Healthy Applesauce Muffins Made with Whole Wheat Flour

It's fluffy, healthy, and all under 100 calories! These whole wheat applesauce muffins are so easy to make and can be prepared in less than 30 minutes! The buttermilk makes the muffins extra fluffy and tender.

Do you have a family-favorite recipe you make over and over? This applesauce muffin recipe is one I've returned to time and time again. It's simple enough to make on a busy day, and the addition of applesauce and buttermilk both work together to keep these muffins fluffy and soft. What's more, this recipe can be easily converted into waffle and pancake batters. Read how below!

Ingredients used to make this

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• Flour - you can use either white whole wheat flour, regular whole wheat flour, spelt flour, or just regular white (all purpose) flour.
• Applesauce – preferably unsweetened. The pectin that’s naturally found in applesauce helps bind the ingredients together without the addition of oil or egg.
• Eggs – I used regular large eggs. I haven't tried using egg replacements like flax or chia yet, so you might not get the same results if you decide to substitute.
• Buttermilk - The addition of buttermilk gives these muffins a nice rise and helps them develop an extra tender crumb. If you don't have one in hand you can also make your own by mixing ¼ cup milk (or almond milk) with 1 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Powdered buttermilk also works.
• Salt – Pink Himalayan salt is what I have at home, so it’s what I use, but you can use any kind for this recipe.
• Sugar – You can use any granulated sugar of your choice, but honey powder, coconut, date and maple sugars are less processed sugars I would recommend. Honey and maple syrup should also work. For keto options, you could also use stevia (but be sure to convert according to package instructions).

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How to Make

1. Mix all dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar) in a bowl
2. Add the wet ingredients all at once (the applesauce, vinegar, eggs, oil and water) and stir with a whisk quickly, until just mixed and the batter is smooth
3. Pour the batter into paper-lined muffin pan cups, or a well greased muffin pan
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick or cake tester--they should come out clean without wet crumbs.

Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:

• For more Texture: Add some nuts, dried fruits or mini chocolate chips to the applesauce muffin batter
• Blueberries and Oats: add up to ¼ cup of fresh blueberries and/ or old-fashioned oats.
• Chocolate: Chocolates and Chocolate Chips! Instead of the cinnamon, just fold in 1 Tbsp of cocoa powder and/ or some chocolate chips to the batter.
• Citrusy: Add up to 1 Tbsp of lemon or orange zest with the muffin batter

How to Make this Healthier

• Make this even healthier by adding a handful of nuts, seeds and old-fashioned oats to add texture and nutrition.
• Looking to lower calories? You can also reduce the sugar by half (to make this less sweet), or substitute the sugar with a sugar-free substitute.

What are some ways you can eat these?

• Plain and warm w/ butter or jam. Microwave or toast the muffin slices lightly before eating if cold.
• Made into healthy "cupcakes." Frost it with my 2-Ingredient Almond Butter Frosting or Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Powder Frosting

How to Store

• You can store these applesauce muffins covered at room temperature for up to 48 hours. For longer storage, you can place them in the fridge for up to 7 days, or freeze up to 4 months.

Final Tips

• Baking time (as well as serving size) will vary based on the size of your muffin pan, the material (silicone vs metal) of the pan. Bake the applesauce muffins until the color is golden-brown on the top, or until a toothpick comes out clean/dry when poked into the middle.

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