Apple Crumble Muffins

Apple Crumble Muffins with the goodness of whole grain, a tasty apple pie filling and a crumble topping make these muffins a delightful breakfast or snack. Serve with a tall glass of frosty milk or a hot cup of your favourite beverage. 

I have a habit of buying in bulk when I see a good bargain.  A while ago I spied boxes of Grape-Nuts cereal going at a great price that was too good to pass by.  I like Grape-Nuts but I overestimated my love of the cereal and have several boxes that are languishing in the cupboard waiting to be eaten (actually, in the freezer to keep them fresh).  I used some the cereal in a vegetarian roast but when I made it I wasn't struck on the flavour and texture and decided to bin that recipe in the "not so good" file.  

Copyright 1968, 1980 Edition

The other day I was leafing through one of Mom's cookbooks and found a recipe called "Delightful Muffins", by a Mrs. O. J. Bennett of Abbotsford, BC,  which took 1 cup of Grape-Nuts cereal.  I made them and they were quite nice and tasty. Of course, I thought they might be even more delightful with a few additions.  So I added a little apple pie filling and a crumble topping and they turned out to be quite delightful, indeed! They would make breakfast quite special if family and friends are staying over. 

The recipe may seem quite involved but it comes together quite quickly once all the elements are combined.  It doesn't take long to make the apple filling or the crumble topping and once those are done everything just falls in place.  

The muffins, themselves, are not overly sweet but sweet enough to be enjoyable. The brown sugar gives them a very nice caramel flavour. So many muffins are cake in disguise but these would definitely be considered a real muffin.  



Apple Crumble Muffins

Apple Filling
1 large or 2 medium Golden Delicious or Granny Smith Apple or any other firm cooking apple, peeled and diced
¼ cup apple juice or water
1-2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg, optional
1 teaspoon cornstarch + enough water/apple juice to dissolve
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Place diced apple, apple juice, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and simmer about 5 minutes until apples just begin to soften but not become mushy.  Mix the cornstarch with a very small amount of water and stir into the apple mixture.  Cook until thickened, about 1 more minute. Stir in lemon juice. Lay aside to cool while preparing the remaining ingredients.  

Crumble Topping
3 tablespoons dry oatmeal
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons sugar, white or brown
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons soft butter

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together until crumbly.  Set aside until needed.

Muffins
1 beaten egg
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup sour milk (1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar added to milk to make 1 cup)
2 tablespoons oil or melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Grape-nuts cereal
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line 10 muffin cups with cupcake papers or grease well.

In a small bowl, mix together, beaten egg, brown sugar, sour milk, oil, vanilla and Grape-nuts cereal. Let sit 5 minutes. In a medium to large bowl, sift or mix together the soda, salt, cinnamon and flour. Stir wet ingredients into the flour mixture, mixing only enough to combine.

Spoon into prepared muffin pans, about a scant ⅓ cup per muffin cup.  Make a shallow depression in the top of each muffin.  Spoon a heaping teaspoon of apple mixture into the depression of each muffin. Sprinkle with the crumble mixture, dividing equally among each muffin. Bake in preheated oven 15-18 minutes until golden.  May be served warm or cool on wire rack.  Store in covered container.  May freeze and use as needed.

Makes 10 muffins.

Make the apple filling by cooking the diced apples with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, dash salt and apple juice or water.  Cook until the apples are just starting to soften about 5 minutes.  Thicken the mixture with cornstarch mixed with water. Set the filling aside to cool until you are ready to use it in the recipe.

Make the crumble by mixing flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon and butter together until crumbly. Set aside until ready to use. 

Make the muffins by soaking the Grape-Nuts cereal with the sour milk, brown sugar, beaten egg, oil and vanilla.  Let sit about 5 minutes. 

Mix the flour with salt, baking soda and cinnamon.  Add the soaked Grape-Nuts mixture and combine until just mixed.  Don't over beat.

Spoon the muffin mixture into paper-lined or greased muffin pans.  Make a shallow depression on the top of each and spoon on the apple filling.  Sprinkle with the crumble topping.

You should have 10 muffins if you use a scant ⅓ cup of batter in each cup.  

These are ready for the oven.

When the muffins are baked let them cool on a wire cake rack. 

The muffins are delicious warm or cold.  

 Great with a glass of milk or cup of tea.

A nice choice for a special breakfast or snack.