Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

It's taken me many years to admit that I love apple pie. It's not that I have a personal vendetta against it. It's just that I always rejected apple pie in favor of sweeter options, like my grandma's peanut butter pie. 

Until I discovered this shameless trick: When no one is looking, I scrape out the crust, and leave all of the apple goop behind. The crust absorbs the apple flavor, but I don't have to, you know, eat the apples.  

Then I found something even better: apple crumb. Instead of the traditional latticework of pie, apple crumb has a brown sugar/butter topping that is crispy, amazing...and also kind of difficult to separate from the apple filling. Which means I'm forced to eat an entire slice of pie, fruit and all. 

I tried it, and liked it. 

Well, actually, I loved it. 

So when my boss's birthday rolled around, I decided to make him apple pie cupcakes, but with crumb on top and cinnamon rolls as the cake. 

Two years ago, I attempted to make him an actual apple pie, but I dumped the whole thing in the oven. Needless to say, I don't consider pie-making one of my favorite hobbies.

But my boss loves apple pie.

This is my (delicious) compromise.

The recipe called for a caramel drizzle on top. But I decided to use the icing that came with the cinnamon rolls instead.

The effect was pretty outstanding. In the words of my office's resident foodie, "This is your best creation yet. I love apple pie, but man, this is above and beyond." I call that success.

Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

From Inspired Taste

What you need

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced into ¼" cubes

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

1 ½ Tbsp lemon juice

¼ cup flour

¼ + 2 Tbsp brown sugar, packed

¼ cup chopped walnuts

1 can (12.4 oz) refrigerated cinnamon rolls

Put it all together

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat 8 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter over high heat. Add the apples, and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Make sure to stir them occasionally so they don't burn. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cook for 5 more minutes, then add lemon juice.
3. Combine butter, flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, and walnuts with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.
4. Separate the cinnamon rolls, and flatten each one into a 4" round. Press them into the muffin cup, essentially creating cinnamon roll bowls. Divide apple filling evenly among the 8 cups, then sprinkle the brown sugar/walnut mixture over each. (Hint: Press into small clumps, rather than leaving it loose.) 
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until bubbly and slightly browned. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before removing from cups onto a cooling rack. Serve while hot, drizzling cinnamon roll icing over each.

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Blueberry Pie Cupcakes

Pie-Making Tips from Magnolia Bakery

Maple Cinnamon Peanut Butter Pie Parfaits

Honey Almond Butter with Golden Raisins

This weekend, my sweet boyfriend took me on a surprise trip to New York City for my 24th birthday. We started our Saturday in Greenwich Village at one of my absolute favorite spots in the city: Peanut Butter & Co. 

If only that intellectual man behind the tree were my boyfriend.

Impromptu photo shoot, while waiting for our sandwiches.

And the real Frankie comes out. 

My sweet tooth required that I order the Cookie Dough Surprise, a creamy combination of peanut butter, vanilla cream cheese, and chocolate chips. I ordered it toasted, which made it so deliciously melty that I ate the entire thing. My belly was both satisfied and horrified.

Cookie Dough Surprise

Frank opted for the Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sandwich, featuring PB & Co.'s to-die-for cinnamon raisin peanut butter, vanilla cream cheese, and apple slices. He's less of a peanut butter fanatic than me, but he still devoured it (and berated his mom for depriving him of such decadence in his school lunches).

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Sandwich

Since I don't live in the city, I'm forced to recreate the magic of PB & Co. in my own kitchen. Which is why I eat peanut butter every day, without fail, for breakfast. I toast a whole-wheat English muffin, apply a generous layer of creamy peanut butter, and sprinkle golden raisins on top. I've been mocked for my odd breakfast, but I don't care. I'll eat it every morning until I die. 

Or until something better comes along.

Like Honey Almond Butter with Golden Raisins. 

My trip to PB & Co. got me thinking: Why not make my own nut butter, with golden raisins already folded in? I decided to use almonds, instead of peanuts, since they have a Mediterranean flavor that pairs well with honey and golden raisins. 

First, I roasted the almonds at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Then, I chopped them up in my food processor for several minutes, until the oils that make nut butter creamy were released.

Early in the process.

Creamy, creamy.

Then I added sea salt...

...and honey. 

Finally, I stirred in cinnamon and golden raisins.

