Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins

Rejoice it's September and not too early to start baking "all things pumpkin"! 

Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins with Maple Cream Glaze is a sure winner for any time of the day. These muffins are easy, moist, no mixer needed, and absolutely delicious. They are hearty and healthy enough for breakfast, snacks, or really any time of the day. Consider the option of making healthier choices like leaving off the glaze or replacing some of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Though I need to go on record this maple cream glaze is intensely delicious and pairs perfectly with the spiced pumpkin-flavored muffins. The glaze would be a great topping for a spice apple walnut cake too.

The following recipe makes 16 regular-sized muffins and was adapted from melskitchencafe.com
Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 1-1/3 cups canned pumpkin puree, not pie filling
• 1/2 cup neutral flavored oil (like canola, vegetable, avocado)
• 1/2 cup no-sugar-added applesauce
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2- 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1-3/4 cups white flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour)
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons Saigon cinnamon or 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Optional add-ins 1/3 cup chopped walnuts and/or 1/3 cup raisins

Maple Glaze:

• 1 cup (4 ounces) powdered sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon maple extract or 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two standard muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, oil, applesauce, and sugar.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined (don’t over mix or the muffins may be dense and kind of heavy).
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin tins, filling the cups about 3/4 of the way full.
• Bake for 15-16 minutes until the top of the muffins spring back to the touch and/or a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
• Remove from the muffin tin to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• For the glaze, whisk together the glaze ingredients, starting with the lesser amount of cream and adding more as needed to make a pourable, but still thick, glaze.
• Drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins with a spoon or fork and ENJOY!