I made these a few weeks ago, when I decided it was high time to kick off my fall baking. I had a Granny Smith apple on hand and with only one apple, pie or apple crisp was out of the question, so muffins it was! After surveying the contents of my fridge, I found a bit of leftover buttermilk, and a quick Google search led me to a Martha Stewart recipe that I decided to play around with.
If I'm making "everyday" muffins that I'm not planning to share with friends or guests, I try to err on the side of healthy. For these, I reduced the sugar, used whole wheat flour, and added some flaxseed. I figured they'd be good--aren't all muffins?--but I didn't expect them to wow me. Guess what? They wowed me!
These apple muffins are light and fluffy, with just enough crunch from the apples and walnuts and spice from the cinnamon. I froze my entire batch and would throw a few into my lunchbox to enjoy, thawed the next day, at work. These might be "everyday, healthyish" muffins, but don't let that keep you from sharing these...although I totally understand if you don't want to!


One Year Ago: Tuna and Artichoke Sandwiches
Two Years Ago: Root Beer Float Cake and Bacon Turkey Burgers with Savory Apple Compote
Three Years Ago: Chocolate Chile Nuts and Black Bean and Walnut Salad
Four Years Ago: Magic Cookie Bars and Honey Wheat Sandwich Buns
Five Years Ago: Whole Grain Waffles and Homemade Granola Bars

Apple Buttermilk Muffins

Printer-Friendly Recipe
Ingredients:
-cooking spray
-1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
-1/2 cup ground flaxseed
-2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
-2 large eggs
-1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
-1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Whisk together sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and butter. Gently fold the buttermilk into the flour mixture, just until combined. Fold in the apples and the walnuts.
3. Divide batter among the muffin cups, filling about 3/4ths of the way full. Bake muffins for 16-18 minutes, until browning around edges and springing back when touched. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring out of the muffin tin and onto a wire rack to cool completely.
*I got 12 muffins and a handful of mini muffins out of the batter
*Muffins freeze well

adapted from Martha Stewart