It's still September and we've already had snow. It didn't stick around, except higher in the mountains, but seriously guys, how crazy is that?! The good news: this chilly weather gets me baking, so you'll be seeing some baked breads over the next few months. And first up are these best-ever Apple Cheddar Muffins. Because, really, what says autumn better than apples? Nothing. That's what.
The secret in getting the soft fluffy texture in these truly amazing muffins was soaking oats in milk for 30 minutes, and then adding them to the batter at the end. I got this fabulous idea from the Sally's Baking Addiction blog with her Blueberry Muffins. She soaked hers for 20 minutes, but I went longer since I'm baking in a very dry, high altitude environment.
High Altitude Muffin Baking Tips
For those of you baking at high altitude, and there's more of us than you might think, here are some great tips for getting a softer, moister texture. If you're baking at sea level, and never bake at high altitudes, even on vacation, you can skip this part.
- When converting sea level recipes, leave the flour amounts as is.
- Increase the moisture. For example, Sally's blueberry muffin recipe calls for 1 egg at sea level, but for my apple cheddar muffins, I added an additional egg white. I also typically add either 1 additional tablespoon of liquids for every cup called for, such as milk, or add 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt. However, in this recipe, I did not increase the liquid because the apples give off a bit of moisture, and the cheese adds some creaminess.
- Reduce chemical leaveners by 20-25%.
- Pre-soak the oats in milk. This didn't give me the rise that the original recipe promised – and my baking powder and baking soda were purchased only the previous day – but it did give the muffins an incredible soft, airy texture I've never achieved any other way, while maintaining excellent moisture. This is my new go-to method for making muffins. I'm going to continue to experiment to see if I can achieve the same rise Sally did in her recipe, and let you know! For now, however, suffice to say these may be the best muffins I've ever made.
- Use honey to maintain the moisture in the muffin, since it much more easily absorbs moisture from the air.
What Makes These Apple Cheddar Muffins so Healthy?
- For same number of muffins, this recipe uses much less sugar than most other apple muffin recipes I found, and uses only honey as the sweetener. A number of other recipes I looked at had at much as TWICE as much sugar for a dozen muffins.
- All of the other recipes also used quite a bit more processed flour. The oats, a much healthier alternative, make up the difference.
- Oats are among the healthiest grains – they're gluten-free and considered one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat.
- This recipe leaves the peels on the apples to maximize their health benefits. They're extremely rich in antioxidants, flavanoids, and dietary fiber.
Healthy Apple Cheddar Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
Apple Cheddar Muffins
- 1 cup milk, either whole or 2%
- 1 cup rolled oats, not instant oats
- 1 1/4 cups (5.5 ounces or 156 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- 1 1/4 cups chopped apple, unpeeled!
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Oat Topping (optional)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Combine milk and oats. Set aside for 30 minutes so the oats puff
up and soak up some moisture. This may only need 20 minutes at sea level, but
it could take longer if your oats were older and super-dry. - Preheat oven to 425°F and spray a 12-count muffin pan with
nonstick spray or use cupcake paper liners. Mix together the Muffin Topping, if
using, and set aside. - Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt
together in a medium bowl until well-combined. It’s important to completely
disperse the baking soda and powder through the flour. - Whisk together the melted butter, honey, lemon juice, egg, and egg
white in a large bowl until combined. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet
ingredients, using a spatula. Be careful not to over-stir, but only long enough
to completely integrate the dry ingredients. Stir the soaked oats, including the
milk, into the batter. Gently fold the apples and cheddar into the batter just
until combined. - Spoon the batter into liners, filling them all the way to the
top. Top with the Muffin Topping, if using. - Bake for 7 minutes at 425˚F, and reduce the oven temperature
to 350°F without removing the muffins. Bake for an additional 18 minutes
or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Nutrition
Looking for more ideas with apples? Check out these Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins with Pumpkin Seed Streusel or Spiced Quinoa and Apple Crumbles.
Sarah Walker Caron says
Apple and cheddar is such a great combination! These muffins look divine — and what a great tip about soaking the oats!
Lynn says
I love eating cheese with apples. But never thought of combining them in my cakes. These look great. I’ll try to do that next time.
Karen says
These sound delicious even if they are so nutritious, ha ha! Love the cheddar!
Ansh says
Excellent!! You have done the high altitude work for me! All I need to do is get baking once the oven is fixed! These are so perfect to send to my husband’s co workers in fall. And so good to have you back<3 , Susan.
Tamara Andersen says
Great minds think alike, right? Apples and cheddar are a perfect pairing! I love the idea of combining in muffins. Lots of great info in this post… especially for the high altitude baker. I’m a little envious of your fall weather; we’re still hitting close to 100, and it’s pretty much year ’round summer in McAllen!
Barb | Creative Culinary says
Come to think of it, we have three high altitude bakers in our group alone! Thanks for doing the work for me; I usually write my recipes for ‘flatlanders’ and then incorporate the difference in the process for me when I start to bake. I remember all those years as a kid when I baked box cake mixes and wondered, who are those people at high altitude?
LOVE this combination in a muffin. So much I want to bake them, like now. However, MUST get cheddar, thinking Parm and Mozzarella would not do the trick. 🙂
Dorothy Reinhold says
Apple and cheddar make the perfect duo. These muffins sounds irresistable!
Hayley says
The soaking oats in milk tip is a game changer! Great recipe Susan!
Sonal says
I could have never thought of adding cheddar to the apple muffins. Thanks for such an awesome recipe.
Jennie Duncan says
I’ve never thought about making apple and cheddar muffins before, but the combo is so good together! This is a great idea.
Juli says
Apple + Cheddar! These sound so delicious! What a wonderful combination. Thank you for sharing!
Adriana says
What a lovely idea apples and cheddar go together so well and your muffins look so delectable I need one now.
Liz Berg says
These muffins look amazing, Susan! I have a soft spot for apple baked goods. And very solid info about baking at higher altitudes—I’ve done a little research before, but this was a good refresher!
Carol Borchardt says
Apple and cheddar slices are one of my favorite snacks! I love that you put them together in these healthy muffins! These are perfect for overnight guests this fall and holiday season!
mjskitchen says
I love a hot piece of apple pie with a melted slice of cheese on top, so you know I’d love these muffins with the cheese inside. YUM! Thanks for the high altitude adjustments!
GA YEON OH says
I referred to this recipe and modified it for my little girl! What a brilliant idea of soaked oats! Thank you for the recipe!
The Wimpy Vegetarian says
I’m so happy this idea of the soaked oats worked for you! Ii do that with all my muffins now!