Amaretto Apple Streusel Muffins
(excuse the hand sneaking a muffin in the background - hungry teenagers in the house)
Every now and then you come across a recipe and know immediately that you're going to love it - that's exactly what happened when I came across this one. After a quick confirmation of ingredients, I found myself heading into the kitchen to preheat the oven.
I was so quick to bake a batch that I didn't realize until now that the recipe originates from Cooking Light Magazine. I'm also just realizing the magazine refers to these as "cupcakes", but chopped apples, a streusel crumb topping, and glaze drizzled over the top screams "muffins" to me. Whatever you end up calling them, these babies are extremely moist and jam-packed full of apple and almond flavor - it's hard to believe they're only 256 calories. Enjoy!
Amaretto Apple Streusel Muffins
makes 12 muffins
Ingredients
Streusel Topping:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, chilled
2 tablespoons sliced or finely chopped almonds
Muffins:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (by weight: 7.5 ounces or 216 grams)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons amaretto (almond liqueur)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
3/4 cup finely chopped Gala apple
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar, icing sugar)
4 teaspoons 2% reduced-fat milk
Directions
To make the streusel topping:
In a small bowl, combine ingredients together with your fingers until you have a bowl full of medium-large clumps (don't worry about breaking the almonds); refrigerate until needed.
To make muffins:
Place rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350F.
Line muffin pan with 12 paper liners - lightly grease top of muffin pan.
In a small bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside for later.
In a small bowl, combine apples and 1 tablespoon flour; set aside for later.
In a small bowl, combine sour cream and milk; set aside for later.
In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, cream cheese, and 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; beat until well blended.
Add amaretto, vanilla, and egg; beat until well blended.
Add 1/3 flour mixture and stir to combine, add 1/2 sour cream mixture and stir to combine, add 1/3 flour, remaining 1/2 sour cream, and remaining 1/3 flour mixture.
Stir in apple mixture. Divide batter evenly among muffin liners.
Remove streusel topping from the refrigerator.
Using your fingers, break the large clumps into small ones; sprinkle evenly on top of the muffin batter.
Bake muffins in the lower third of a 350F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean out of the center of the muffin.
Cool muffins in pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a cooling rack.
Make the glaze by whisking the confectioner's sugar and milk together; drizzle over the cooled muffins. Decrease milk for a thicker glaze.