Easy One-Bowl Applesauce Buttermilk Muffins

 

 

There’s something wonderfully comforting about a simple, home‑baked muffin, especially one that fills the kitchen with the warm scent of apples and spice. These Applesauce Buttermilk Muffins are the kind of bake you turn to when you want something wholesome, tender, and not overly sweet — the perfect little treat for breakfast, teatime, or an afternoon pick‑me‑up.

Made with buttermilk for softness and applesauce for natural moisture, they stay beautifully light while still feeling hearty and satisfying. They’re a lovely way to use up a jar of applesauce, and they come together in just one bowl, making them as easy as they are delicious.

 

I had half a jar of applesauce in the refrigerator which needed using up so I decided to make some muffins with it.  Eileen and I both enjoy muffins . . .  perhaps a little too much, but that's okay! Who does not enjoy a fresh muffin with their midmorning hot drink! (Actually I can enjoy a fresh muffin any time!)

This recipe really appealed to me because of the use of buttermilk. I also liked that it didn't use a ton of ingredients or bowls, etc. to put them together. I did make my own apple pie spice for them as it is not something I ever keep on hand. I started making my own spice mixes like this and pumpkin pie spice when I lived in the U.K. as they just were not things that were carried in the shops.  You learn to make do a lot when you live in a foreign country, and actually making your own spice mixes can save you money in the long run, and you know they are fresh.

We were both really pleased with how these muffins turned out. They are a bit more cakey and not as sturdy as muffins usually are, which is okay. I think if you were to use half whole wheat flour they might be less cake-like.  You could also add some chopped toasted nuts and or sultana raisins if you wanted to. I think you could also add some cinnamon chips, but that would carry them into the realm of being cupcakes in my opinion. The buttermilk helps to keep them really moist and they have a lovely spiced flavor from the Cinnamon Spice mix.

If you are looking for a quick and easy muffin recipe that tastes good, then you really can't go wrong with this one. They were really delicious! They would be great in packed lunches as well. A bit healthier than a cupcake.

 

INGREDIENT NEEDED TO MAKE

APPLESAUCE BUTTERMILK MUFFINS

Other than the applesauce and buttermilk, there is nothing too out of the ordinary here. 

• 1 cup (244g) unsweetened applesauce
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup (80ml) neutral oil
• 1/2 cup (95g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup (180ml) buttermilk
• 2 cups (240g) plain all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp apple pie spice (see notes)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• demerara sugar to sprinkle on top

 

NOTES ON INGREDIENTS

• Use unsweetened applesauce if you have it. A smooth applesauce is preferred. If there are large chunks in the applesauce they can leave divots in the tops of the muffins as I discovered. I used a French applesauce and there were some large pieces of apple in it.  Delicious, but not as pretty.
• We buy our eggs locally at a chicken farm. They are free range and organic.
• I use Kirkland brand organic granulated sugar. In the U.K. I would use caster sugar.
• I use ordinary soft light brown sugar. If I was in the U.K. I would use soft light brown Muscovado sugar.
• If you cannot get buttermilk, you can make an easy substitute in one of two ways.  First way: Whisk together 1 TBS of lemon juice or white vinegar and enough milk to give you the amount of buttermilk needed. Leave to clabber for five minutes. Second way: Whisk together equal amounts of whole milk and full fat yogurt or sour cream to give you the desired amount of buttermilk. Again leave for five minutes to clabber.
• You need both baking powder and soda for this recipe because of the acid in the buttermilk. The soda works with the buttermilk to give a better rise.
• I tell you how to make your own apple pie spice in the recipe notes.
• The demerara sugar isn't totally necessary, but adds a nice sparkly topping.

 

HOW TO MAKE APPLESAUCE BUTTERMILK MUFFINS

As with any muffin recipe it is a simple matter of folding wet and dry ingredients together to combine! So long as you don't overmix them, they will come out great! A simple one bowl recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C. gas mark 4. Butter a 12 cup medium muffin tin really well, or line with muffin papers. Set aside. (I like to use papers for any muffin that doesn't contain large chunks of nuts, chocolate chips or raisins.)
2. Whisk the applesauce, egg, oil, granulated and brown sugars, and buttermilk together in a large bowl until well combined. (I use a wire whisk for this.)
3. Sift the flour, soda and baking powder together with the apple pie spice and salt. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients all at once and stir together just to combine. (Sifting the dry ingredients together ensures that the leavening is evenly mixed into the batter.)
4. Divide the batter evenly amongst the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle some demerara sugar on top of each one. (I fill them about 3/4 of the way. Grease the tops of your muffin tin just in case. You don't want them to stick.)
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 25 minutes until risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. They should also spring back when lightly touched. 
6. Leave to cool in the pan for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
7. Store an airtight container or freeze for longer storage. (See how in the hints and tips.)

 

HINTS AND TIPS FOR GREAT MUFFINS

Here are my hints and tips for making sure that your muffins turn out beautifully every time:

1. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately. To prevent the mix from being overworked, first mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl and mix the dry ingredients in another. Make a well in the dry ingredients, carefully pour in the wet ingredients, then stir the mix a couple of times to roughly combine. 

