Apple Pie Muffins

Something unusual happened this week. Something that never happens…I didn’t bake.

Sure, I got up to my usual dinner cooking routine, but I can’t even remember the last time I went an entire week without baking. And now I want to eat something buttery and sweet more than ever! For the first time in a long time, I catch myself staring longingly at the cookies in Starbucks or the pastries at various shops in the mall I work in. It’s funny what a week without home baking can do to a girl. I don’t like it.

This week will be better. I have less school work, and really need to get some baked goods together so that my sweet tooth will not get the best of me when I’m out! I bought a cookie downtown yesterday for $2.75!!! Not. Freaking. Cool.

So, join me in baking our own treats! With crumble topping and butter and all the stuff my thighs hate that makes our mouths water!

To begin, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line 12 cup muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cups flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, 1/2 cup melted butter, vanilla and 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar. Stir until sugar has dissolved.

Pour butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Gently fold in apples.

Use a large scoop to fill each muffin well, filling the cups to the top.

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, rolled oats, and cinnamon. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of melted butter, mixing until well blended.

Sprinkle this over the tops of the muffins.

Crumble topping is the freaking bomb.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pressed…or look brown like these.

Cool on a wire rack until set. Then dig in!

Apple Pie Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins
Recipe taken from My Baking Addiction

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups peeled, chopped Granny Smith Apples

For the topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 cup muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cups flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, 1/2 cup melted butter, vanilla and 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar. Stir until sugar has dissolved.
3. Pour butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Gently fold in apples. Use a large scoop to fill each muffin well, filling the cups to the top.
4. In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, rolled oats, and cinnamon. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of melted butter, mixing until well blended. Sprinkle this over the tops of the muffins.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pressed.
6. Cool on wire rack. Store at room temperature.

NOTE:
– If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own, or simply substitute 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.