The Absolute Best Applesauce Spice Muffins With Spice Topping!

Kittencalskitchen's Note:

This is one of my all time favorite muffin recipes! --- you can substitute one large finely chopped apple for the nuts, increase the spices if desired --- some of the butter can be replaced with more applesauce for a lower fat muffin :)

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 12 muffins

MUFFINS

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (heaping)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (can use more or less)
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup light brown sugar (can use more)
• 1/2 cup butter (butter is better!) or 1/2 cup margarine, melted (butter is better!)
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1/4 cups chopped nuts

SPICE TOPPING

• 6 -7 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

1. Set oven to 350°F.
2. Set oven rack to second-lowest position.
3. Butter 12 muffin tins or line with paper liners.
4. For muffins: in a small bowl mix together first 7 dry ingredients.
5. In another large bowl whisk together eggs and brown sugar until well combined.
6. Add in melted butter whisking continuously until mixture is creamy.
7. Stir in applesauce.
8. Fold in flour mixture until JUST combined.
9. Stir in nuts.
10. Divide the batter evenly between muffin tins.
11. To make the topping: stir together all ingredients then sprinkle over tops of muffin batter.
12. Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until muffins test done.
13. Cool in pan for 5 minutes then remove to a rack to cool.

Reviews

[Bev erly]

Fantastic muffin. What I like about this is the easy, quick way to put together. Usually I have to peel and chop apples and with this recipe, I do not have to do this unless I want to add one apple. I use just the applesauce and no nuts and it is DELICIOUS. I did buy the apple pie spice and used that rather than separate spices because the same ingredients are in it. I just added it all together and added almost 2 teaspoons of that to the muffins. These muffins are very moist, just be careful not to overmix. I love the fact that this recipe can be mixed in less than 5 minutes and probably be gone in the same amount of time!!! Thanks for the delicious recipe.

[Greeny4444]

Kittencal, you are so good at muffins. :) Even though I kind of messed with this recipe a bit, these muffins are still a really nice spice muffin. I love how you just need a whisk to mix everything! This is going to be one of my rotating muffin recipes that I make for my husband to grab-and-go on his way to work (along with Best Bran Muffins, Chocolaty Decadence Banana Muffins, and Pumpkin Pie Bread [in muffin form]). I used 1/2 c. whole wheat flour as part of the 1 1/2 cups, 1 slightly rounded tsp. cinnamon, I used 1/4 c. Splenda for 1/4 c. of the brown sugar, and I traded all instances of allspice out for apple pie spice. I also decreased the butter by 1/4 c. and used 1/4 c. more of applesauce, and I didn't use nuts. I got 15 delicious standard-size muffins. Until I unpack my own Wilton pans, I am using dark Oneida muffin tins, and 350 for 18 minutes is PERFECT for these (for me). I only sprinkle about 1/2 tsp. of topping ingredients on each muffin, so the topping ingredients make a lot, but I just save it in a Ziploc sandwich baggie (labeled as to what it is) for the next batch of muffins, because I know I'll be making these again! Thanks for sharing this recipe!

[FLFroggie]

Wonderful muffins! I subbed Splenda brown sugar blend for the brown sugar due to being diabetic but didn't make any other changes. They smelled incredible while cooking and I was waiting impatiently for them to cool enough to touch lol. These are a keeper for me!