Apple Cider Muffins

When I was growing up in New York, every year I looked forward to autumn! There really is nothing like autumn in New York the leaves on the trees are all different shades of red, orange, and browns, the air is crisp and there are crunchy leaves to step on all over the ground. 

What I looked forward to the most were the jugs of apple cider that my mother would buy. The cups of apple cider that I would drink throughout the fall were such a treat. Right now I would love nothing more than to put on some cozy socks and sit by the fireplace in my parents' house with a cup full of cider. 

The big question is what is the difference between apple cider and apple juice? Apple cider is made from apples that are crushed into a mash that is then pressed to release juice. This juice is unfiltered and unpasteurized and has a much more distinct apple flavor like biting into a fresh apple. An important note when buying apple cider is to make sure that it is just apple cider no spices added and of course that it's not hard cider which is delicious in its own way. 

Apple cider donuts are a very trendy fall item, but why not make them in muffin form for #muffinmonday!

The batter of these muffins has cinnamon and nutmeg, two spices that work so beautifully with apples and if you are able to get whole nutmeg I highly recommend grating it fresh it's a world of a difference from the ground stuff in a jar. 

After these muffins come out of the oven they get rolled in cinnamon and sugar giving the outside a beautiful glistening coating. 

These muffins have the aroma of apple cider and remind me of my childhood enjoying autumn in New York. 

Apple Cider Muffins 

2 1/2 cups flour 

2 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp baking soda 

3/4 tsp salt 

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup oil  

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 cup apple cider - if you are unable to find apple cider you can use unsweetened apple juice (In Israel I use the Keshet apple juice)

Cinnamon Sugar Coating 

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Cooking Spray or 1/4 cup oil/melted butter

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C 

Spray a standard-size muffin pan with oil - you don't want to use paper liners because these get coated in cinnamon sugar when they come out of the oven. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the sugar, oil, eggs, and apple cider. Mix until just combined and smooth. Scoop into prepared the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

While the muffins bake mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a medium bowl.

Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the pan and then spray or brush with oil and roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat. 

Enjoy with a cup of apple cider for the perfect autumn treat! 

Yield: 12 standard-size mufifns 

If you would like to make these in donut form spray 2 donut pans with oil and pour in the batter bake for 10 minutes and then follow the cinnamon sugar coating directions. 

Creamy Red Lentil Soup

When the weather changes all I want is a big bowl of soup a warm and creamy soup, specifically a hearty lentil soup. Every time rain begins to fall in Jerusalem and it starts getting cold I have a craving for this soup. I first posted this recipe just over seven years ago when I first started The Katamon Kitchen, it actually was the first recipe I ever posted on this blog! I'm actually typing this post as it pours in Jerusalem. 

This recipe is perfect for this week's #soupsunday because this week we read Parshat Toldot. We learn that Yaakov was cooking a red lentil stew and Esav traded his birthright for a bowl of the lentil soup. 

Rich in fiber, iron, and protein, lentils should definitely become a pantry staple in your house and if you don’t have a blender don’t worry this soup is delicious either smooth or chunky. 

The original recipe is topped with lemony tachina, but this time I topped my big bowl of soup with a dollop of rich labne or you can use Greek yogurt for that tart creamy finish. 

Creamy Red Lentil Soup 

1 Tbs olive oil 

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 small carrots, peeled and finely diced

Salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp paprika 

1/2 tsp cumin 

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

1 Tbs tomato paste

6 cups of water

1 1/2 cups dried red lentils 

1 tsp lemon juice 

Optional Toppings 

Labne/Greek yogurt 

Cilantro 

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and a big pinch of salt and sauté for 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and spices and cook for another minute. Then add the tomato paste and cook for a minute or so until the tomato paste takes on some color. Add the water being sure to scrape up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon because those little bits are major flavor! Add the lentils and another big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil then lower the flame and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 25 minutes until the lentils are tender and just falling apart. Taste the soup and add more salt if necessary along with the lemon juice. At this point you can either blend the soup until smooth or leave it as is, either way, it's delicious.  

Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of labne or Greek yogurt and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro. 

Yield: 4-6 servings 

Percinnamon! Persimmon Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel

I never heard of persimmons until I came to Israel and then I would look forward to eating them on every trip! Now that I live here I look forward to persimmon season all year long. When I was growing up in NY  I don't remember seeing them in the supermarket, but I know they are now available in regular supermarkets around the States.

Just make sure you know the difference between the two main types of persimmons - Fuyu and Hachiya. Fuyu has a squat shape that looks kind of like a tomato you want it to be firm and you can bite right into it like an apple. These are great as a snack, in salads, yogurt bowls, and salsas. 

