Fat-Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins

The standard fat-free baking swap is applesauce for butter or oil, and it sounds suspicious until you taste what it does to a muffin. Applesauce keeps baked goods moist without adding fat. The natural pectin in the apple acts as a binding agent, holding onto moisture through the baking process and releasing it slowly as you eat. The result is a muffin that stays soft for days without tasting like it's made of sadness.

Apple cinnamon is the natural match for this technique because the flavor of applesauce reinforces the diced apple in the batter and the cinnamon ties everything together into something that smells like a fall morning in the best way. Whole wheat flour adds fiber and a slightly nutty depth that white flour doesn't offer, and it holds up to the dense, moist batter better than you might expect.

At around 180 calories each, these are a legitimate breakfast option, not just a reduced-guilt treat. They pair well with black coffee, they hold up in a lunch bag, and they freeze perfectly so you can make one batch and have breakfast handled for two weeks.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup diced apple, peeled (about 1 large apple; Granny Smith holds its shape well and adds a little tartness, but any variety works)
• Optional: 1/4 cup raisins or walnuts for texture

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray well with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to combine evenly.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the applesauce, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix. A few small lumps are fine. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and produces a dense, tough muffin instead of a light one.

5. Fold in the diced apple (and raisins or walnuts if using) with a few gentle strokes.

6. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Each cup should be about two-thirds to three-quarters full. Level off the tops lightly with the back of a spoon if needed.

7. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. The muffins are done when the tops spring back when you press gently in the center and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean with no wet batter attached.

8. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. They'll be slightly fragile when very hot, so give them a few minutes before moving.

Tips

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. After that, they start to lose moisture. For longer storage, freeze them individually wrapped in plastic, then transferred to a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for an hour or reheat from frozen in the microwave for 45 to 60 seconds.

The brown sugar contributes moisture as well as sweetness because of its molasses content, which is why this recipe uses it instead of white sugar. If you want to reduce the sugar further, cut it to 1/4 cup. The muffins will be less sweet but still good. You can also replace it with coconut sugar one-for-one if you prefer.

For a cinnamon-sugar top that makes these feel a little more like a bakery muffin, mix 1 tablespoon of brown sugar with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter right before the muffins go into the oven. It creates a slightly crackly, sweet crust on top that's a nice contrast to the soft interior.