Apple Cinnamon Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Mini Muffins

Kindi Lantz December 12, 2019

Gluten Free Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Muffins

Cream cheese cookies are such a delight at this time of year—a delectable treat, without being overly sweet. Still, at this time of year, cookies are around every corner, so I wanted to try something a little different with my holiday baking. I figure, if cream cheese and peanut butter are good in cookies, they would probably be a welcome surprise in muffins. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have a little protein to balance out the sugar. 

I didn’t stop there, though! I added applesauce and Ceylon cinnamon to give these muffins a little perk and made them gluten free so I could bring plates full to all of my neighbors and no one would be left out. 

I admit it can be a little tricky to get an end product that doesn’t crumble with gluten free baking. That’s not the case with these little delights, though. The combination of applesauce, cream cheese, and peanut butter and a few extra egg yolks ensures a moist and fluffy end product!

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Apple Cream Cheese Mini Muffins

Ingredients

• 4 ounces of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla powder
• ½ cup applesauce
• 1 egg and 3 egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons Ceylon cinnamon powder
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• Cinnamon/Sugar mixture for top 

Procedure

1. Preheat your oven to 350 ℉
2. Mix together your flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and set aside
3. Mix the cream cheese until no lumps remain.
4. Add the peanut butter, applesauce, and brown sugar to the cream cheese and mix to combine. 
5. Whisk together your vanilla powder, eggs, and egg whites and slowly incorporate them into the mixture.
6. Add the dry ingredients a few tablespoons at a time and mix together. 
7. Place your cinnamon/sugar mixture on a plate. To up your muffin game a bit, use this homemade vanilla sugar in place of regular granulated sugar. 
8. Grease a mini muffin tin with coconut oil and use an ice cream scoop or two spoons to fill each compartment ¾ of the way up. Slightly smooth the tops with the back of a spoon and sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture on top.
9. Bake the muffins for 10-15 minutes. Poke with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. If it does, it’s time to pull them from the oven. 
10. Let cool for a few minutes before sinking your teeth into one of these delights. 

Serving Suggestions

Serve in the morning alongside a cup of coffee, pop a couple as an afternoon snack, or pile them on a holiday plate and give as gifts!

You can definitely use the more common, Cassia cinnamon, for these muffins. Why would you want to, though, when you can improve every bite with the one true cinnamon—Ceylon. Find the highest-quality Ceylon cinnamon quills and powders here.