I’ve been holding back on you. I’ve never shared with you the recipe for my and my family’s favorite ever muffin recipe: Applesauce Spice Muffins. The name doesn’t allude to anything grand or special, but let me tell you these muffins are glorious. You’ll find yourself eating one and then another and, before you know it, ten muffins will have somehow found their way into your person. Tricky little guys these muffins are.

Oh and whenever we share these with anyone, they undoubtedly ask for the recipe. If I was the betting type, I would consider waging money that someone might just ask you for the recipe.

I decided to make them a little healthier. Now, you won’t find me trying to improve the nutritional value of a cupcake. Healthy cupcake just screams oxymoron to me. But if I can make muffins, perfect little breakfast pastries from heaven that they are, a little healthier, you can bet I’m going to do it.

I’ve decided to share with you both the original recipe and the “healthier” version. They are both wonderful and delicious. I won’t say they taste exactly the same, because they don’t. But I happen to love both of them. If you just can’t decide, make both.

Make these today. Save some for tomorrow – perfect way to celebrate Muffin Monday.

Family Favorite Applesauce Spice Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup applesauce

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp cloves

Powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, add sugar, beating at medium speed; add egg, beating well. Add applesauce, mixing well. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients; add to creamed mixture. Fill greased mini muffins pans about 3/4 full. Bake for 14 minutes. Cool. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving/eating. Enjoy!

*batter can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks prior to baking as they’re best fresh

Extra Fueling Applesauce Spice Muffins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of butter, softened.

1/4 cup sugar (I used blended sucanat)

1/4 cup honey

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups applesauce

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1st allspice

1/4 tsp cloves

Powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

Cream together butter, sugar, honey, and 1/4 cup applesauce. Add eggs and  remaining applesauce, mixing well. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients; add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Filled greased muffin pans about 3/4 full. Bake for 14 minutes. Cool dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

*Both recipes make about 30-36 mini muffins

*It is correct that the original recipe has one egg and the healthified recipe has two. That is not done to improve nutritionally value, but it simply what worked in my experimentation.

Which muffin recipe will you try?

Are you good at making decisions?

I am not. Even little tiny decisions, take me forever and usually end with, “I’m good with anything, you decide.” But as bigger decisions loom in my future (hello college, career choices, etc), I’m realizing that little decisions such as what restaurant to go to or whether to do my English presentation on Powerpoint or Prezi really aren’t all that important.  Of course, in the instance of these muffins my inability to make decisions would surely come in handy. I’d make both and be better off for it. You should do the same (:

_________________________________________________________________________________

Enjoy this post? Follow me on twitter.