Apple-licious Spelt Muffins: A Cozy Vegan Delight

Hey there, fellow food lovers! As the leaves turn golden and the air gets crisp, my kitchen transforms into a haven of warm, comforting scents. And what’s more comforting than a freshly baked muffin, especially when it's packed with the goodness of apples and autumn spices?

This time, I’m sharing my secret for creating the most incredibly moist and flavorful vegan apple muffins using spelt flour. They’re not just delicious; they're also a healthier option, being oil-free and refined sugar-free. Perfect for those cozy afternoons with a cuppa!

Why You'll Love These Muffins

• Super Moist: Thanks to a generous helping of grated apples, these muffins boast a wonderfully moist crumb that stays delicious for days.
• Bursting with Flavor: The blend of cinnamon and cardamom creates a warm, inviting aroma and taste that screams 'autumn'.
• Healthy-ish: Made with spelt flour, and without refined sugar and oil, these muffins are a guilt-free treat.
• Easy Peasy: They come together in just one bowl, making the cleanup a breeze. Perfect for busy bees!

Key Ingredients & Why They're Awesome

• Apples: The real star of the show! I'm using a good amount of grated sweet eating apples to give these muffins their signature moist texture and flavor.
• Vegan Yogurt: Adds extra moisture and a slight tang. You can use your favorite thick vegan yogurt, but adjust the water if using a thinner one.
• Spelt Flour: Provides a lovely nutty flavor and makes them a little more wholesome. Feel free to use wholemeal wheat flour, but keep an eye on the baking time!
• Autumn Spices: A mix of cinnamon and cardamom not only give these muffins their lovely fragrance, but also help with digestion, making these a truly wonderful snack.
• Nuts & Raisins: I love the added texture from chopped walnuts and raisins, but pecans or cranberries would work wonderfully too.

Baking Tips for Muffin Perfection

• Grate, Don't Peel: There’s no need to peel the apples—just core and grate! A food processor with a grating disc makes this a snap, but a hand grater does the job just as well.
• Fold Gently: Don’t overmix the batter after adding the flour. Use a gentle folding motion to keep them light and fluffy.
• Make it Gluten Free: For a gluten-free version, simply swap the spelt flour for oat flour, reduce the apples slightly, add some flax seed and extend the baking time. Details in the recipe below!

Let's Get Baking!

Here's the recipe for these delightful apple muffins. I hope they bring as much joy to your kitchen as they have to mine.

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• 400g (14 oz) coarsely grated sweet apples
• 240g (1 cup) thick vegan yogurt
• 60g (1/4 cup) neutral-tasting oil (or more yogurt for oil-free)
• 140g (scant 3/4 cup) demerara sugar (or coconut sugar)
• 10ml (2 tsp) lemon or lime juice
• 8ml (1 1/2 tsp) vanilla extract (optional)
• 60ml (1/4 cup) water

Dry Ingredients

• 220g (7.75 oz or 2 cups) wholemeal spelt flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon + 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp baking soda (GF certified if needed)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (GF certified if needed)

Optional Extras

• 50g (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts or pecans
• 50g (1/4 cup) raisins or cranberries
• Apple slices, for decoration

Instructions

1. Preheat: Set your oven to 180°C / 355°F. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Prep the Apples: Coarsely grate the apples using a food processor or hand grater.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together vegan yogurt, oil, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and water. Stir until well combined.
4. Add Apples: Fold in the grated apples until the mixture is uniform.
5. Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually fold in the spelt flour (in two batches), salt, spices, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix until just combined.
6. Add Extras: Gently fold in chopped nuts and raisins (or cranberries).
7. Fill Muffin Cases: Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin holes. Decorate with apple slices, if desired.
8. Bake: Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Cool: Let the muffins cool completely before removing them from the tin and enjoying. Store in an airtight container in the fridge to keep them nice and moist.

Gluten-Free Option:

• Reduce grated apple to 350g (12.3oz).
• Use 220g (7.75oz / approx. 2 cups) oat flour instead of spelt flour.
• Add 15g (2 tbsp) of ground flax seeds to the water in the recipe and let it sit for 10 minutes before adding to the batter.
• Extend the baking time by 10 minutes.

Enjoy these delightful muffins! Don't forget to share your creations with me - I love to see how they turn out!

Happy Baking!

#lazycatkitchen #vegan #muffins #healthy #apple #autumn