Spiced apple & cream cheese muffins

Use your favourite combo of seeds to sprinkle over these muffins. I like a mixture of linseeds (flax seeds), sunflower seeds and pepitas (pumpkin seeds). The muffins are best straight from the oven, but reheat quite well in the microwave. For a little extra indulgence, enjoy with a spoon of butter and jam.

Spiced apple & cream cheese muffins Credit: Chris Middleton

• makes

  12

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) plain (all-purpose) fl our
• 100 g (3½ oz/²⁄³ cup) wholemeal (whole-wheat) fl our
• 55 g (2 oz/¹⁄³ cup) dextrose
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 large apple (about 200 g/7 oz), cored and chopped with skin on
• 150 g (5½ oz) cream cheese, roughly chopped
• 2 eggs
• 250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) buttermilk
• a mixture of your favourite seeds, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (fan-forced). Lightly grease a 12-hole 80 ml (2½ fl oz/¹⁄³ cup capacity) muffin tin or line with paper cases.

2. Sift the flours, dextrose, baking powder and spices into a bowl. Return the husks from the wholemeal flour to the sifted mixture, then mix in the apple.

3. Mash and stir the cream cheese and eggs together with a whisk until roughly combined. (There will be small lumps of cream cheese remaining, which is what you’re after). Whisk in the buttermilk, then pour into the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon until just combined. Do not over-mix.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared tray and sprinkle with the seeds.

5. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until muffins spring back when lightly pressed. Remove from the oven and cool for 2 minutes in the tin before carefully removing to a wire rack.

6. These muffins are best served warm from the oven, however, they will keep for 2–3 days in an airtight

container in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving.

Recipe and image from Incredible Bakes That Just Happen to be Refined-Sugar Free by Caroline Griffiths (Smith Street Books, $39.99 hbk).

View more refined sugar-free recipes from Incredible Bakes here.

View our Readable feasts review and more recipes from the book here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.