The cinnamon's warmth is the perfect accent to the roasted richness of the almonds, while its subtle sweetness is a delicious backdrop for the raisins and honey. The sea salt awakens the flavor of the whole thing. 

Smear it on toast, add it to your oatmeal, or eat it by the spoonful. You'll love it regardless.

Honey Almond Butter with Golden Raisins

What you need

2 cups almonds, raw

2 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp honey

¼ cup golden raisins

2 tsp cinnamon

Put it all together

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the almonds on a foil-lined cookie sheet, and roast for 10-12 minutes. 
2. Grind the roasted almonds in a food processor for several minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides, until the consistency is thick and creamy.
3. Transfer to a glass jar, and stir in the sea salt, honey, golden raisins, and cinnamon until evenly combined.

Cinco de Mayo Sweet, Part 2: Deep-Fried Churro Balls!

I'm lazy when it comes to truffle making. Applying the candy coating is tedious work, so for my friend's Cinco de Mayo party, I made just enough Churro Cake Ball Truffles to be considered socially acceptable. My laziness left me with rows of naked little cake balls in my fridge, waiting to be devoured. (No innuendo intended.) 

       I tried deep-fried Oreos at the fair last year, and found them to be absolutely delightful, in a low-brow, don't-tell-anyone-I-ate-this kind of way. (If you're into frou frou desserts, stick to the truffles.) So, alone in my kitchen, where there's no such thing as shame, I whipped up a batch of cinnamon batter, coated the leftover cake balls, and dunked them in a skillet full of sizzling oil. The little fried guys came out crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and tasted like a melted cinnamon roll, wrapped in a doughnut hole. In other words, like heaven. 

First, follow the Churro Cake Ball recipe. (Skip the candy coating, obviously.)


Once you've prepared the cake balls, make this...


Cinnamon Batter
Adapted from Willow Bird Baking

What you need
1 egg
1 cup ice-cold water
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Other ingredients
Cornstarch
Vegetable oil
Pre-made cream cheese icing 

Put it all together

1. Whisk together the egg and water. Mix in the flour, sugar, and cinnamon.
2. Heat vegetable oil, about 1 inch deep, in a skillet over medium heat. 
3. Roll each cake ball in cornstarch, then dunk into the cinnamon batter. Using tongs, and allowing excess batter to drip off, transfer two or three at a time to the skillet.
4. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, flipping the cake balls halfway through. They should be golden brown. Remove them from the oil onto a paper towel. 
5. Serve with cream cheese icing for dipping.

Gooey deliciousness.

Maple Cinnamon Peanut Butter Pie Parfaits

Much to my delight, I recently received the entire line of Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butter in the mail. That's 12 incredible jars—a lot, even for a daily peanut butter eater. So, to ensure no spoonful goes uneaten, I'll be featuring peanut butter in my baked goods for the next few months. I'm not complaining. 

     This recipe, devised in the middle of the night due to lingering jet lag, features both PB&C Mighty Maple and Smooth Operator (classic creamy) peanut butter. The authentic maple flavor, combined with Sweet Cinnamon Cool Whip, gives the parfait a bit of an autumnal taste. I know, it's springtime, but you won't mind the cool-weather vibe once you taste the rich, creamy flavor. It's like peanut butter pie with a whole new dimension.

Maple Cinnamon Peanut Butter Pie Parfaits

What you need
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3.5 Tbsp butter, melted
6.5 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup Peanut Butter & Co. Mighty Maple peanut butter

½ cup creamy peanut butter

¾ cup sugar

2 cups Sweet Cinnamon Cool Whip* 
Cinnamon


*You can also use regular Cool Whip, mixed with ½ to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. 

Put it all together

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, and press into a 9" square baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
3. Thoroughly combine the cream cheese, both types of peanut butter, sugar, and 1 ½ cups of the Cool Whip. 
4. Break up the graham mixture until crumbly. Spread about a tablespoon of the crumbs in the bottom of a parfait glass,* then layer the peanut butter mixture on top. Continue alternating the graham and peanut butter mixtures until the glass is full. The top layer should be the peanut butter mixture. 
5. Use a small ice cream scoop to place a dollop of Cool Whip on top of the parfait. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Repeat in additional parfait glasses.

*I used brandy glasses.