The smell of Apple Cinnamon Muffins is like a tight hug from a good friend wearing the softest sweater and offering you a steaming mug of your favourite hot drink. They’re that cozy.
I pack most of my muffins with fruit and these are no exception. Chunks of apple generously stud the batter, making them more breakfast and less poorly-disguised cupcake.
I’ve been pairing them with delicious drip coffee every morning, because I was gifted a Precision Brewer coffee machine from my partner Breville.
I haven’t had tremendous luck with drip coffee makers in the past (or any other method of coffee making, really) which is why I fell so hard in love with the espresso machine I befriended last spring.
The four problems I have had with making non-espresso (drip, french press, chemex, etc.) coffee are controlling the water temperature (slightly too hot scorches the aromatic oils and makes the brew taste burnt), the grind (electric blade grinders are awful – the pieces are all different sizes so some get over-extracted and the blades create too much heat – again, burnt-tasting coffee), getting the perfect right quantities (I hit the nail on the head only occasionally with the amount of ground beans to water), and timing (having the coffee beans in contact with the water for just the right period to brew strong enough but not over-extract).
I have sunk many, many (geeky) hours into trying to solve these problems and in my pre-espresso life, used a meat thermometer and a kitchen scale just to get my morning cup.
Breville paired the Precision Brewer they sent me with their Smart Grinder, and a subscription to freshly-roasted beans, and this trifecta makes for crazy-good coffee, without any of the above-mentioned problems. I have never made brewed coffee that tastes as good as my go-to coffee shop (JJ Bean, if you’re local) before. This does. And I have never been so happily awake.
The Precision Brewer has precisely-controlled water temperature, bloom time, contact time, flow rate, etc. for a perfect cup of craft coffee (read: GOOD coffee). Coffee nerds rejoice.
It has lots of well-thought-out details, like the ability to make a single cup (to convert those pod fans), and an adapter to make it a pour-over coffee maker. It also does cold brew. And it’s the fastest 12-cup machine on the market. Plus, the insulated carafe keeps it piping hot. Pretty fabulous machine for coffee lovers, and I’m giving one away over on Instagram so get in there.
The Smart Grinder is not what they invited me to review, but it is really impossible for me not to totally geek out on that. As a conical burr grinder, it grinds the beans evenly and with minimal heat. I’ve only used a burr grinder for years, but my old one is hand-cranked.
This grinder doses automatically for the number of cups (or shots) you want, and selects the best grind size for the way you’re brewing (from French press all the way to espresso). It takes the most variable, challenging part of making consistently excellent coffee and turns it into a no brainer. This thing is tops. (And you get it for 25% off with purchase of the Precision Brewer. Also, a free bag of freshly-roasted coffee beans from a micro-roaster in your region.)
That was a major digression from the muffins, I’m sorry. I’m very caffeinated and get excited about food and beverage science even without 6 cups of freshly-roasted Guatemalan brew in my bloodstream. I hope I didn’t lose you because these muffins are so fluffy and delicious that you need them in your life.
This post is sponsored by Breville, but of course (and as always) thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you, dear friends and readers, for supporting me in the thoughtfully-chosen collaborations that keep the Foodess kitchen running! xo
Cinnamon Apple Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ cup peeled chopped apple (from 1 large or 2 medium)
- Thinly sliced apple plus a dusting of cinnamon for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin by lining with paper liners or greasing well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, egg and buttermilk. Add to dry ingredients and gently incorporate using a rubber spatula until about 80% combined. Fold in chopped apple to finish combining. (You don't ever want to over-stir muffins or they'll be tough).
- Divide batter among muffin cups and top with apple slices and a dusting of cinnamon, if desired. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until golden brown and tops spring back when lightly touched. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Last Updated on October 2, 2017 by Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD
What type of apple would you choose?
Made this soup for dinner tonight, with your grilled apple & cheddar cheese sandwiches on the side. Perfect soup & sandwich combo for this time of year… especially for those of us with apple stash to work through. Thanks so much!
I love the juxtaposition of the orange and blue colours in your photographs here. A very wholesome soup, and I like the exotic touch of spice.
Really want to try this at home! Looks and Sounds Delish
That looks so delicious and comforting. I bet it smells heavenly 🙂
This is my first time on your blog, so I just wanted to say hello first. And your soup looks like a hot bowl of fall. I’m definitely familiar with Chinese 5 spice, but I’ve never cooked with it before. It sounds like an awesome flavor addition to the apples and squash. Yay for fall! I adore it 🙂