Winter Apple-Streusel Muffins

If it’s not chocolate or pistachio or, all right fine, let’s be honest ... chocolate-hazelnut, or chocolate-raspberry or chocolate-orange, or pear or, apricot .... my favorite sweets are made with apples. I think that if there was a Global Holiday and every nation had to bring their signature to the table, the US ought to bring a perfect double-crusted apple pie!

In Normandie, apples are the stars of many shows, as an almost-endless variety grows and thrives here. Morning apple pastries, Tarte Tatin, apple sorbet, apple-filled crepes, and then some ..... always seem to be calling me.

To this blessing, my own homage are these muffins that I bake almost every week. Even sans flour and refined sugar, they are good for that little something sweet. I love them for breakfast, un gouter (afternoon treat), and even for midnight snack – uno spuntino mezzanotte in Italian, I love that – with my bedtime tea infusion (not really at midnight ;).

May I gently recommend a bit of crème fraiche to go with?? 

Winter Apple-Streusel Muffins

½ cup unsweetened applesauce (or, mashed ripe banana)

2-3 Tbs honey

¼ cup creamy almond butter (may use other nut butter, or tahini)

½ cup oats

2 Tbs chia seeds

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp cinnamon – or mix of favorite spices

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 small-medium apple, peeled, cored, seeded, diced

1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries

1/3 cup chopped walnuts or almonds

For streusel:

4 Tbs oats

1 Tbs brown sugar (or coconut/date sugar if you prefer)

2 tsp coconut, vegetable, or nut oil

Sprinkle of cinnamon or favorite spices

Preheat oven to 375F and prepare up to 12 muffin cups for baking.

Prepare streusel topping by mixing all ingredients until crumbly. Sometimes I add a bit more oil to create crumbles.

In one bowl, combine muffin ingredients, mix until well-blended and creamy.  I mix by hand; if you use a hand mixer combine first 10 ingredients, then mix in the apple, raisins and nuts at the end, by hand.

Pour batter equally into muffin cups, and top with streusel.

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool before storing.

If you’d like, spread with a little butter, cream, or preserves to serve.

I find that these stay yummy for up to a week in an airtight container and, I put them in the fridge after a day or so!

Yields 10-12 muffins.