Hachiya persimmons are larger than Fuyu they have a longer pointed bottom. You want to eat these when they are really ripe and mushy you can pierce the skin and eat the creamy flesh as is. They make for a really great frozen treat!

Persimmons are in season here in Israel in the winter months so they pair really well with the warm winter spice - cinnamon and also I really love how the two words just flow together to make percinnamon! 

Persimmon Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel 

2 1/4 cups flour 

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

1 tsp cinnamon 

3/4 cups milk of any kind 

2 eggs

1/4 cup oil 

1 tsp vanilla 

1/3 cup sugar 

2 Fuyu persimmons, diced - about 2 cups 

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

3 Tbs sugar 

1/2 cup flour 

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

pinch of salt 

2 Tbs oil 

Preheat your oven to 375°F/190°C 

Line a standard-size muffin pan with paper liners. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. 

In a liquid measuring cup mix together the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with the sugar. Mix until just combined. Make sure not to overmix your batter or else your muffins will be dense and chewy. Fold in the diced persimmon. 

In a small bowl mix together the streusel until it resembles wet sand. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin sprinkle each muffin with some cinnamon streusel slightly pressing the streusel into the batter. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes 

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins

I Can't Believe it's Not Dairy Broccoli Soup

Winter has finally arrived here in Jerusalem so much so that I wore black tights so you know it's real. 

For the next few months, it will be chilly out and hopefully very rainy here in Israel. During these winter months, I like to make a big pot of soup on Sunday to have in the fridge all week so I can have a cozy bowl of deliciousness whenever I want. 

I hope to share a new soup recipe every Sunday so you too can have heartwarming soups all winter long.

The first recipe of #soupsunday is a broccoli soup that's so rich and creamy you won't believe that there's absolutely no cream in it of any kind. 

What makes this soup extra creamy is the addition of chunks of potato that cook in the soup until tender and then everything gets buzzed up so the potato adds a really creamy texture to the soup. My secret to making the soup to be really decadent is the addition of a little more olive oil at the very end which gives the soup a really rich mouthfeel. 

This soup is very simple to prepare and only has 8 ingredients and I'm assuming you definitely have 4 of those ingredients already in your kitchen and the other 4 you most probably have as well. 

I Can't Believe it's Not Dairy Broccoli Soup 

2 Tbs olive oil - divided 

1 small-medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced 

800 grams/28 oz frozen broccoli - doesn't have to be exact a little more or a little less is fine 

1 large potato, peeled and cut into chunks 

4-6 cups of water 

Kosher salt 

Pepper 

In a medium-sized pot heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion along with a good pinch of salt and cook until the onion starts to become translucent about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the broccoli, potato chunks, and water just to cover everything in the pot add another pinch of salt and some pepper. Bring it to a boil which will take some time as the broccoli is frozen then reduce the heat cover the pot and allow the soup to simmer for about 20 minutes until the potato chunks are tender. 

Remove the pot from the heat and blend the soup using an immersion blender. You can use a stand blender just work in batches and be sure to remove the small plastic cap in the cover and place a kitchen towel over the top being very careful with the build-up of steam. 

Whichever method you choose blend until smooth, then add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil blend to mix that in and then taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. 

This soup is delicious as is, but I like to garnish the soup with some cracked black pepper because the heat of the pepper balances out the richness of the soup. I also top the soup with a few sprigs of fresh dill because I think broccoli and dill work really well together and the freshness of the dill is a nice compliment to the creamy soup. 

Yield: 4 portions 

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins

Inspiration can come from anywhere. Reading a book on Shabbat afternoon, remembering a dish that my mother used to make, or just a walk through the shuk to get my creative juices flowing. Well, this week's #muffinmonday flavor didn't come from any of those. 

A couple of weeks ago I popped into the supermarket to grab a few things and I saw that frozen fruit was on sale. I bought a container of raspberries and right away the idea for this muffin came to mind. Raspberries and white chocolate work really together. The super tart raspberries with the incredibly sweet white chocolate play off of each other. They make for a great combo as they really balance each other out. 

Just like in life, there are some moments that are a little bit sour, but then there are moments that are really sweet. You need both because without those sour moments you wouldn't be able to appreciate the sweet moments. 

It's funny that you can learn a life lesson from the freezer section at Shufersal because inspiration is all around us. 

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins 

This recipe uses buttermilk which adds to the flavor and more importantly the texture of the muffin. If you want to make them dairy-free, no problem! Just mix some acid in the form of lemon juice or white vinegar to the dairy-free milk of your choice let it stand for 5 minutes and you're good to go. 

