Spiced Buttered Rum Apple Cider Muffins
Soft spiced buttered rum apple cider muffins are a delicious treat! Made with tender apples, warm spices, and a hint of rum.
There’s nothing quite like a steaming mug of spiced buttered rum apple cider when the air gets crisp and chilly. It’s my go-to cozy drink on winter hayrides – full of spice, warmth, and just the right touch of sweetness. That’s exactly the vibe I went for with these Spiced Buttered Rum Apple Cider Muffins! They’re like the drink in muffin form, with apple cider lending its fruity tang, a buttery richness in every bite, and the warm embrace of those cozy spices. Perfect for a frosty morning or an afternoon treat by the fire!
Ingredients In These Apple Cider Muffins
- Butter
- Spiced rum
- Olive oil
- Maple syrup
- Apple cider
- Vanilla extract
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cloves
- Brown sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Oats
- Apples (peeled and chopped)
- Eggs
Recipe Substitutions And Notes
For a recipe like Spiced Buttered Rum Apple Cider Muffins, you’ll want a spiced rum that brings warmth and depth without overpowering the apples or fall spices. Here are some great options:
- Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum – A classic choice, it’s known for its balanced notes of vanilla, caramel, and cinnamon, making it perfect for baking.
- Bacardi Spiced Rum – Bacardi’s take on spiced rum has a lighter, smooth flavor profile with hints of maple and honey, which adds subtle sweetness and warmth.
How To Choose Apples
When it comes to baking muffins, choosing the right apples can make all the difference in flavor and texture.
- Granny Smith apples are a fantastic choice due to their tartness and firm texture, which holds up well in the oven, providing a refreshing contrast to the sweetness of the batter.
- Honeycrisp apples add a delightful sweetness and juicy crunch, keeping the muffins moist and tender.
- Fuji apples are another great option, offering a sweet flavor with minimal tartness, making your muffins naturally sweeter without extra sugar.
- Braeburn apples bring a balanced sweet-tangy flavor, enhancing the muffins with depth and character.
- Pink Lady apples provide a crisp, tangy bite and maintain their texture during baking, adding moisture and vibrant color to your muffins.
Mixing a couple of these varieties, like Granny Smith with Honeycrisp, can create a delicious sweet-tart combination for an even more interesting flavor profile.
How to Make Spiced Buttered Rum Apple Cider Muffins
- Preheat & Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350℉, and get a muffin pan ready by adding liners or lightly greasing each cup with butter. This recipe yields 12 moist, flavorful muffins, perfect for cozy fall mornings.
- Cook the Apples in Buttered Rum: In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add spiced rum along with the chopped apples. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are softened and infused with the warm flavors of buttered rum. Set aside to cool, letting the apples sit in the liquid for maximum flavor, then discard any excess.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine olive oil, spiced rum, maple syrup, eggs, apple cider, the drained apples, and vanilla extract. Stir well to create a smooth, spiced batter base that will help these muffins stay moist and flavorful.
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, brown sugar, flour, and oats. These classic spices, combined with whole-grain oats, add both flavor and a little extra texture to every bite.
- Combine and Mix: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined for soft, fluffy muffins. Be careful not to overmix!
- Fill and Bake: Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling about 2/3 of the way. Any leftover batter can be evenly divided. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, giving each muffin a golden, bakery-style finish.
- Cool and Serve: Let the muffins cool before transferring them to an airtight container. To enjoy warm, pop a muffin in the microwave for 20 seconds and serve with a smear of butter.
Georgie’s Tips
More Breakfast Muffins and Breads
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Spiced Buttered Rum Apple Cider Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin Tin
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup spiced rum (¼ cup for apples, ¼ cup for batter)
- 2 cups chopped apples (peeled and chopped small)
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup apple cider
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- pinch of cloves
- ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
- raw sugar (to sprinkle on top before baking)
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Melt 4 tbsp butter, then add ¼ cup spiced rum and 2 cups chopped apples. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool mostly. You will discard any remaining liquid but let the apples sit in the liquid to soak up more of the flavors while they cool.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Prepare a standard-size muffin pan by using liners or greasing the cups with butter. This batter makes 12 standard-size muffins.
- To a large bowl, combine ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup spiced rum, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, 2 large eggs, ½ cup apple cider, the drained apples and 1 tsp vanilla extract, until well combined.
- To another medium bowl whisk 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, pinch of cloves, ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar and 1¾ cup all-purpose flour.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until just combined.
- Fill the muffin tins until they are 2/3 full. If you have extra batter left over, simply divide it among the tins. Sprinkle the tops of each muffin with raw sugar.
- Bake at 350℉ for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool before storing in an airtight container. To warm, place in microwave for 20 seconds. Serve with butter.
This worked exactly as written, thanks!