Treat yourself to a healthy and wholesome breakfast or snack with these super delicious, Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

If I have to be completely honest with you, I must say that when these Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins came out of the oven, I was a bit disappointed. So much so, I only took a handful of pictures because I thought for sure that I wouldn’t even bother sharing the recipe. Truth be told, I was a tad disheartened… Oh, not that the muffins weren’t any good, they just weren’t exactly what I had in mind. I was hoping for really bold and super fragrant muffins, in that one could actually, unmistakably taste the sharp cheddar and rosemary in every bite.

Alas! Their flavor came out very good, very apple-y indeed, agreeably sweet but not overly so, slightly salty and tangy too, but their overall fragrance is extremely subtle. Oh, it’s good, real good even. But it’s also very delicate. Not quite what I expected.

To add to my disappointment, I was also hoping for real poof-y, mushroom-top muffins, but these guys came out of the oven almost flat.

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Once the initial disenchantment passed, though, and especially after the muffins had spent an entire night in the refrigerator (surprisingly, they’re MUCH better chilled, really), I decided that the recipe was still very much worthy of sharing. After all, these apple muffins may not have turned out exactly like I’d envisioned, but they were still good enough to completely disappear in just a few days. Not only that, but I now find myself craving more, wanting to make another batch.

And last but not least, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a pretty muffin batter. That alone makes whipping up a batch entirely worth the while, me thinks…

Wouldn’t you agree?

If you ever decide to give them a try, let me know what you think. I sure would love to know your thoughts…

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Before you do anything, preheat your oven to 450°F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3-1/2 cups of grated apples (that’s about 3 large) 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce, ½ cup of buttermilk, ½ cup of liquid honey, ½ cup of avocado puree (that’s about 1 large), 1 tbsp of pure vanilla extract and 3 large eggs.

About the apples, I used gala, but you can use just about any variety, as long as they’re sweet. I think that Granny Smiths and the like might be a bit to tart for this job…

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Mix all the ingredients well with a whisk until all they are evenly combined.

And take a moment to admire the color of this mixture. Isn’t it absolutely gorgeous? I think I want to bathe in this stuff…

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups of whole wheat flour, 1 cup of rolled oats, 3 tbsp of corn starch, 1 tbsp of baking powder, 1-1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (can you believe that this much rosemary ain’t even in your face?!?) and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon.

Mix well with a flat whisk until evenly combined and set aside.

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Add the grated cheese and chopped walnuts to the dry ingredients.

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Mix well until the cheese and nuts are completely coated with the flour. This will ensure that they don’t sink directly to the bottom of the muffins.

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Throw the dry ingredients into the wet…

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

And mix delicately with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just incorporated, no more.

I am still loving the color of this batter so much! So surprisingly green, with pretty little specks of red and dark green. It almost looks Christmas-y!

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Divide the batter equally between the muffin cups; the batter will mound higher than the paper cups, that’s perfectly normal.

If you preferred smaller (and less flat!) muffins, you could also divide the batter between 18 to 24 paper cups, instead. Of course, you’d need to adjust cooking time accordingly.

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Place your muffins in the preheated 450°F oven for 10 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue baking your muffins for another 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are nice and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Let your muffins cool for a few seconds in the pan and then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Honestly, I don’t recommend that you even bother trying one straight out of the oven, but if you think that you might enjoy it, be my guest. If you find yourself not liking them warm, though, don’t despair. I swear, they are MUCH better when chilled. Just put them in the fridge overnight and then give them another try. You’ll see, completely different ball game!

Keep the finished muffins in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze for up to a few months.

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com
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Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Treat yourself to a healthy and wholesome breakfast or snack with these super delicious, Naturally Sweetened Rosemary Sharp Cheddar Apple Muffins
Servings: 12 large muffins

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Add-Ins

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients and mix well with a whisk until all the ingredients are well combined.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix well with a flat whisk until evenly combined; set aside.
  • Add the grated cheese and chopped walnuts to the dry ingredients and mix well, then throw this mixture in with the wet ingredients; mix delicately with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just incorporated, no more.
  • Divide the batter equally between the muffin cups; the batter will mound higher than the paper cups, that's perfectly normal. If you preferred smaller muffins, you could also divide the batter between 18 to 24 paper cups, instead. Of course, you'd need to adjust cooking time accordingly.
  • Place the pan in the 450°F oven for 10 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue baking for another 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are nice and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
  • Let the muffins cool for a few seconds in the pan and then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 46mg, Sodium: 306mg, Potassium: 415mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 180IU, Vitamin C: 4.1mg, Calcium: 120mg, Iron: 1.8mg
Course: Bakery, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Author: Sonia! The Healthy Foodie

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