Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Hearty, healthy, and satisfying whole wheat muffins filled with sweet apples and plenty of cinnamon spice!

You know how whole wheat muffins taste completely uninteresting? You don’t even want to waste your time. Or your calories. That’s not the story here. With all those sweet apple pieces overflowing every bite, the purely magical maple syrup lingering, that robust allspice, the cinnamon swirling, and fat-cutting applesauce… there’s so much to love. In every single warm, snuggly, healthy, unrefined sugary, whole wheat bite. ♥ I just described these as snuggly. And I’m OK with that.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (226g) whole wheat flour1 (spoon & leveled)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (64g) Diamond of California chopped pecans2
• 3 large eggs
• 2/3 cup (160ml) pure maple syrup (not breakfast syrup, the real stuff)3
• 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable, canola oil, or melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup (60g) smooth unsweetened applesauce4
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups (240g) shredded/grated apple (about 2 apples)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C)6. Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use cupcake liners. This recipe makes 15 muffins, so prepare a second muffin pan with 3 liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pecans together until combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, maple syrup, oil, applesauce, and vanilla together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stir a few times, then add the grated apple. Fold everything together gently just until combined and no flour pockets remain.
3. Spoon the batter into liners, filling them all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes at 425 then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 23-24 minutes, give or take. (For mini muffins, bake 11-13 minutes at 350°F (177°C).) Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
4. Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days, then transfer to the fridge for up to 1 week.
5. Make ahead tip: For longer storage, freeze muffins for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or warm up in the microwave if desired.

Recipe Source:sallysbakingaddiction.com