Healthy Snacking – Apple Streusel Muffins

March in New England can bring some unpredictable weather.  The last couple of weeks have gifted us with more snow than the previous 3 months combined.  March also brings the winter swim season to an end but not before many weekends packed with championship meets, both near and far.  My boys find themselves on the road most weekend days and are always looking for a tasty snack they can have at the ready.  Apples are a favorite as far as fruit and apple baked treats always make them smile.  Apple muffins also fit the bill as far as portability, taste and convenience.

Muffins can be made in advance, pack well and taste great warm or cold.  Today I wanted to share a recipe I have been using for a few years.  These muffins have graced the concession stand tables at our local swim meets, bake sales and most importantly have provided a nutritious and tasty snack for my swimmers.  They are easy and quick to make and do not last long in our house.

Check out the notes section for a little more detail on what makes these stand out from the crowd and ideas for remaking some of your own recipes.  Enjoy!  Don’t miss out on future posts, events, tips and recipes.  Join our newsletter!

Apple Streusel Muffins

Muffins

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (8 oz) Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup butter melted
• 2 cups chopped apple (sweet or tart your preference)

Streusel topping

• ¼ cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons cold butter

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.  Spray muffin tins (for 16 muffins) with Baking Spray (or use paper muffin liners – please note that muffins may not release completely cleanly from paper liners, especially if at all warm).
2. Combine dry ingredients (first 6 ingredients) in a large bowl of an electric mixer.
3. Beat eggs, Greek yogurt and butter in a separate bowl.
4. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until combined (over mixing is less of an issue when using whole wheat flour than all-purpose flour since whole wheat flour resists gluten formation so there is less chance of ending up with tough muffins with this recipe but don’t overdo it).
5. Put apples in bowl and mix in to distribute evenly thru batter.
6. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups.  The batter will be a bit stiff  so use a scoop or large spoon to place in muffin cups.
7. In a small bowl combine dry topping ingredients then cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle over each muffin cup (approximately 1 rounded teaspoon each).
8. Bake muffins for 18-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for a few minutes in pans then remove to wire racks (so they do not steam in the cups).

Notes:

We usually wait only long enough to avoid permanent damage to our fingers before enjoying these treats.  They are best warm but will keep for a few days (if you can keep your fingers off them that long) in an airtight container.  You can eat them cold or they can be reheated in a toaster oven or oven.  When reheating wrap in some foil to avoid over browning (especially in a toaster oven) and drying out.

The recipe stands out form other muffins for its use of whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt and lower sugar.  Most muffin recipes I come across have at least double the sugar (1 cup vs. the ½ cup here).  I found that the apples provide sweetness and moisture to the muffin and the sugar is not missed.  Use a sweet apple if you like more sweetness.

Using whole wheat pastry flour does not decrease the caloric content of these muffins but it does add dietary fiber without affecting taste and texture.  Dietary fiber helps with digestion and feeling full and getting enough can be a challenge for many of us, this swap helps with that.  Whole wheat flour easier to work with in some recipes, such as muffins and pancakes, because it’s high fiber content means less gluten and less gluten formation during mixing so you are less likely to end up with tough muffins from over mixing.  Whole wheat pastry flour is made from softer wheat than regular whole wheat flour making the muffins light.  Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour that is readily available in many supermarkets.  If you cannot find Whole Wheat Pastry flour try using White Whole Wheat Flour if available in your area.  Alternately you can use half all-purpose and half regular whole wheat flour.

The streusel topping makes the muffins pretty and extra special but I have been known to sprinkle Turbinado Sugar on top of the muffins before baking when in a hurry.  It resists melting completely and leaves a nice sweet crunch.

Nutritional Information (per muffin)

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