 2. Don't over mix your muffins. The most important rule of muffin making is to not over stir the mix. What you really want is to just moisten the ingredients. Do not stir or beat the batter until it is smooth and lump free. You want the final mix to be lumpy, and thick with a few floury streaks.

 3. Add your flavors last.  While spices should be added with all the other dry ingredients, additions like fruit and nuts should be added last. Give the batter one more light-handed stir once you've added them in just to combine.  

4. Line the pans. You can choose to either grease the muffin tin or line it with paper liners. If you choose to forgo the liners, make sure you grease the base and sides of the cups with oil spray or a little melted butter. If you're not going to eat the muffins for a while, do use paper liners as these will keep the muffins fresher for longer. 

 5. Don't overfill your pans. Aim to fill the cups ¾ full to get muffins with nice round tops and to prevent them from spilling out over the top of the cups.  Often if your tins are over filled the muffins will rise to the top and then collapse on themselves.

 6. For extra interest, add a flavorful sprinkle on top.  Once the muffin cups are all filled, you can choose to sprinkle the tops with more fruit, nuts or a crumble topping, even sanding sugar or cinnamon sugar, for even more taste and or crunch. As the muffins rise these toppings will cook into the tops of the muffin.  

7. Protect your baking pan.  If there isn't enough batter to fill all the cups, half fill the empty ones with water. This will help the muffins bake evenly and will help to protect your pan from buckling. 

8. Cooling them down. Once you remove the muffins from the oven, let them sit in their pan for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack. This is especially important for muffins that aren't in a paper liner, as it will help them from falling apart. However, remove them after five minutes otherwise you risk them going soggy as they cool in the pan. 

9. Freeze extras for later. Muffins freeze beautifully, so if you can't enjoy them all on the day they're baked, wrap them in plastic wrap  tightly,  and put them in the freezer for later. They will keep for about 3 months and reheat wonderfully in the microwave for about 30 seconds on high from frozen. 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CAN THESE MUFFINS BE MIXED TOGETHER AHEAD OF TIME?

If you like you can mix together the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately, ready to mix together when you are ready to bake them. The dry ingredients can be kept in a bowl, covered on the countertop. The wet ingredients should be kept in the refrigerator, covered. Bring them to room temperature before mixing and baking. I would not do this more than 24 hours ahead of time.

CAN I CUT THIS RECIPE BE HALVED?

Yes, you can absolutely cut the recipe in half.  Simply divide all of the ingredients by two. You can beat the egg together and use just half of it, or use a small egg. You will need a six cup muffin tin. Bake times will remain the same.

CAN THESE BE FROZEN ONCE BAKED?

Yes, these can be frozen after baking. Simply wrap  each muffin individually in some cling film and then place them all into a zip lock baggie or freezer container, label and date.  That way you can take out as many or as few as you wish to eat. You can thaw them on the countertop for several hours, or you can gently reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds on high. You can freeze them for up to three months, properly wrapped.

HOW LONG WILL THESE MUFFINS KEEP ONCE BAKED?

These muffins are best eaten on the day as they are relatively low in fat. but you can keep them in an airtight container for two to three days. For longer storage, I recommend freezing them.

 

A FEW OTHER MUFFIN RECIPES TO ENJOY

Here are a few other muffin recipes that you might also enjoy!

SPECIAL K BREAKFAST MUFFINS - These are the PERFECT breakfast muffins. Quick and easy to make. Delicious. I highly recommend. Simple and filled with fiber. You can use ordinary Special K cereal, or you can be a bit more extravagant and use one of the varieties which contain fruit.  This recipe makes half a dozen fabulous muffins. 

GINGERBREAD MUFFINS - I am a hug fan of gingerbread anything. I think gingerbread is probably one of my favorite things to bake and eat! They are moist and delicious with a lovely crumb and beautiful ginger/cinnamon flavor. The recipe makes a full batch of 12 fabulous muffins!

 

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Yield: one dozen medium muffins

Author: Marie Rayner

Applesauce Buttermilk Muffins

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Quick, easy, one bowl muffin recipe for muffins that always turn out moist and delicious!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (244g) unsweetened applesauce
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup (80ml) neutral oil
• 1/2 cup (95g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup (180ml) buttermilk
• 2 cups (240g) plain all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp apple pie spice (see notes)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• demerara sugar to sprinkle on top

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C. gas mark 4. Butter a 12 cup medium muffin tin really well, or line with muffin papers. Set aside.
2. Whisk the applesauce, egg, oil, granulated and brown sugars, and buttermilk together in a large bowl until well combined.
3. Sift the flour, soda and baking powder together with the apple pie spice and salt. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients all at once and stir together just to combine.
4. Divide the batter evenly amongst the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle some demerara sugar on top of each one.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 25 minutes until risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. They should also spring back when lightly touched.
6. Leave to cool in the pan for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
7. Store an airtight container or freeze for longer storage.

Notes

Make Your Own Apple Pie Spice: Mix together 1/4 cup ground cinnamon, 1 TBS ground allspice, 2 tsp ground nutmeg, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cardamom. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months

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