Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins
Treat yourself to a healthy and wholesome breakfast or snack with these super delicious, Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins
If I have to be completely honest with you, I must say that when these Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins came out of the oven, I was a bit disappointed. So much so, I only took a handful of pictures because I thought for sure that I wouldn’t even bother sharing the recipe. Truth be told, I was a tad disheartened… Oh, not that the muffins weren’t any good, they just weren’t exactly what I had in mind. I was hoping for really bold and super fragrant muffins, in that one could actually, unmistakably taste the sharp cheddar and rosemary in every bite.
Alas! Their flavor came out very good, very apple-y indeed, agreeably sweet but not overly so, slightly salty and tangy too, but their overall fragrance is extremely subtle. Oh, it’s good, real good even. But it’s also very delicate. Not quite what I expected.
To add to my disappointment, I was also hoping for real poof-y, mushroom-top muffins, but these guys came out of the oven almost flat.
Once the initial disenchantment passed, though, and especially after the muffins had spent an entire night in the refrigerator (surprisingly, they’re MUCH better chilled, really), I decided that the recipe was still very much worthy of sharing. After all, these apple muffins may not have turned out exactly like I’d envisioned, but they were still good enough to completely disappear in just a few days. Not only that, but I now find myself craving more, wanting to make another batch.
And last but not least, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a pretty muffin batter. That alone makes whipping up a batch entirely worth the while, me thinks…
Wouldn’t you agree?
If you ever decide to give them a try, let me know what you think. I sure would love to know your thoughts…
Before you do anything, preheat your oven to 450°F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 3-1/2 cups of grated apples (that’s about 3 large) 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce, ½ cup of buttermilk, ½ cup of liquid honey, ½ cup of avocado puree (that’s about 1 large), 1 tbsp of pure vanilla extract and 3 large eggs.
About the apples, I used gala, but you can use just about any variety, as long as they’re sweet. I think that Granny Smiths and the like might be a bit to tart for this job…
Mix all the ingredients well with a whisk until all they are evenly combined.
And take a moment to admire the color of this mixture. Isn’t it absolutely gorgeous? I think I want to bathe in this stuff…
In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups of whole wheat flour, 1 cup of rolled oats, 3 tbsp of corn starch, 1 tbsp of baking powder, 1-1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (can you believe that this much rosemary ain’t even in your face?!?) and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon.
Mix well with a flat whisk until evenly combined and set aside.
Add the grated cheese and chopped walnuts to the dry ingredients.
Mix well until the cheese and nuts are completely coated with the flour. This will ensure that they don’t sink directly to the bottom of the muffins.
Throw the dry ingredients into the wet…
And mix delicately with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just incorporated, no more.
I am still loving the color of this batter so much! So surprisingly green, with pretty little specks of red and dark green. It almost looks Christmas-y!
Divide the batter equally between the muffin cups; the batter will mound higher than the paper cups, that’s perfectly normal.
If you preferred smaller (and less flat!) muffins, you could also divide the batter between 18 to 24 paper cups, instead. Of course, you’d need to adjust cooking time accordingly.
Place your muffins in the preheated 450°F oven for 10 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue baking your muffins for another 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are nice and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Let your muffins cool for a few seconds in the pan and then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Honestly, I don’t recommend that you even bother trying one straight out of the oven, but if you think that you might enjoy it, be my guest. If you find yourself not liking them warm, though, don’t despair. I swear, they are MUCH better when chilled. Just put them in the fridge overnight and then give them another try. You’ll see, completely different ball game!
Keep the finished muffins in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze for up to a few months.
Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 3-1/2 cups grated apples, (about 3 large)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup unpasteurized honey
- 1/2 cup avocado puree, (about 1 large)
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt, I use Himalayan salt
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Add-Ins
- 1-1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients and mix well with a whisk until all the ingredients are well combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix well with a flat whisk until evenly combined; set aside.
- Add the grated cheese and chopped walnuts to the dry ingredients and mix well, then throw this mixture in with the wet ingredients; mix delicately with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just incorporated, no more.
- Divide the batter equally between the muffin cups; the batter will mound higher than the paper cups, that's perfectly normal. If you preferred smaller muffins, you could also divide the batter between 18 to 24 paper cups, instead. Of course, you'd need to adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Place the pan in the 450°F oven for 10 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue baking for another 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are nice and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool for a few seconds in the pan and then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
Nutrition
If you’ve tried this recipe, please take a minute to rate the recipe and let me know how things went for you in the comments below. It’s always such a pleasure to hear from you!
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9 Comments on “Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins”
I have never seen a muffin recipe like this one. I am not much for cheese unless it is hot and melted. This is interesting. I know some people like cheese on apple pie.
Cheese in apple pie is awesome!!! Mind you, I’m a huge fan of the apple / cheese combo… 🙂
if i don’t have avocado on hand, what fat substitute could i use?
I would go with butter, or better yet, ghee!
How much butter would you use?
The same amount…1/2 cup.
Very good this recipe was even looking for a recipe of this to do today, thanks very much …
I’m quite intrigued by these muffins. The flavor combination is so unusual. I’m going to have to try them. Glad you told us they are great after being in the fridge because I like muffins chilled.
Ha! Happy to hear I’m not the only one who enjoys cold muffins! Hope these are to your liking! 🙂