Muffins are a quick, easy breakfast food, and I love them. Over the years, I’ve probably baked 106,734,952 (give or take a few) for my family because it’s so convenient to hand one to each of them as they’re running out the door. I know that they’re eating something homemade and healthy(ish).
These muffins are made with applesauce, so they’re super simple … no peeling or chopping required. Plus they smell wonderful as they bake, and they taste delicious! No downside here.
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts (3.5 ounces), chopped (optional)
- Combine sugar, cinnamon, and cloves, and mix completely. For easier distribution, pour into a shaker. Set aside while preparing muffin batter.
- Sprinkle on top of muffin batter just prior to baking.
- Line (or grease) muffin tins, and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt, and stir together.
- In another large mixing bowl, beat brown sugar and eggs until creamy. Add butter, and cream again. Mix in applesauce, and then fold in dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in nuts.
- Scoop into prepared muffin tin.
- Sprinkle with topping, and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until dry and golden.
- Remove from oven, and cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove to wire cooling rack.
Start by making the topping.
In a small bowl, combine the following:
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
To make it easier to sprinkle on the muffins, I pour it into a shaker, but you don’t have to do this.
Set the topping aside.
Line (or grease) 12 muffin tins, and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine, and stir together these ingredients:
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
Set aside for a few minutes.
In another large mixing bowl, beat together:
2 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar, packed
Add:
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
Cream again.
Mix in:
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
Then fold in dry ingredients just until combined.
If you want to add nuts, now’s the time to genly mix in:
1 cup pecans or walnuts (3.5 ounces), chopped
The nuts are completely optional.
Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin.
Sprinkle, generously, with topping.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until dry and golden.
Remove from oven, and cool in pan for 5 minutes; then remove to wire cooling rack.
Enjoy either warm or cold.