Fall Challenge #7- Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

Last week for a dessert/breakfast item for the Fall Cooking Challenge I made Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins. Let that amazingness sink in. Pumpkin. Add some delicious apples. Then the streusel topping. That all equals a fantastic muffin that may be my favorite thing yet. I'm pretty sure it was Matt's favorite!


Anyway, the recipe was adapted from here to reduce the fat: source. I also cut the recipe in half so we wouldn't have quite as many muffins.


Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour--- I used whole wheat
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil---I used apple sauce
• 2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apple
•  
• Streusel topping:
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 18 muffin cups or use paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stirring just to moisten. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping evenly over muffin batter.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Oh the sifting begins

Mixing the wet ingredients

Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture

After folding in the apples

Streusel topping

Ready to bake!

And done!

 These go really well with some milk or warm apple cider. I stored mine in the fridge since it had the applesauce and pumpkin in it. I warmed them up in the microwave for about 20 seconds or so, just because we prefer them warm.