Spiced Apple Muffins

These yummy spicy apple muffins will be a hit with young and older alike!

Muffins are such a warm and welcome treat.

These are rich with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, and moist with raisins and apple chunks.

You can adjust the amount of sugar down a bit if you like or replace part or all with a product like Splenda for a low sugar or sugar free muffin.

Any way you make them this easy muffin recipe is a delicious and healthy treat.

As usual with muffins, don't beat the batter or over mix it.

Muffins come out lighter and fluffier if you just mix the ingredients until they are well combined. Beating the batter will make it tougher.

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch ground nutmeg
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and diced
2/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix well. Stir in apple, raisins, oil and eggs. Stir just until the ingredients are incorporated together. Do not beat. The batter will be stiff.

Fill 12 lightly oiled or paper lined muffin cups. Bake for 35-40 minutes in an oven preheated to 325°F.

Makes 12 muffins.

• I am not a clove lover, so I would cut the cloves to 1/4 teaspoon and add a touch more cinnamon.
• Add nuts for extra crunch and nutrition. I love walnuts in this recipe but you can add chopped almonds or pecans too.Look here to see why walnuts and almonds are so good for us.