Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins have about 2 gram of fiber versus zero to one gram for muffins made from only white flour.

While 2 grams of fiber may not seem like much, these homemade Whole Wheat Apple Muffins also have about one-forth the sugar in most prepared muffins. A large muffin (about 3.4 oz., 95 g) has 11 grams of sugar and 7 grams of added sugar. Super-sized warehouse blueberry muffins (6 oz., 170 g) have 40 grams of sugar.

The sweetness of Whole Wheat Apple Muffins comes from the sugar in apples. For this reason, you can use sweet apples like Red or Golden Delicious, Fuji, or other sweet apples for this recipe. Sweet apples also cook faster than Granny Smith and other cooking apples.

Cook’s Tips

• When using all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, it is important to not over-mix the batter to prevent gluten forming and tough muffins. Pastry flour has less protein producing less gluten. Muffins made with pastry flour will be more tender.
• Over baking also toughens muffins. Check after the minimum cooking time.
• This recipe makes 16 to 18 small muffins.
• Cooled muffins can be frozen in an air-tight freezer container 6 months or more.

Substitutions

Substitute 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of lemon extract if you do not have lemon zest.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose or pastry flour
• 1 cup (130 g) Whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup (25 g) wheat germ
• 1/4 cup (55 g) packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground nutmeg
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) low fat or skim milk
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
• 2 cups (250 g) peeled, cored, and screwed sweet apples (2 small apples)
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) grated lemon zest
• Vegetable cooking spray or paper liners

Method of Preparation