I double batch regular sized muffins and freeze the lot. I put one muffin each in Tupperware in the kids backpacks each night when I make lunches, and that’s snack. If you haven’t realized, I’ll choose ease and practicality over variation, most of the time. Typically I make the chocolate banana protein muffins, as these are their favorites, but I also need to have six near-rotten bananas available when it’s time to bake, and this is rare. Enter apple sauce muffins. The kids loved these and without nuts, oats, or visible fruit I imagine any kid would.
Nut free (good for the classroom), easily available ingredients, and one of the simplest recipes I’ve made in a while (muffins typically are, though). The one annoying ingredient was the apple juice which I don’t buy. Found my way around it – I bought a six pack of juice boxes and will store in the pantry. I’ll need one each time I make these. Done. They aren’t uber healthy, and in the future I’ll mess around with adding ground flaxseed in place of some of the flour and maybe reducing the sugar a bit. Don’t skip the sugar on top, though, as it makes it adds a great crunch.
Apple Sauce Muffins
Makes 12-14
1 1/2 c. white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 c. apple juice or cider
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
- Heat oven too 375 and line muffin tin with liners.
- Whisk flours, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
- In large bow, whisk sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer 2 tbsp. of this mixture to a small bowl and reserve for sprinkling at the end.
- Add applesauce, apple juice, egg and vanilla to sugar mixture in bowl and whisk to combined.
- Add flour mixture and fold until just combined.
- Add melted butter and fold to combine.
- Divide between cups and sprinkle with reserved sugar mixture.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until set. Let cool on wire rack completely before freezing.
