Apple Cranberry Spice Muffin

I am always on the look out for a new and happy muffin recipe.  My littlest, Henry, is a huge breakfast eater.  I like to have a variety of different "healthy" options for him so that he always has some thing a little different available for him.  I stumbled upon a recipe for Cranberry Muffins and decided to change it up a little and add a few things.  I came up with Apple Cranberry Spice Muffins.  I did half of them as "Caramel Apple Muffins" for the older two and half just as the plain muffins.  The top 6 in the picture are the "Caramel" muffins and the other ones in the pic are the regular muffins. 

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil (I used coconut oil)
1 cup sour cream (light works great!)
1 large Granny Smith apple (or other tart variety), peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1.  Heat oven to 400F.  Grease the bottoms only of 12 muffin cups, or use liners. 
2.  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt.  In medium bowl, whisk the honey, eggs, oil and sour cream until well blended.  Add the egg mixture, apples and walnuts (if you are using them) and dried cranberries to the dry ingredients.  Stir just until batter is blended and divide among cups.
3.  Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of one comes out clean.  Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes before removing them.  Makes 1 dozen.

If you choose to do the "Caramel Apple Muffin" addition, the directions for the frosting and toppings are as follows:

Ingredients for toppings
1 pkg cream cheese
4 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
food coloring to make the "caramel" color
chopped walnuts
Popsicle sticks
1.  In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and food coloring until frosting is smooth and creamy. 
2.  Spread frosting on top of each muffin after they are completely cooled. 
3.  Sprinkle walnuts around outer edge of each muffin and place Popsicle stick in the center!
These were a huge hit at our house and have been made many times since the original baking.  Healthy, fun and good for the kids (and adults!) in your house!  Enjoy!