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Sunflower Seed Apple Muffins

Sunflower Seed Apple Muffins

Sweet, moist muffins with crunchy sunflower seeds – made with ingredients you have on hand: Sunflower Seed Apple Muffins. Plus tips for cooking with kids.

Sunflower Seed Apple Muffins | Teaspoonofspice.com

Sometimes the most brilliant, kids’-play ideas do NOT come from Pinterest.

Instead, they originate from a good old fashioned conversation with a friend in the kitchen. In this case, in order to keep my 3-year and 5-year olds occupied and out of my hair the way of dangerous/hot items, my friend suggested I give them a spoon, whisk and a bowl containing just flour and let them go to town.

Here are the benefits to allowing your kids access to a few kitchen basics:

  • If you start with a real recipe, you may be disappointed when your carefully measured ingredients inevitably end up on the floor.
  • Kids may use their pretend play to be a piece of heavy machinery: Think front-end loader or scoop shovel.
  • Practicing mixing makes a child feel important and younger children love to be just like mommy, daddy or grandma in the kitchen.
  • You can judge how well kids follow instructions so you know they are ready to actually try that real recipe.

Muffin recipes are a great way to start baking with a child (another sign of muffin-baking-readiness: if kids can count and stir 15 times around the bowl, as that is how many strokes I stir muffin recipes when incorporating wet into dry ingredients.)

These Sunflower Seed Apple Muffins are perfect for young bakers because the recipe easily adaptable. Leave out the apples or applesauce if their attention span is running short. Add grated carrots and raisins if it’s not.

Plus, it’s healthy too, including whole wheat flour, 2 whole cups of apples, plus protein-rich nuts or seeds.

For more cooking-with-kids tips when making muffins, see my recipe below.

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Sunflower Seed Apple Muffins | Teaspoonofspice.com

Sunflower Seed Apple Muffins


  • Yield: 18 muffins 1x

Description

Sweet, moist muffins with crunchy sunflower seeds – made with ingredients you have on hand: Sunflower Seed Apple Muffins. Plus tips for cooking with kids.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups shredded (unpeeled) apples (about 3 medium)
  • 1/2 cup roasted (unsalted) sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup natural applesauce (no-sugar added)
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup 1% milk
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with 18 paper muffin cups, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Let child help stir flour in flour canister and then help scoop, measure and level off flour in measuring cup. Let child help measure additional dry ingredients (sugar, soda, cinnamon, salt) into a large bowl and stir carefully with a whisk or fork.
  3. Let child CAREFULLY shred apples on a box grater (teach them how NOT to scrape their knuckles by using LARGE chunks of apple and by NOT getting too close to the scraping holes.)
  4. Add apples and seeds to dry ingredients and have child help mix well.
  5. Measure wet ingredients (oil, applesauce, milk, eggs, vanilla) into another bowl.
  6. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and let child count 15 careful stirs around the bowl to incorporate ingredients just until moistened.
  7. Let child use medium cookie scoop to place even amounts of dough into 18 muffin cups.
  8. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes clean.
  9. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Here are some more muffins recipes to make with your kids:

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins with Vanilla Glaze

Bacon Egg Breakfast Muffins

Peek-A-Boo Muffins

Cinnamon Almond Chia Seed Muffins

Do your kids like to be in the kitchen? What age did they start to help out? What do you like to cook with them – we love to hear from you!

 

Megan

Saturday 16th of March 2019

The muffins were delicious! I subbed a few ingredients (cassava flour, almond flour, coconut sugar, and avocado oil) and it worked really well. I also ground up the sunflower seeds a little so the muffins would turn green for St. Patty’s Day. So fun to make with my kiddo!

Serena Ball

Monday 18th of March 2019

I LOVE this Megan! We do green food here for St. Pat's Day too. But have never used sunflower seeds - will try that for sure. Thanks so much for sharing.

Bean Bytes 64

Monday 19th of January 2015

[…] (Love that YOU control the amount of caramel on yours) Whole Wheat Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread Sunflower Seed Apple Muffins Mini Chicken Pot Pies Shredded Chicken PB & Chocolate Style Sweet Potato & Gruyere Mac […]

Min

Sunday 17th of November 2013

Hehe! This post makes me giggle ^_^. I can't wait to get in the kitchen with my lil ones someday. Sounds like a lot of fun…minus all the mess, of course.

Serena

Sunday 17th of November 2013

Thanks Min! Or your nephew, right? Bet you'll be cooking with him in no time! (:

Clara

Saturday 16th of November 2013

These muffins were yummy!

Serena

Sunday 17th of November 2013

Thanks Clara! (: Glad you liked them...they disappear quickly around our house!

Joanne

Thursday 14th of November 2013

I need to remember this for when my (very) future kids are driving me crazy in the kitchen!! Love the sound of these muffins. The sunflower seeds are such a fun addition!

Serena

Friday 15th of November 2013

Thanks Joanne! It's a promise...kids will drive you crazy in the kitchen...and will make muffins. But when they can make dinner on Saturday all by themselves, it's worth it!

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