Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

I am on a serious muffin jag lately. Almost every single muffin recipe I come across makes my mouth water with anticipation. I think I like to trick myself into believing they're somehow a healthy alternative to other baked treats. And perhaps they are (or aren't), but nonetheless I can't stop craving them and making them! I suppose there are worse things?

Now these have got to be of the healthy variety...they're chock full of whole wheat flour and studded with juicy sweet apples. Whatever else they may or may not be, they are most certainly delicious. "MMmmMMMmmmmmmm"uffins!

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

{Recipe source: king arthur flour via smittenkitchen.com-slightly adapted by muah-I opted to use all whole wheat flour instead of half wheat/half white}

2 cups whole wheat flour (or half white/half wheat)

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 T cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed and divided

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk or yogurt

2 large apples, peeled, cored, and rough chopped

Preheat oven to 450. Line 18 muffin cups with liners, sprayed with cooking spray.

Mix together flour(s), baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, set aside. Cream together butter, granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well, stopping once to scrape down sides of bowl. Mix in buttermilk, gently. Stir in dry ingredients and fold in the apple chunks.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin tins, sprinkling with remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. Bake for 10 minutes at 450, then turn heat down to 400 and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool muffins for 5 minutes in tin, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.