Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins with Maple Cream Glaze

Celebrating the first week of FALL calls for something baked. And pumpkin. And apple. And spice. Combining all of those flavors into a muffin seemed like the perfect way to start the season off!  And if quick and easy is front and center in your mind when we talk baking, this is your recipe. Thirty minutes, including bake and glaze start to finish. I almost forgot, one bowl. You can't beat that for simple and homemade. Remember kids, I'm over 50 now and try now and then to cut fat when it doesn't mean I have to compromise taste.

I used my reserve of homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice (make some now and put it away so you'll have it on hand for holiday baking) in this recipe, but you can also use store bought pp spice. I had homemade applesauce on hand as well, which I used in this recipe. I'll be doing a tutorial on homemade applesauce soon. So simple and fresh and a perfect addition to my pumpkin muffins. Using 1/2 cup of applesauce allowed me to only use 1/2 cup of oil and eliminate solid fat (butter) without giving up flavor.

I know you are going to love ABK's Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins with Maple Cream Glaze. They are so simple to make and are the perfect start to a fall brunch or a kid approved after school snack.
Happy baking!

Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins with Maple Cream Glaze
A Bountiful Kitchen

3 eggs
15 oz can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) I like Libby's brand
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce, any type I used homemade
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (add an additional teaspoon if you like more spice)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Maple Cream Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream (half and half or milk will also work)
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring or Mapeline or 1 teaspoon maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring

Set rack in middle of oven and heat oven to 400 degrees.
Beat the eggs, oil, applesauce together in the bowl of a mixer. Add the sugar and blend well.
Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and powder, salt. Mix gently or on low speed just until the flour disappears.
Line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease with cooking spray.
Scoop the batter (it will be thick) into each muffin cup until the cup is almost full (about 1/4 inch to the top) I use a 2 1/2 inch scoop filled. I get about 20 muffins total.
Bake at 400 for about 15-17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, or the muffin springs back when touched lightly.
Remove and let cool.
Meanwhile, combine all glaze ingredients in a medium size bowl and whisk until smooth. Add a tablespoon of cream or milk until smooth and able to drizzle. I scoop the glaze into a small Ziplock sandwich bag and snip off a tiny bit of the end of the bag and drizzle over the top of the muffins after they are cooled a few minutes.

Tips:
-If you like chocolate chips in your muffins, add the chocolate chips about 1 1/2 cups to the flour (dry) mixture. Coating the chocolate with flour and other dry ingredients will help prevent the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of the muffins!
-I like the cupcake liners shown above. They are very sturdy and do not let grease bleed through when baking. I find mine at cooking stores, Harmons, and also sometimes at discount stores such as TJ Maxx or Homegoods. You may also use standard baking liners found at all grocery stores in the baking aisle.

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Fresh Blueberry and Greek Yogurt Muffins

To celebrate the 7 year Blogiversary of A Bountiful Kitchen, I gave away 2 gift cards to William Sonoma on my Instagram page this week! The winners are:

@Sundanceshan (Shannon Holley) and her friend @laurie_03g whom she tagged! 
Please email me at : Fostersi at msn dot com to claim your  Williams Sonoma giftcards. 
You have 24 hours to claim the prize. Thanks to everyone who entered! 

I was having a discussion with my food-loving blogging daughters, Corrine and Brookie last week about good muffins and how difficult  it is to find a place that makes good muffins.  You know, not muffins from a mix, purchased from a food supplier.  We are talking home made muffins. The thought of purchasing one of those muffins from a mix makes me want to open my own little place! Here's my daydream... Open a place in Bountiful. Breakfast and lunch. No set menu. Biscuits, muffins,  home made lemon ricotta pancakes. Breakfast casseroles. A salad of the day. Soup of the day. Cookies, brownies, cake, pie.  Maybe a sandwich or two. Doesn't that sound dreamy?! Fountain Diet Coke with lots of fresh lemon and lime and PELLET ICE.  I would do almost anything for unlimited pellet ice.

The only problem- I don't want to be married to a business. So I'll just keep blogging in my Bountiful Kitchen.  And dreaming of my little shop. :)

Here's my latest creation, inspired by a few recipes I found on Pinterest! If you're looking for recipe inspiration, Pinterest is a great place to formulate meal plans, plan showers, luncheons, even Sunday dinner. I changed the recipes I found to cut the butter out ( my attempt at healthier eating).

I've found the butter won't be missed in most muffin recipes and the texture is hardly changed. I love the faint coconut scent when using coconut oil! Fresh blueberries are found everywhere right now, but frozen can be used in this recipe as well.
Hope you're enjoying the last few weeks of summer!

Fresh Blueberry and Greek Yogurt Muffins
A Bountiful Kitchen

3 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
8 oz Greek yogurt, plain or vanilla flavored ( I prefer plain) or you may use traditional yogurt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries or other berries

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees and place rack in center of oven.
Generously grease a 12 cup muffin tin, or use cupcake liners.
In bowl of a mixer, place oils and sugar. Mix for about 1 minute until sugar and fats are incorporated. Don't worry if the coconut oil is still visible in small pieces, it will melt when cooked.
Add eggs, beat for another minute or until incorporated. Mix in the yogurt until blended well.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt all at once. Mix just until flour disappears, about 15-30 seconds on low.
Fold in the berries using a large spoon or spatula.
Using a scoop, evenly distribute the batter into muffin cups. When scooping, generously scoop the batter. The scoop swill be heaping.
Place in oven, bake at 375 for about 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let sit on counter and cool for about 10 minutes, then remove from pan. Freeze any leftovers for a quick breakfast on a busy morning!

Tips:
-Do not be alarmed, the batter is very thick, similar to cookie dough batter.
-Do not over mix the batter and especially make sure to FOLD in the fruit so it will not get crushed before baking.
-Use fresh fruit such as blueberries, blackberries, marionberries etc. If you are using frozen fruit, do not thaw before baking. Take from freezer measure and fold into batter.

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