Lightened Christmas Coffee Cake (Printable Version)

Tender, festive muffins with cinnamon swirl and crunchy streusel—lighter in calories with holiday flair.

# What You'll Need:

→ Muffin Batter

01 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
04 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
10 - 1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
11 - 1/4 cup light olive oil or melted coconut oil
12 - 2 large eggs
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - 1/4 cup low-fat milk

→ Cinnamon Swirl

15 - 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Streusel Topping

17 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
18 - 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
19 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
20 - 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly coat with nonstick spray.
02 - Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk applesauce, Greek yogurt, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth.
04 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Mix light brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
06 - Fill each muffin cup halfway, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon swirl mixture, then top with remaining batter. Use a toothpick to gently swirl the batter.
07 - Combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in cold butter using a fork or fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over muffins.
08 - Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Delicious holiday flavor with fewer calories
  • Perfectly tender and festive muffins
02 -
  • Contains wheat gluten dairy and eggs
  • Use paper liners or grease muffin tins to prevent sticking
03 -
  • Do not overmix batter to keep muffins tender
  • Use a toothpick to swirl the cinnamon mixture without blending it completely
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