Apple Streusel Muffins

Food makes anything better- that is a fact. From stress to grief to anxiety to fear, food definitely makes everything better. It may not solve anything, but there is something about food that comforts and satisfies your soul.  Do I get an AMEN to that?

Based off of this fact, I baked a batch of Apple Streusel Muffins to take along with me to visit my dear friend Shannon who had surgery on her foot last week. I am proud to say that she devoured the muffins and her foot miraculously stopped hurting... well not quite but I'd like to think these muffins helped her along her journey to recovery.If anything, they told her I care.

Moist and massively impressive these muffins are even better than the ones you get along with your morning coffee at Starbucks. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups peeled and diced granny apples (I used about 2 to get 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Lightly dust the muffin cups with flour, shaking out the excess.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and diced apples. Gently toss to combine.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla. Gently stir into the flour mixture until blended. Spoon batter into prepared tin, dividing evenly among muffin cups.

4. For the topping, mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and toss with a fork until it resembles coarse crumbles. Sprinkle mixture over tops of muffins.

5. Bake for 23-35 minutes, until the muffins spring back when gently pressed. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan and placing on a wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins.

Recipe courtesy of Bite Me by Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat.