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Applesauce Muffins

Martha Stewart Living, October
  • Yield Makes 18
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups store-bought applesauce
  • 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin and a 6-cup tin with paper liners. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves together into a medium bowl. Set aside.

  2. Put 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, the granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs, one at a time. On low speed, mix in applesauce and then flour mixture. Stir in nuts by hand.

  3. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in tins on a wire rack.

  4. Meanwhile, in the clean bowl of electric mixer, mix cream cheese with remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter and 1 cup brown sugar on medium speed until smooth. Spread cream-cheese frosting on muffins.

Cook's Note

Muffins can be refrigerated in airtight containers up to 2 days.

Recipe Reviews

  • Jennifer Sherman
    5 Oct, 2012

    I only used 1/2 cup granulated sugar in the muffin part of the recipe. I also subbed brown rice flour for all-purpose flour, neufchatel cheese for cream cheese and only 2/3 cup brown sugar for the frosting. The muffins were still sweet enough. My kids loved them.

  • bebemom
    22 Oct, 2011

    These muffins are great! The cream cheese, brown sugar and butter frosting is the best, ever! Whenever I make these I always have someone ask for the recipe. These are my fall favorites!

  • maeli
    21 Sep, 2011

    muffins apple

  • lcastill
    28 Jul, 2009

    Why does the recipe specify store-bought applesauce?

  • k_brown_dunn
    5 Oct, 2008

    These are excellent. The perfect Autumn treat, with all of the seasons flavors...cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. And the icing is great I had enough to ice a snack cake as well.

  • poohbear1125
    2 May, 2008

    can you change the recipe for a diabetic?

  • jacseamit
    7 Apr, 2008

    Nutritional info, please?