Maple Cinnamon Apple Oat Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced apples (about 1 medium apple)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the cups.
2. In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk well to evenly distribute the dry ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, applesauce, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together with a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender.
5. Fold in the diced apples until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
7. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chef tips

• For a sweeter muffin, drizzle a little extra maple syrup on top of the batter before baking.
• Use tart apples like Granny Smith for a nice contrast to the sweet maple syrup or sweeter apples like Fuji if you prefer a sweeter muffin.
• If you don’t have Greek yogurt, sour cream or full-fat plain yogurt can be used as a substitute.
• To reduce prep time, use finely chopped apples or grate the apple to distribute the sweetness more evenly.