pumpkin applesauce muffins

Fall is here!  It is my favorite season.  To celebrate, I have been baking these Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins (which may be my kid’s new favorite!).  These moist and scrumptious muffins are super low in sugar, but high in nutritional content with pumpkin, applesauce, cinnamon & fall spices…It’s the perfect treat no matter the season!  These are so good on their own, but if you want to top them with a little something, try pumpkin (pepita) seeds, a light dusting of ground cinnamon, chocolate or white chocolate chips.

1 cup pumpkin puree

½ cup applesauce

¼ cup butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

½ cup brown sugar, packed

1 Tablespoon maple syrup, optional

1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour (I use Glutino)

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ginger

1.)    Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line a muffin tin with muffin cups.

2.)    In a mixing bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, applesauce, melted butter, eggs,    brown sugar and maple syrup.

3.)    Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.

4.)    Mix until combined.

5.)    Evenly divide the batter into 12 muffin tins.

6.)    Optional: top with chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds or a light dusting of cinnamon.

7.)    Bake for 18-22 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

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Cinnamon avocado muffins

A sweet & sneaky (in a healthy & delicious way) to start your day!

Who knew that avocados would be super tasty in baked goods?  Technically they are a fruit, so it only makes sense to add them to baked goods.  Plus with all of their wonderful health benefits (they are loaded with fiber, potassium, Vitamin A and beta carotene), it’s good to sneak them into your meals whenever you can.  Try replacing them in any recipe that calls for sweet potato or banana… just remember that the baked goods will be less sweet (but just as healthy)!

¼ cup of coconut oil (or butter), melted

1/3 cup of honey

1 egg

1 pureed avocado (or mashed sweet potato or banana)

1 cup plain yogurt

2 cups almond flour

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup of mix-ins (chopped walnuts, unsweetened coconut, mini chocolate chips)

1.)    Preheat oven to 350°. 

2.)    Mix together the coconut oil, honey, egg, avocado and yogurt.  Stir until thoroughly combined.

3.)    Add almond flour, cinnamon and baking soda.  Mix until combined.

4.)    Stir in mix-ins.

5.)    Fill 12-14 grease or muffin-lined cups 2/3rds full.

6.)    Bake for 20-25 minutes.

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The chocolatiest chocolate cookies

Do you have someone on your “nice” list that loves chocolate?  If so, we have the yummiest {and chocolatiest, of course!} cookie recipe to bake for them!  Unsweetened chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate is melted and then additional chocolate chips are folded in to make this rich, fudgy cookie!  This recipe can be made with either all-purpose flour or brown rice flour (to make them gluten free)… either way, Oh what fun it is to do holiday baking!

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

3 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup all-purpose flour (or brown rice flour)

½ teaspoon baking powder

1.)    Preheat oven to 350°.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2.)    Place 1 cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips, the unsweetened chocolate and the butter in a small saucepan.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture melts.  Take off of heat and set aside.

3.)    In a large bowl, with electric mixer at high speed, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla for 2-3 minutes.

4.)    In a small bowl, whisk or stir together the flour and baking powder.

5.)    Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and blend until smooth.

6.)    Beat in the flour mixture until blended.  Stir in the remaining cup of chocolate chips. 

7.)    Drop batter onto prepared pan by Tablespoons, about 2 inches apart.

8.)    Bake one sheet at a time, 8-10 minutes, until cookies are puffed and lightly cracked on top.

Optional:  when completely cool, dust with powdered sugar.  Makes approximately 30 cookies

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Pecan Pie Muffins

Rich, buttery, brown sugar deliciousness in a bite!  These decadent little pecan pie muffins are everything that you love about the pie but in a tender mini-muffin.  This recipe is low in sugar and gluten-free… but no one will know it.  It will take you 5 minutes to whip them up and the whole family will love you for baking them.  Even your pickiest eater will love them… at least my super-finicky-little guy did!

