After summer came blazing back over the weekend, fall decided to peek around the corner and remind us that Halloween and Thanksgiving, along with fall harvest, are arriving soon. Apples, nuts, spices and streusel for the win! These muffins are quick and easy for breakfast, afternoon tea or coffee, or for a late-night snack. You know you want to try them…

Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 min
Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients
FOR THE MUFFINS
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 1/2 Tablespoons sour cream
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans chopped (optional)
1 cup apple (peeled, cored, and diced)

FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon

FOR THE VANILLA GLAZE
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 Tablespoons half and half
1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions

TO MAKE THE MUFFINS

Preheat oven to 375.

1 – Line muffins tins with paper liners.

2 – Cream together butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and sour cream. Mix until combined.

3 – Add in dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. Fold in nuts and apples. Spoon batter into muffin tins. (3/4) full. (Batter will be thick)

4 – Meanwhile, combine ingredients for streusel in a medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle the streusel over the muffins. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

5 – Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 3-5 minutes before placing on a cooling rack to cool completely.

6 – Whisk together glaze ingredients and drizzle over muffins. Store in an airtight container.

Food Talk Daily has all the details for this recipe. This is one of those fairly easy recipes that is scrumptious and everyone enjoys munching on them. To celebrate Halloween, I will mention that a certain dragon shifter is very fond of them. Of course, the clan’s kitchen makes large quantities of these muffins because…well…we all know that dragons have huge appetites. And before you light your fire, Nikos, you know I’m right. And yes, someday, you ARE going to get your own book. But you’re the one who decided to pursue our favorite FBI agent and frankly, pitting you and Sinjen against each other is too much fun. It’s you’re own fault you know. *makes note to make my office nonflammable* Nikolas “Nikos” Constantine, Drakon of Clan Kholikikos, makes his first appearance in THAT OL’ BLACK MAGIC. Truthfully? This book has my favorite opening line ever:  This was only Day One of what was shaping up to be a bloody weird week and the gods had been drinking again. Sade is in New Orleans to solve a series of preternatural murders. It’s available at a variety of on-line book sellers. Just click on the cover or the title for the Books 2 Read link that lists all those etailers in one hand spot.