made with gluten-free flour, so you wouldn’t have to worry about it! Fill the muffin cups with an ice-cream scoop, then finish off with the topping mixture, clumping it over each muffin. Use all the topping mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the tops start to brown and the muffins feel firm. Let set for five to 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack. You won’t be able to resist, and you will eat one hot, but as they set, the top will crisp up even more, and the muffins will firm up, and their texture strengthen.

Vegan alternative:

The dairy and milk are easily substituted here. Swap out a cup of plant milk that you have soured with two teaspoons of white vinegar. Let it set for 10 minutes while you gather the rest of the other ingredients together. Substitute vegan butter, and use an egg replacer such as aquafaba, chick pea liquid, or a tablespoon of ground flax seeds that you have hydrated for 10 minutes in 3 tbsp. water.

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