2/3 cup butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup brown rice flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

1 cup pecans, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Generously grease mini muffin tin.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix together melted butter, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla.
4. Add brown sugar and mix until well incorporated.
5. Add the brown rice flour.  Mix until just combined.
6. Add the pecans and stir until evenly incorporated.
7. Fill each muffin cup a little over 2/3rds full.
8. Bake for 17-18 minutes, until golden brown.
9. As soon as muffins come out, flip over and tap pan to remove all of them (they tend to stick to the pan).  Place on a cooling rack.

Makes approximately 30 mini muffins.  Recipe can easily be cut in half.

This recipe is low in sugar, but if you would like it a little sweeter, a couple Tablespoons of maple syrup would be a delicious addition.

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banana gingerbread muffins

This delicious muffin is the tastiest gift or treat for the holidays!  The blend of cinnamon, ginger and clove spices is the perfect addition to the sweet banana batter.  Top with a dusting of powdered sugar or our cream cheese glaze.

muffin recipe 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) butter, room temperature
¾ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup banana, mashed (about 2 bananas)
1/2 cup buttermilk
¼ cup molasses

cream cheese glaze
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons milk

for the muffins:
1.) Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12-14 muffin tins with liners (or grease and flour 12-14 muffin cups).
2.) In a large bowl, sift or stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves cardamom and nutmeg. Set aside.
3.) In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar together for two minutes.
4.) Add the egg and beat for one minute.
5.) Beat in the mashed banana, buttermilk and molasses.
6.) Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Beat for 30 seconds, until ingredients are combined.
7.) Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
8.) Bake for 20-23 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the muffin.
9.) When completely cool, lightly dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with cream cheese glaze (optional).

for the glaze:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese and butter for one minute.
2. Add the confectioners sugar and vanilla. Mix until combined.
3. Add the milk, and mix until a smooth consistency (the icing may require an additional ½ - 1 teaspoon of milk to reach drizzle consistency).

mini whole wheat banana walnut muffins

Bananas are my youngest son’s favorite fruit, so we always have plenty of them on hand and that usually means that we also have plenty of ones that browned too quickly.  This recipe is the perfect (and tastiest!) way too use up ripe bananas (by the way, you can freeze ripe bananas...  just peel and place in an air tight freezable container). 

Try swapping out the walnuts with sunflower seeds, raisins or chocolate chips.  These are perfect for breakfast, snacking or packed into a lunch box! 

1 cup whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 large egg

1 large ripe banana  

½ cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), melted

½ cup buttermilk

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Grease and flour or line 24 mini muffin tins with paper liners.
3. In a large bowl; sift or stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
4. In a medium bowl; beat the egg, banana, brown sugar, melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla together.
5. Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Beat for 30 seconds, until ingredients are combined.  Stir in the walnuts.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
7. Bake for 11 to 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a muffin.

What is your favorite way to use up ripe bananas?

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applesauce, carrot & walnut mini-muffins

Muffins are typically little sweet cakes disguised as a nutritional breakfast option… not with this recipe… It’s loaded with natural & nutritious ingredients to make them the perfect breakfast or snack!

I’m always tinkering with ways to make muffins a little bit healthier while still retaining their moist, sweet deliciousness. I think this recipe is win-win… it’s sweetened with maple syrup, loaded with good-for-you foods like organic applesauce, carrots and walnuts and kissed with a little cinnamon and nutmeg!

This recipe can easily be doubled. I love this yield, though... the muffins always get consumed while they are fresh and at their best.

 1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 organic egg
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup organic applesauce
1/4 cup coconut oil* or olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup organic carrots, shredded
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup organic raisins

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a mini-muffin tin with 18 liners or grease and flour 18 mini muffin cups.
2. In a mixing bowl; mix the egg and maple syrup together.  Add the apple sauce, coconut oil and vanilla.  Mix until combined.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg and salt.  Add the flour ingredients to the egg mixture.  Mix until thoroughly combined.
4. Add the carrots, walnuts and raisins.  Mix just until combined.
5. Spoon the batter into the 18 prepared mini muffin cups.
6. Mix together the Tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.  Lightly top each muffin with the sugar mixture.
7. Bake for 11 minutes. 

* coconut oil is usually solid, I sometimes lightly heat the oil for a couple of seconds in the microwave, but I also sometimes put it in solid and let the mixer break it down- whatever you prefer.

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