Dutch Apple Pie Muffins

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

For the crumb topping:

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup unsalted butter

For the muffins:

2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt I used kosher
1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice or cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup fat free evaporated milk you can use low fat or full fat
6 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups peeled diced apples (about 2 medium apples)
lemon juice
ground apple pie spice or cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare a 12 cup muffin pan with paper muffin cups.
Make the crumb topping. Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, oats and butter in a small mixing bowl. Work the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender, a fork or your fingers until the mixture holds together in a clump if you press it together with your fingers. You should have no dry ingredients still powdery in the bowl. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Your apples should be diced, sprinkled and tossed with a few squeezes of some fresh lemon juice (to keep them from browning) before starting to make the muffin batter.
To make the muffin batter, in a large bowl, whisk to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and apple pie spice.
In a separate bowl, whisk brown sugar, eggs, applesauce, milk and oil until well combined.
Pour egg mixture into flour mixture and stir only until combined.
Scoop into prepared muffin pan. The cups will be almost full.
Carefully pile diced apples on top of the batter. Lightly sprinkle with apple pie spice or cinnamon.
Pile crumb topping on top of the apples. I found using a spoon to place the topping, guided by my fingers helped to accomplish this best. You can scoop up any stray topping that lands on the pan and put it back onto the top of the muffin.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 5 minutes, then immediately lower the heat to 375 degrees F, without opening the oven. Bake for an additional 14-17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Don't over bake or you'll risk dry muffins.
Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pan and finish cooling on a rack.

Recipe Notes

*These muffins are best on the first day, but can be stored, covered at room temperature up to 3 days. A few seconds of reheating in the microwave will help bring back some moisture.

*You can use all purpose flour instead of whole wheat pastry flour. If you want to use regular whole wheat flour, use half of that and half all purpose.

*You may use sweetened applesauce with no other adjustments; your muffin will be sweeter, but I don't think it will be too sweet. If you're worried about it, you could reduce the brown sugar in the muffin batter by a tablespoon, but I'd try it with no changes first.