2 1/2 cups flour 

1 Tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

1 cup buttermilk or 1 cup milk/dairy-free milk of your choice mixed with 1 Tbs lemon juice

1/4 cup oil 

2 eggs 

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup sugar  

1 cup raspberries fresh or frozen 

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 400°F/200°C 

Coat a standard-size muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper liners. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. 

In a liquid measuring cup mix together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with the sugar. Mix until just combined. Make sure not to overmix your batter or else your muffins will be dense and chewy. Fold in the raspberries and white chocolate chips. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with the chocolate chips gently pressing them into the top of the muffin batter and sprinkle with a little bit of sugar. 

Bake for 18-20 minutes 

Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin before popping out and cooling on a rack. 

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins

Granola Muffins

Granola is a staple in my family's fridge. Every few weeks my father makes a big batch of granola and my parents eat it for breakfast with yogurt a couple of days a week. He also brings a gallon size Ziploc of it to Israel for me and shares some with my siblings in NY as well. Since my parents are unable to come to Israel I had to resort to making my own granola. I followed my father's recipe exactly, but it doesn't even begin to compare to when he makes it. 

When I was coming up with this week's muffin flavor I was looking in my fridge for inspiration and saw my jar of granola staring right at me. I mixed some granola into my muffin batter and then topped each muffin with an extra sprinkling of granola so the granola in the muffin will get a little soft and chewy and the granola on top is extra crispy making for a muffin with many different satisfying textures. 

For this recipe, you can use your favorite granola recipe or store-bought or you can make a batch of my father's granola (because it really is the best). The recipe can be found at the bottom of this post. 

This recipe uses buttermilk which adds to the flavor and more importantly the texture of the muffin. If you want to make them dairy-free, no problem! Just mix some acid in the form of lemon juice or white vinegar to the dairy-free milk of your choice let it stand for 5 minutes and you're good to go. 

Granola Muffins 

2 cups flour 

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1 1/4 cups buttermilk -  or regular milk/dairy-free milk of your choice + 1 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar

1/4 cup oil 

2 eggs 

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup sugar 

1 heaping cup granola + 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top

Preheat your oven to 400°F/200°C 

Coat a standard-size muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper liners. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. 

In a liquid measuring cup mix together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with the sugar. Mix until just combined. Make sure not to overmix your batter or else your muffins will be dense and chewy. Fold in the granola. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1/2 cup of granola, gently pressing them into the top of the muffin batter.

Bake for 15-18 minutes 

Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin before popping out and cooling on a rack. 

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins 

Abba's Granola 

10 cups old-fashioned oats

2 cups chopped raw, unsalted walnuts

2 cups chopped unsalted almonds

2 cups chopped unsalted pecans

2 cups maple syrup/silan

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 1 1/2 cup dried cranberries, optional

Preheat the oven to 300° F/150°C. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine the oats, nuts, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and cranberries, if using. Spread the mixture onto the baking sheets and bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. At this point, the granola is still soft carefully stir the granola on the baking sheet. Turn the oven off and leave the granola in the oven until the oven completely cools down or overnight. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or zip-top bag. 

Plum Muffins

Here in Israel, fall is slowly arriving. It's still quite warm during the day and it's getting to be cooler at night, but that doesn't mean that summer is completely gone. 

There is still a fruit that's associated with summer but is in season until the fall. 

The humble plum. 

I feel like plums get overlooked at the market when they are next to big juicy peaches and nectarines. However, plums are really delicious and have a lovely sweet and tart flavor and the best part is that their season starts slightly later than the other stone fruit so you can still get beautiful plums when those other fruits are no longer available.

This muffin has large chunks of plums folded into a cinnamon-scented batter to bridge the seasons together. When you bite into these muffins you get bursts of juicy plums that remind you of summer with the warm cozy flavor of cinnamon, these muffins are the perfect treat toease you into the colder months. 

Plum Muffins 

2 medium plums

2 cups flour 

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp salt 

3/4 cup milk of your choice

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 cup sugar 

Cinnamon Sugar Topping 

2 tsp demerara or turbinado sugar (if you have neither not a problem just use regular white sugar)

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C

Line a standard-size muffin pan with paper liners, or spray with oil. 

Dice the plums into small cubes and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until combined. 
In a liquid measuring cup mix together the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and add the 1/2 cup sugar until just combined. Fold the diced fruit into the batter. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin.

In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon sugar topping and sprinkle on top of each muffin.

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins