EASY APPLE MUFFINS RECIPE
Sunday for me means baking treats in complete relaxation: couch, blanket (depending on the season) and then a movie that I usually don’t finish watching because I fall asleep first!
Today I present these apple muffins with no oil and no butter, a lighter version of classic muffins for those who want a sweet treat but prefer lighter apple cakes.
Super easy to make: they take 15 minutes to prepare and bake in roughly the same time, so in about half an hour you’ll be ready to enjoy them!
The watchword for muffins in general is speed: you don’t need to whip anything, just mix, and that makes them perfect for anyone always in a hurry who has little time but wants to make a wholesome homemade dessert.
The recipe can also vary depending on the season: you can replace the apples with strawberries, peaches, apricots, pears or blueberries depending on fruit availability and your tastes.
Served with a steaming cup of tea, they warm and scent the whole house — try them for breakfast or an afternoon snack … they’re delicious!
EASY APPLE MUFFINS RECIPE
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Low cost
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: about 12 muffins
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 177.32 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 30.91 (g) of which sugars 14.75 (g)
- Proteins 6.48 (g)
- Fat 3.69 (g) of which saturated 2.00 (g)of which unsaturated 1.38 (g)
- Fibers 0.80 (g)
- Sodium 38.47 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 50 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 cup Ricotta
- 2 Eggs (whole)
- 3 tbsp + 1 tsp Milk
- 1 sachet (about 2 tsp) Baking powder
- 2 Golden Delicious apples
- to taste Brown sugar
- Half Golden Delicious apple (diced)
- to taste Powdered sugar
Tools
- Bowl
- 12 Cupcake liners
- Muffin pan
Preparation
In a bowl pour together the eggs, ricotta, sugar, milk and the flour sifted together with the baking powder.
Mix the batter by hand or with an electric mixer just to combine everything and remove any lumps.
When ready, add the peeled apples cut into small pieces (keep a few aside for decoration) and mix well so they are incorporated into the batter.
Pour the prepared batter into a lightly buttered muffin tin or into cupcake liners.
Decorate the top of each muffin with some brown sugar, a sprinkle of cinnamon and two small apple pieces.
Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 356°F for about 18/20 minutes.
Always check doneness with a toothpick.
Only when it comes out dry should you remove the muffins from the oven.
If they are not yet cooked, continue baking for a few minutes but to prevent the tops from burning, cover them with aluminum foil.
Once ready, take them out of the oven and let them cool.
Dust them with powdered sugar before serving.
STORAGE
Once ready, store them in an airtight container for 2 – 3 days.
TIPS AND VARIATIONS
For richer and more indulgent muffins you can add 50 g of almond flakes or dark chocolate chips to the batter!!!
RICOTTA: If you are lactose intolerant, use lactose-free ricotta.
MILK: Cow’s milk can be replaced, in case of lactose intolerance, with plant-based milk: rice milk, soy milk, almond milk.
CUPCAKE LINERS: There are different sizes of cupcake liners. I used large liners and in each I put about 80 g of batter (about 1/3 cup). If your liners are smaller they may need a few minutes less baking time. The oven temperature stays the same even if your liners are slightly smaller. The size of the liners you decide to use doesn’t matter, but keep in mind that you should generally fill them to just over 3/4 of their capacity to obtain a nice high and domed muffin.
BAKING: In the last 5 minutes of baking check the muffins and do the toothpick test. As soon as the toothpick comes out completely dry or almost completely dry, remove the muffins from the oven. Do not bake the muffins longer than necessary otherwise they will be dry.
OTHER RECIPES
If you can’t resist an apple-based dessert, I also recommend checking out these recipes
1) QUICK APPLE PASTRY POCKETS WITH FILO PASTRY https://blog.giallozafferano.it/atavolacontea/fagottini-di-mele-veloci-con-pasta-fillo/
2) RASPBERRY CAKE WITH APPLES https://blog.giallozafferano.it/atavolacontea/torta-grattugiata-con-le-mele-ricetta-facile-e-veloce/
3) APPLE STRUDEL https://blog.giallozafferano.it/atavolacontea/strudel/
4) ONE-MINUTE APPLE CAKE WITHOUT A SCALE https://blog.giallozafferano.it/atavolacontea/torta-di-mele-1-minuto-senza-bilancia/
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What is the muffin container called?
The containers where muffins are usually baked are called cupcake liners. Muffin liners are mainly made of greaseproof paper or parchment paper, which not only makes them eco-friendly but also easy to recycle.
Why is it called a muffin?
The term muffin comes from the old French “moufflet” (1703) which, referring to bread, meant “soft baked food.” Initially, the muffin batter, divided into many discs of about 8 cm (about 3 1/8 in) in diameter, was cooked on a griddle, folded in two and filled with butter.
What is the muffin paper called?
The paper for muffins is called a cupcake liner. Muffin liners were born as small ceramic dishes suitable for oven baking; over time cupcake liners and muffin tins have become increasingly practical. The use of simpler and easy-to-use materials such as paper has made them accessible to everyone today.
How should muffins be stored?
The best technique when you have many muffins to store is definitely to freeze them: once cooled to room temperature, muffins should be sealed in a plastic bag and placed in the freezer.
How many calories does a muffin have?
There are 345 calories in a Simple Muffin (1 serving).
What is the difference between a cupcake and a muffin?
There are several differences between muffins and cupcakes not only in appearance but also in composition. Muffins are characterized by a domed shape while cupcakes, besides being smaller, have a flat top and are often decorated with frostings usually made from butter, cream or cheese.
Why don’t muffins rise?
The reasons muffins don’t rise during baking can be varied. You might have put the batter into the oven when it was too cold, or you may have overfilled the liner. Another reason could be overmixing: remember that muffin batter is a quick mix; stir it quickly and it’s okay if there are lumps. Also, the batter should be placed in the oven immediately and should not rest: letting it rest can deactivate the leavening agent, which could be another reason your muffins collapse.
How do I prevent muffins from sticking to paper liners?
Use a silicone pan, not just paper liners.
What happens if I put too much baking powder in the muffins?
If the baking powder is in excess, it can cause a sort of crunchy crust to form on the surface of the finished product, which not only affects the appearance but can also compromise the soft texture and moist structure of the cake.
How full should the liners be?
I recommend using an ice cream scoop (the tool for making ice cream balls) to fill muffin liners. The liners should not be filled too little nor too much. Ideally stop about 2 millimeters from the top of the mold. It is only cupcakes that should be filled to 2/3 of the liner because they should not rise too much in the oven to leave room for the frosting.
