1/4cup(4 tablespoons) butter, softened, or vegetable or canola oil
1/3cupplain yogurt or light sour cream
1/3cupgranulated sugar
1/3cuppacked light brown sugar
2large eggs
2cupswhole wheat flour
1 1/2teaspoonscinnamon
1/2teaspoonnutmeg
1teaspoonbaking soda
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/2cupunsweetened applesauce
1/3cupapple cider
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1cuppeeled, cored and chopped apple
Cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Set aside.In a large bowl (or the bowl of an electric stand mixer), beat together the butter, yogurt and sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter. Mix until just combined. Mix in the applesauce. Stir in the apple cider and vanilla. Gently fold the apples into the muffin batter. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups (fill about 1/2 to 2/3 full – use another muffin tin if you have extra batter).
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the muffins rest in the pan for about 5 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
-I have made these with several variations, canola oil in place of butter. In place of the yogurt, light sour cream. Instead of plain yogurt, I like to use vanilla flavored yogurt. Instead of half white and half brown sugar, you may use all brown, or all white.