Apple Streusel Muffins (Recipe)

 

Ingredients

Muffins:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream

1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted

1 cup finely chopped unpeeled apples

Streusel Topping:

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons margarine or butter

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.  Generously grease 18 muffin cups or line them with paper bake cups; set aside.

2. To make the muffins: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a small mixing bowl, beat the eggs.  Stir in the sour cream and the 1/4 cup melted margarine or butter.  Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture along with the chopped apples.  Stir just until moistened.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups filling them 2/3 full.

5. To make the Streusel Topping: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Using a pastry blender, cut in the 2 tablespoons margarine or butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle a portion of the topping to each muffin.

6. Bake the muffin in the 400° oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the tops are golden.

Tips:

To reduce some of the fat and calories in these muffins, use light sour cream instead of the regular sour cream.

To reheat the room-temperature muffins, wrap one in a paper towel and micro cook on 100% power (high) for 15 to 20 seconds.  To reheat frozen muffins, wrap one in a paper towel and micro cook on 100% power (high) for 30 to 45 seconds.

When making muffins, avoid over stirring after the liquid ingredients are added; some lumps should remain.  If you stir until the batter is smooth, the resulting muffins will have pointed tops, tunnels and a tougher texture.