Applesauce Spice Muffins

These moist, spice-flavored muffins are a cinch to whip up and make a nice breakfast treat or after-school snack. I love the muffin’s light nutmeg flavor and simple, old-fashioned goodness. Yumm!

I didn’t have fresh nutmeg so I used regular ol’ jarred ground nutmeg. Enjoy!

Applesauce Spice Muffins

-recipe from Gourmet Magazine, November 2003

Yield: Makes 12 muffins

For muffins:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup pecans or walnuts (3 1/2 ounces), coarsely chopped

For topping:

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Special equipment: a muffin pan with 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Grease muffin pan.

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until combined well, then add butter, a little at a time, whisking until mixture is creamy. Stir in applesauce, then fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened. Stir in nuts and divide batter among muffin cups.

Stir together all topping ingredients and sprinkle on top of muffins. Bake until muffins are puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then remove muffins from pan and cool slightly.

Cooks’ note: Muffins, cooled completely, keep in an airtight container at room temperature 1 day.