Applesauce Whole Wheat Muffins

Editor's Note: If you have already copied down this recipe, please not the salt was wrong. The correct amount should be 1/2 tsp. salt. It has been corrected below. That is all.

As the virgin Nutrimill homeground wheat recipe extravaganza, this morning I made Whole Hard White Wheat (bought from the good old Church Cannery, in a 25 pound bag) Muffins. These muffins are amazing, and my own recipe, if I must be modest.

My general rule for baking with Whole Wheat is when I want the hearty taste traditionally associated with Whole Wheat - usually in Whole Wheat bread, I use a mixture of half White Wheat and half Red Wheat (both of the hard variety). When I want to approximate white flour, I use White Wheat alone.

I made these Apple Sauce Muffins with White Wheat, although if I had any Soft White Wheat, I would preferably use that. I ground the wheat as finely as possible, although these are also good with a courser grind for a more rustic texture and flavor. Any store bought whole wheat flour will work fine as well.

I love these muffins - they are tender, and made with no oil or butter, so they are healthy too.

Whole Wheat Applesauce Muffins

400 Degree Oven, Makes 12 Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup applesauce

1. Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients.
3. Measure out the milk in a liquid measuring cup. Add the eggs, and beat the eggs lightly.
4. Add the milk/egg mixture, the applesauce, and mix together gently until just moistened - there will be lumps.
5. Fill 12 muffin cups, which have been prepared either with liners or spray oil.
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned.

Notes:
This is an easy weekday breakfast. It takes the same amount of time to make the muffins as preheat the oven, and then while they're baking you can, get dressed, do prep dishes, get your kids up (although to be honest, I didn't get all of this done while baking this morning).

I don't measure out the cinnamon, so this is just a broad guess of what I use. We like these with a lot of cinnamon.

I usually halve this recipe for our family.

These are definitely breakfast muffins - they are not overly sweet and rich, like dessert muffins you buy at Costco.

I plan two each for Avram and I, plus a glass of milk or juice, and fruit or yogurt on the side. For yogurt I buy plain, and we sweeten it ourselves with brown sugar - usually 1 tsp per half cup if there will be fruit added, or more if it will be eaten plain or with a couple drops of vanilla added.

Variations:

Pumpkin
use 1/2 cup pumpkin puree instead of applesauce. Use pumpkin pie spices - nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves. Increase sugar by a couple of tablespoons or more.

Banana
Use 1/2 cup banana puree (made with brown speckled, very ripe bananas) and 1/2 tsp vanilla.

Any of these varieties could have nuts, or struesal topping added, or blueberries or cranberries. Use your imagination!