There’s not much better out there than a really good, hearty muffin. Muffins are such a diverse food. You can have sweet muffins, savory muffins, sweet and savory muffins. You can make them as healthy as you want or as unhealthy as you want. The choice is really yours. I really wanted to try to keep these muffins as healthy as possible without going overboard. Yes I do believe it is possible to make something too healthy. I have to have some sugary goodness in there ya know! The key to making these muffins so great is the combination of apple and carrot. They love each other in this recipe and I love them equally as much =).
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I’m not the biggest apple fan. I mean I love apples transformed in dishes; like pies, strudels, pork chops, etc. And I could literally drink apple juice by the gallon. Simply Apple is like a drug in this house. I’m pretty sure we go through 7 – 1.8 quarts a week. Yup that’s right, a container a day. I’m really not kidding on this one. It’s scary. It’s a wonder Zach and I don’t have more cavities. ANYWAY…back to the point: I don’t love apples by themselves though. I know how healthy they are for you, so it’s always fun trying to find new and exciting ways to incorporate them into everyday favorites.
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This recipe can easily be modified to meet your dietary needs. My recipe is not gluten-free, paleo-friendly, or anything of that kind, but they can be easily made that way with a few substitutions here and there: almond flour for wheat flour, applesauce for butter, etc etc etc. You get the point. They aren’t ultra sweet except for the crumbled topping which of course I had to add on. What is a muffin without a crumbled topping!?
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You may find it strange to pair this muffin recipe with a beer, but I had to. We had the perfect beer pairing, and who says you have to eat these for breakfast. They are the perfect after dinner snack with the perfect after dinner beer. We decided to go with Twisted Pine’s Carrot IPA – Roots Revival. That’s right: C-A-R-R-O-T I-P-A. I thought I was hallucinating when I first saw this and almost fell over when I finally got to try it. It is absolutely delicious and pairs so perfectly with this muffin for the most obvious reasons. You can taste the IPA-ness of the beer as well as the addition of carrot. Yum Yum Yum.
Happy Tuesday everyone! Have a great evening =).
Ingredients
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon Jamaican allspice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cup grated carrots
- 3/4 cup finely diced Granny Smith apple
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup white sugar (for crumbled topping)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (for crumbled topping)
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour (for crumbled topping)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for crumbled topping)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (for crumbled topping)
- 1/3 cup cold butter, cubed (for crumbled topping)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and spray two muffin tins (12-count) with a non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of you stand mixer (with paddle attachment fixed) cream together the dark brown sugar, eggs, buttermilk, butter and vanilla extract until smooth. Remove the bowl from the mixer. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt. With a heavy wooden spoon slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet until all is combined. Gently fold in the carrots, apple and walnuts. Pour the mixture into your prepared muffin tins 3/4 of the way up the molds.
- In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for your crumbled topping: white sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cold butter, using your fingers until you reach a crumbled consistency. Sprinkle a teaspoon or so on top of each muffin. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean), switching the muffin pans half way through for consistent cooking.
- Cool on wire rack and enjoy!
Notes
Hardware: * Muffin Tins * Non-Stick Spray * Stand Mixer (with paddle attachment fixed) or Hand Mixer * Large Bowls * Small Bowls * Heavy Wooden Spoon * Measuring Cups * Measuring Spoons * Wire Rack * Toothpicks *
