Brown Butter Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Pecan Streusel

Ingredients

For the Topping & Streusel:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup finely chopped raw pecans
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Wet Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup salted butter
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Mix-ins:

• 1 medium Honeycrisp apple (or another firm, sweet apple), peeled, cored, and chopped into ¼-inch pieces (about 1 cup)

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan:

   • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
   • Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners and spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Make Streusel Topping:

   • In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
   • Add in the melted butter and stir until the mixture resembles clumps of wet sand.
   • Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Brown the Butter:

   • In a large saucepan, melt ⅓ cup butter over medium heat. Stir constantly as it melts, foams, and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma.
   • Remove from heat and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

4. Combine Wet Ingredients:

   • In a large bowl, whisk together the applesauce, eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.

5. Mix Dry Ingredients:

   • In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.

6. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:

   • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
   • Stir in the browned butter and fold in the chopped apples.

7. Assemble Muffins:

   • Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin liners.
   • Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over each muffin.

8. Bake:

   • Bake for 23-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
   • Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

9. Serve & Store:

   • Enjoy the muffins warm, with butter if desired.
   • Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes:

• Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.
• Dairy-Free: Substitute vegan butter, but do not attempt to brown it.
• Hearty Option: Use up to ¾ cup of white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour in place of all-purpose flour.