Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

How do you name a muffin that tastes like gingerbread and the fall flavors of pumpkin and apple? These Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins are scrumptious, moist and very filling. Perfect with a slab of whipped honey, apple butter or pumpkin butter. Or if you love a bakery breakfast at home, a dreamy companion to a delicious pumpkin spice latte. What really gets rave reviews are the tiny apple pieces that taste perfectly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Personally, I like a muffin you can leave on the counter, not cover and have it taste better than the day you made it. The texture and flavor is amazing the next day! Which means you can make these Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins the night before and expect perfection the next morning after leaving them on a cooling rack.

I’m picturing Sookie from Gilmore Girls delivering a muffin basket with coffee and a side of bribery! If you really are wanting to bribe someone, I suggest adding an authentic streusel topping to your muffins, otherwise, I like using my muesli recipe from last week sprinkled on top for a healthy option.

I have fallen in love with buckwheat. I love that it reacts like gluten in baked goods with a nice puff to them, which I have found is a struggle in gluten-free baking (see my Pumpkin Peanut Butter Pancakes for details on buckwheat). That’s part of the reason why I put so few “baked” recipes up. I actually hold my breath when I bake because I’ve had so many failures. Take out eggs, processed sugar, gluten, and dairy and it’s a whole new ballgame! Some days I want to throw in the towel. I know I’m a bit crazy to expect my baked goods to taste like they came from a bakery with white flour and sugar, but it’s my weakness! My favorite way to make baked goods taste cakey was to add sour cream. It made everything have a cream cheese cakey texture and I loved it! I’m pretty sure pureed soy would do the same thing, but I try not to overdo the soy. I guess what I’m saying is, don’t be afraid to mess up, try new things, or be crazy like me and try to achieve the impossible.

Luckily, even when you are baking healthy, you don’t have to sacrifice flavor for health and nutrition. My biggest secret is to always mix flours and always mix sugars. The more variety you use, generally the more flavorful it is. For example, when you see recipes with brown sugar and white sugar together, sure, you can use just one sugar, but the depth of flavor really does change when you use both. Plus, it almost always tastes lighter and fluffier when you mix multiple flours and sugars.

And the best part about these muffins? You are getting fruits AND vegetables. Wow do I love fall…pumpkin everything!

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