Apple-Cinnamon Muffins with Maple Glaze

Like a warm hug, these moist muffins are brimming with classic fall/winter staples: apples, cinnamon and maple syrup. Cozy flavors that make you want to snuggle up to the fire with a good book.  Super easy, ridiculously healthy, and a must for your breakfast/brunch routine.

I'm obsessed with these mini muffins. Just think about the flavors - sweet apples and maple syrup with hints of cinnamon spice in both the batter and the glaze. And they're HEALTHY! You need just 5 tablespoons of butter and the recipe makes 42 muffins. Do the math and that's less than 1 gram of fat per muffin. By subbing applesauce and Greek yogurt for copious amount of oil or butter, the muffins stay lean and you can too.

When I served these to my boys and their friends, one said, "These taste like when you're cold, and then wrap yourself in a warm blanket." Right on Christopher, I couldn't have said it better myself.

I adore mini muffins - you can serve a gazillion people, and/or you can eat a few at at time. That said, if you want to make regular-sized muffins, spoon the batter into a regular muffin pan and increase the baking time to 15 minutes.

Apple-Cinnamon Muffins with Maple Glaze 

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup Greek yogurt
For the glaze: 
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 42 cups of mini muffin pans with cooking spray.
To make the muffins, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well with a fork to combine. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together until blended. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Beat in the applesauce. Beat in half of the flour mixture. Beat in all of the yogurt and then the remaining flour mixture.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, filling each cup about 3/4 full.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean or with little moist bits clinging to it.
Cool the muffins, in the pan, for at least 10 minutes before glazing.
To make the glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and cinnamon. Whisk until smooth. Use a fork to drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins.
Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Makes 42 mini muffins