Healthy Apple Crumb Muffins

Recently, I've been loving creating healthy muffins using a lot of substitutes. All of the muffins I've made lately have NO sugar and NO oil! I'm never too "exact" with my measurements, so I'm basically just trying to get the right kind of consistency instead of worrying about perfect fractions. 

These Healthy Apple Crumb Muffins are really fun to make and SO good - I especially LOVE the streusel topping, which of course, if the most unhealthy part. Go figure...

For the MUFFINS:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. In a large bowl, mix together about 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tbsp baking soda, a pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. 
3. In another bowl, mix together your wet ingredients. I used about 1 cup of applesauce, which is a wonderful substitute for oil! It makes it much healthier. Also, mix in two large green apples, diced into small pieces. Add a splash of vanilla extract.
4. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine until it is chunky. If you need more of anything, go for it!
5. I use an ice cream scooper to fill my muffin trays! Fill them all up, but make sure to leave room for your streusel topping. 

For the STREUSEL: (Optional)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Half a stick of softened butter (I lied - I said my muffins don't have butter - this is the only part that does!)

Mix all of your ingredients together in a bowl. It works best if you're willing to get your hands a little dirty! You'll want it to be crumbly once you're all done with it.

Put your streusel topping on top of the muffin mixture in your muffin pans. Don't worry about patting it down or making it perfect; it will all come together.

BAKE your muffins with streusel topping for about 20 minutes. 

For the GLAZE: (Optional)
Mix about 3/4 cup of confectioners sugar (sifted) and a few teaspoons of maple syrup. *Add the syrup slowly - a little bit makes a BIG difference!

Slowly pour your glaze combination on top of your baked muffins. It will harden and seep into your streusel and be the PERFECT topping to a wonderful muffin!

ENJOY!