Lightened Christmas Coffee Cake (Printable)

Moist festive muffins with cinnamon swirl and crispy streusel topping, lightened for a healthier indulgence.

# 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

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease with nonstick spray.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly incorporated.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk unsweetened applesauce, Greek yogurt, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth and homogeneous.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing to maintain tender texture.
05 - In a small bowl, mix light brown sugar and ground cinnamon to create the cinnamon swirl mixture.
06 - Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter, sprinkle approximately 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon swirl over the batter, then top with remaining batter. Use a toothpick to gently swirl the cinnamon sugar into the batter.
07 - Combine all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in cold diced butter using a fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
08 - Evenly distribute the streusel topping over each muffin prior to baking.
09 - Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.
10 - Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Lighter in calories than traditional coffee cakes
  • Festive cinnamon swirl & crunchy streusel topping
02 -
  • Contains wheat (gluten), eggs, and dairy (milk, yogurt, butter)
  • Check all packaged ingredients for potential allergen cross-contamination
03 -
  • Do not overmix the batter to keep muffins tender
  • Use a toothpick to swirl the cinnamon mixture without blending it completely
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