3rd Annual Mug n' Muffin: Apple, Chocolate, and Cinnamon Roll Muffins

This weekend I hosted my 3rd Annual "Mug n' Muffin" at my house.  It's simply a fun way to get together all my girl friends over coffee and muffins.  I made my favorite blueberry muffins and my family banana bread muffins and then added three new recipes to the mix.  I loved the apple muffins the best, but you can't go wrong with cinnamon rolls muffins or chocolate chocolate chip.  Yummy!  With coffee.. I'm good to go.  I  hope you enjoy!

Apple Muffins:

• 2 cups sugar ( or 1 1/2 for less sweet muffins)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 cups peeled, cored, diced apples (around 3 apples) I used Pink Lady apples
• Brown sugar for topping (around 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with paper liners.  Cream together sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla.  Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.  Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and mix until combined.  The batter will be very thick.  Add the diced apples.

Fill paper liners almost to the top, about 3/4 of the way full.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Makes 18 muffins.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins:

• 2 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  In another bowl whisk the eggs, sour cream, water, milk, oil and vanilla.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.  Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire rack.  Makes 24 muffins.

Cinnamon Roll Muffins:

For the Muffins:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 3 to 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

For the Filling:

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

For the Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp milk
• splash vanilla extract

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a muffin pan or line with muffin liners.  In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and egg.  Add the buttermilk, then the flour.  Stir until thoroughly combined.  In a small bowl make the filling by combining the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for a minute or two.  Roll the dough into a 12-inch by 24-inch rectangle.  Spread with butter, leaving a 1/4" margin at the long side of the dough, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Use a rolling pin to roll over the sugar/cinnamon mixture a few times.  Roll up the dough tightly, beginning with the long side, under-tucking after each completed rollover.  Cut into 12 rolls.  Place in prepared muffin pan and bake until golden brown, about 15-18 minutes.  Allow the muffins to cool in muffin pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack.  Make the glaze while the muffins are cooling. In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.  Drizzle over the top of the muffins and serve.