JACKSON, WY — It was during my four years of college in Vermont that I discovered the two loves of my life: apples and cheese, in no particular order may I add. For me, the crisp air and intense colors of Autumn cannot be paired more perfectly than with a thick sweater, warm boots, hot cider and a basket full of freshly picked apples. It’s no surprise then, that this is the time of year, with the first whiff of decaying leaves, that I find myself in the midst of an oh-so-familiar existential crisis: why did I ever leave Vermont?

To help calm my impulses of packing up and heading due-East, I pack apples into any appropriate dish, warming my apartment with the sweetly spicy smells of the sinful fruit. One of my favorite renditions is Apple Strudel. After baking a batch of handheld strudels this weekend, I had a whole quart of leftover filling to be put to use. Where better than muffins: the breakfast, coffee break snack and after dinner pastry? As it turns out, I may be skipping the hours of dough preparation for strudel in the future and just go straight for these easy but delicious treats.

Want to give them the Persephone rustic-chic look? Use parchment paper from your pantry to line your muffin tins. Cut the parchment into 5 inch squares, then wrap them around the bottom of a glass with a similar circumference to your muffin tins. Press them into the tin and fill with batter.

For the filling

3 cups Apples (I used a mixture of granny smith and golden delicious) peeled and diced into small cubes.

1/2 cup golden raisins, soaked in rum or whisky overnight (if you don’t have time to do this step, you can simmer in a pan until the raisins are plump with the booze).

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground clove

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

zest and juice of 1 lemon

3 tbsp sugar (if you prefer the deeper, toastier flavors of brown sugar, you can easily substitute here)

combine all ingredients and simmer over the stove until the apples are slightly soft, approximately 8 minutes

For the Muffins

2 C all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground clove

a pinch of ground cardamom

1/2 C softened butter

1 C white sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 T sour cream (optional)

For the Streusel topping                                                     

 

1 T flour

1 T quick oats

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/8 t of ground cinnamon

pinch of ground cardamom

pinch of ground clove

your favorite flake salt (mine is Maldon)

1 T soft butter

Preheat the oven to 375. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom and clove. In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter and eggs until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and sour cream if you’re using it, then add apple filling. Stir in the flour mixture until just mixed in. It will look very apple forward, but the muffins will rise in the oven so don’t fret! Spoon into your parchment lined tins until it fills to the top.

Combine all ingredients for Streusel and work with your hands until it comes together in large crumb-like pieces. If you don’t have to worry about nut allergies, add a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans for that extra nutty crunch.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until and inserted wooden skewer comes out clean.  Remove and cool on a rack. Serve with coffee, milk, apple cider, red wine, stout…really anything goes.