I recently did my fall T.V. Segment on apples. I included one of my old favorite apple recipes, Apple Crumble Muffins. The difference was this time I used the apple core in the glaze and the compote, too!

Apple Core Crumble Muffins

Watch for many more apple core and more uses, including my favorite apple snack.

Apple core and so much more!

I first published this recipe  in September 2015. This post is an edited version of it. I was tempted to change everything and start anew, but my old pictures and style was a very good reminder of my early blogging days. They say you should never forget where you started.

It’s fall, y’all! While I love all things pumpkin, apples have a place in my heart, too. Yes, I was one of those kids who loved bobbing for apples but I actually enjoyed eating them, too! I love a trip to the Altapass Apple Orchard in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, anytime, but especially this time of year. One of my favorite apples is in season, the Johnny Gold, or Jonagold, a cross between a Jonathan and a Gold Delicious.  I love starting out with an empty bag and setting out to fill it with apples. (My goodness look how young I looked!!) The bag of apples can get pretty heavy, so my hubby comes in handy!  Don’t worry about him, he doesn’t mind the hard work for he knows with apples comes apple crumble muffins, one of his favorites.

APPLE CRUMBLE MUFFINS are filled with a simple apple compote. Great for any apples that are overripe or blemished. Use any two of your favorite apples and you’ll have enough to make six muffins. DO NOT peel and save the apple core. The apple core is full of fiber can be used in your morning smoothie, but also used to make an apple core juice which adds so much flavor to the glaze for these muffins.  I always keep a look out for places that sell the little airline bottles of liqueurs and liquors, they can be a great addition to the spice cabinet for much less money. No need to buy a big bottle for a couple of recipes.

Apple Compote in the making

You can use either pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice, since some people just are not on my pumpkin spice train! Do you know the difference in the two spices?Apple pie spice has all spice and pumpkin pie spice has cloves, but all other spices are the same. If you don’t have either, just make up the difference with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

The hardest part of this recipe is letting the apple compote cool! The temptation to stop and spoon some hot apple compote over vanilla ice cream will be strong! If you don’t think you can resist, go ahead and double the batch. It will keep up to one week in the fridge. It’s also tasty heated over pancakes, waffles, French toast, and oatmeal, too!

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Fresh out the Oven

Warning: If you have a person with a sweet tooth in the house, just go ahead and double the glaze. My mom is visiting and she loves her sweets, so I’m making extra so she can have it on the side for dipping!

Apple Crumble Muffins with Apple Core Glaze

Careful getting them out the pan. They are not called apple crumble muffins for nothing!!

Apple Crumble Muffins

Oh, and if you happen to have a muffin fall apart, then enjoy it my favorite way!

Broken Muffin with lots of glaze-cook’s treat!

Can you see the yummy apple compote filling?

Apple Compote Fillng

TO COOK IS TO CREATE: Want to jazz up the glaze for the kids? Substitute maple syrup for half or all the apple core “juice”. Want to jazz up the sauce for yourself? Use Bailey’s Irish Cream! What is your favorite spice in the autumn spice mix? Highlight that flavor, just add more, like I did with the cinnamon. You can even add a cinnamon stick. You can easily trade out the vanilla for another extract, banana is a nice one. What is your favorite nut? I used pecans, but I have even used toffee peanuts for a sweeter muffin. Don’t like nuts? Use raisins. No baking soda? Good rule of thumb, for each 1/2 tsp of required baking soda substitute 2 tsp baking powder.

FOOD FUN: Is there an apple orchard near you? The weather is getting a little cooler, so head out to pick some apples. No apple orchard? Go to your local farmers market and pick some new varieties of apples to try. Did you know there are more than 7, 500 apple varieties worldwide? Pick the “ugly” ones, too. Did you know that there is an ugly produce movement? So much “ugly” produce is wasted each year, there is a movement to help put a stop to it.  I know many apples in my bag would have not made it to the grocery store–blemishes, bee sting marks (bees love apple juice, too), misshapen or too small. It is a reminder to me that it is what’s on the inside that counts. What did one “ugly” apple say to the other?  “Have I ever told you I think your ‘freckles’ are beautiful?”