Apple Streusel Muffins

Some Sunday mornings I try to get up and make the three of us a nice big, hearty breakfast. It is on those morning that we are late for church. So I try to remind myself that we need quick on Sunday morning if we expect to get out of the house on time. Occasionally that means oatmeal, but I have found that muffins and hard boiled eggs (and a smoothie if I am feeling good) make for a great meal in the mornings when I don't have time for a leisurely breakfast. I try to keep a few hard boiled eggs in the fridge for quick snacks so I do not have to worry about those, then I mix up some quick muffins sometime the night before. Side note - muffins are not as quick when you have a toddler to help you :)

I saw these in my blog reader (hint, hint, you can subscribe to me in a reader with a little button to the right) and immediately knew I had to make them. They did not disappoint! I have made recipes with shredded apples in them before but forgot how moist that leaves the food! I used no special ingredient in doing this part - I just grated them right over my bowl. I made very few changes to this recipe because Kristin had already made a bunch of healthy changes to the original recipe.

photo by Dennis Gray

Apple Streusal Muffins

Topping:
1/4 cup sucanat
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup walnuts

I pulsed the ingredients in my mini food chopper.  It worked splendidly.  I will definitely be doing that more often.

Batter:
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sucanat
1/3 cup coconut oil

1 egg
1/3 cup plain yogurt

2 T. honey

1 tsp vanilla
1-2 apples (grated, but NOT peeled) 

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare muffin tin(s). 

2. Mix together dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk together all wet ingredients in a large bowl, including grated apples. 

3. Fold flour mixture into wet ingredients until just combined.
4. Divide batter evenly into tins and top with streusel mixture.  To do this with the mini muffins, I used an infant feeding spoon.  It was just the right amount.

Bake 10-12 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack before serving.

The original batch made 34 mini muffins, I made 12 regular muffins and 12 mini and the regular were on the small side as they did not rise as much as I anticipated.

*Remember to fill any empty muffin cups with water before placing in the oven.  

The only change I would make to this recipe is perhaps a slightly different streusel topping or leaving it out altogether and adding cinnamon to the recipe since I like to freeze muffins. Regardless, these were delicious and I will be making them again!