Baked Apple Donut Muffins and The Secret Recipe Club

It's that time once again! The most anticipated day of the month: Reveal Day on The Secret Recipe Club!  Click on over HERE to learn more about the Secret Recipe Club.

My assigned blog this month was The Savvy Kitchen. Oh my goodness, talk about a recipe list overload! But in a good way!!  I highly recommend you set aside some time to cruise through Amy's recipe list.  But not when you're hungry; trust me on this one ;) 

I finally decided on her Baked Apple Donut recipe.  I've been wanting to try donut muffins for a long time.  I don't know what my hold up was! I actually picked this one because I wanted something I knew my kids would enjoy, but let me just tell you, this turned out to be one of the best things I've ever made!  And they were so incredibly easy too!  It was a rainy day and my kids were out of the house, and I just so happened to have all the ingredients on hand to make these muffins!  You probably do too.  I checked out the original source of the recipe and saw that Amy had substituted butter for the shortening originally called for, and so I followed her lead. And because I always have butter in my fridge, but I never have shortening.

Do yourself a favor and give these muffins a try. You won't be disappointed!!  And the flavor of the baked apple is PERFECT for this chilly time of year!

Baked Apple Donut Muffins
Recipe from The Savvy Kitchen

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 Tbls baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 cup cored and finely diced apples

Topping:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix the first 5 ingredients with a fork. Add the shortening and mix until the shortening is broken up. Set aside. In another bowl combine the eggs, milk and diced apples. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix until just blended.

Spoon into a greased muffin pan, or use paper liners. Bake 20 – 25 minutes or until muffins are light to medium brown (15-18 minutes for mini-muffins).

While donuts are baking, melt the butter and set aside. Combine 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a separate bowl. When the donuts are done and before they have had a chance to cool, dip the tops in butter and then roll them in the cinnamon/sugar mixture.