Applesauce Muffins

This recipe is from the cookbook Deceptively Delicious. 

These muffins are very moist and delicious, with a hint of carrot flavour.  Carrot and apple pair very well together so I knew that the combination would be a hit.  I made some of the muffins with the streusel topping and others without.  While the streusel is delicious, I don't think that the added sugar is needed.  The recipe also calls for pureed carrots but I left mine a little more chunkier.

 

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

Topping:

2/3 cups old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp trans-fat free soft tub margarine spread, melted (I used butter)

Batter:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup nonfat (skim) milk

1/2 cup butternut squash or carrot puree (I had carrots on hand but I would be interested to know how the butternut squash would taste!)

1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

1 large egg

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.

2. To make topping, stir together the oats, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.  Stir in margarine.

3. To make the batter, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl or zipper lock bag and stir or shake to mix (shaking would be great for the little ones helping in the kitchen.)  In a second bowl, mix the applesauce, milk, vegetable puree, sugar, oil and egg with a wooden spoon.  Add the flour mixture slowly, stirring until just moistened.  Do not over - the batter is supposed to be lumpy.

4. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle with the streusel topping.  Bake until the topping is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the muffins, about 18-20 minutes.  Place the muffins on a rack to cool slightly.  May be served warm or cool.

ENJOY!!