Name: Grandma's Special Dutch Apple Cheese Muffins
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients: 2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup (3½ ounces/99 grams) sugar; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces; 8 ounces (227 grams) cheddar cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces; 1 large egg; 3/4 cup whole milk; 1 pound (454 grams) apples, peeled, halved, cored, and sliced crosswise into thin half-moons; 1/3 cup (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) sugar; 2 tablespoons water; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Why This Recipe Works

Tasters loved this muffin recipe’s combination of apples and cheddar cheese, and its crowning touch of cinnamon glaze. Using a food processor to quickly cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients prevents the butter from overheating. For easy apple coring, a common melon baller worked best. Simply use the scoop end to carve out seeds after halving the apple. For the cheese muffins recipe’s glaze, a combination of sugar, water, butter, lemon juice, and cinnamon proved best. The tang of the lemon juice complemented the sweet-tart green apples and sharp cheddar in the recipe.

Before You Begin

Crisp, sweet-tart apples like Macoun, Jonagold, Cortland, and Empire work best here. You will need 2 to 3 apples for this recipe.

Instructions

For the muffins: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup muffin tin. Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, and cheese in food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal; transfer to large bowl. Whisk egg and milk in measuring cup, then slowly stir into flour mixture until combined.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin. Arrange apple slices, cut-side down, on top of batter, pressing gently to adhere. Bake until edges of muffins are just golden, about 15 minutes.

For the glaze: While muffins are baking, heat sugar, water, butter, lemon juice, and cinnamon in saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Once edges of muffins are just golden, brush muffins with glaze. Return to oven and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Cool in tin for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to rack. Cool 10 minutes longer. Serve. (Muffins can be kept in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.)