I love everything about these muffins, but then again I’m not sure I’ve ever met a muffin I didn’t like ;). Seriously though, these muffins are so good! I can’t say enough good things about them. They’re healthier – made with whole wheat flour, oatmeal, apple, and a reduced amount of sugar – but they are still flavorful, tender, and delicious! A generous amount of applesauce keeps the muffins moist (and low-fat) and finely chopped apple gives the muffins a slight crunch. You could easily add some chopped nuts for even more crunch or throw in some raisins for extra sweetness. Make a batch of these muffins today! Your kitchen will smell amazing while these are baking and leftovers can be frozen for a quick, healthy breakfast or snack later. Enjoy!
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1-1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup low-fat or fat-free buttermilk
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla nut extract*
1 egg
1 cup finely chopped apple (~1/2 of a large apple, I left mine unpeeled)
~2-3 tsp turbinado sugar
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 10 standard muffins cups with nonstick spray or line with paper liners.
2. In large bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine.
3. In separate bowl, stir together the applesauce, buttermilk, oil, vanilla nut extract, and egg. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until combined, being careful not to overmix. Fold in chopped apple.
4. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling all the way to the top. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes or until tops are brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Cool slightly in muffin tin before removing to wire rack.
Notes:
1. If you can’t find vanilla nut extract, you can use regular vanilla but the vanilla nut really adds a delicious, nutty, caramel flavor. I’ve found it at walmart, kroger, etc, and of course, amazon (although much cheaper if you can find it in the store!).
2. You could easily divide the batter among 12 muffin cups instead of 10 if you wanted a smaller muffin.
Nutritional Info (per muffin): 174 calories; 3.2 g fat; 34 g carbohydrates; 3.5 g fiber; 4.6 g protein.
