In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add remaining ingredients and cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until the apples are tender.

Remove from heat and set aside

While the apples cook, prepare the muffins

Preheat your oven to 375°F and set the rack in the middle of the oven

Grease your muffin pan or use liners.

Combine the cider and mulling spices or cinnamon sticks in a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the cider is reduced by half.

Set cider in the refrigerator to cool

In a stand mixer, combine softened butter and sugar and beat for 4 minutes at medium speed until fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after adding each egg.

Mix in the vanilla extract.

Scrape butter and egg mixture off of the beater and into the bowl, set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

By hand, gently mix 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined.

Add half of the reduced cider and mix gently to just combine

Repeat with another third of the flour, the rest of the cider and then the remaining flour, mixing until just combined.

DO NOT OVERMIX

Fill each muffin tin halfway with batter

Divide apple filling equally among the muffins, keeping it in the center of each muffin

Top each muffin with the remaining muffin batter

Bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes and then brush the tops of each muffin with melted butter.

Sprinkle the muffins with cinnamon-sugar mixture.