Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

So my husband and I finally finished off the pumpkin corn muffins (which were yummy by the way).  Then the big decision came on which muffins to make next.  I like baking muffins fairly consistently in the colder weather.  First off, I don't mind having the oven on and second, they are great to grab and go.  With my teaching schedule what it's been recently, having a muffin on hand is mighty convenient.

That all said, I decided to make Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins.  You can follow the link for the original recipe.  Though as usual I made some revisions and gave it my own flair.  By the way, the pictures really don't do the muffins justice... and the streusel topping kinda sank in.  Although, when you bite into this muffin you bite into apple cinnamon yumminess which makes everything else right in the universe...

PUMPKIN APPLE STREUSEL MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 TBL pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 vegetable oil
2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apple

Crumb topping:
2 TBL all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tsp butter


DIRECTIONS:
1... Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease muffin pan or use paper liners.

2... In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, pumpkin and oil.  Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stirring just to moisten.  Fold in apples.  Spoon batter into prepared pan.

3... In a small bowl, mix together 2 TBL flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinking topping evenly over muffin batter.

4... Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Makes 18 muffins

PERSONAL NOTES:
I made quite a few changes to this!  I'm sure the above recipe is wonderful, but I always try to lighten dishes where possible.

To start, I only made half the batch.  After all, what the heck are my husband and I going to do with 18 muffins?!?  We just don't need that many.  I can always make more.

Getting to the recipe; I used Bisquick instead of flour.  Not a huge difference in calories, but still worth it.  Besides, then I didn't have to use baking powder since the pancake mix has it in there.  I used Egg Beaters for the egg and unsweetened applesauce in place of the oil.  Cutting out the oil makes a huge difference!  And the muffins are still fluffy and taste fantastic.

I used a Gala apple. De-lish!

My version made 8 muffins at 195 calories each.  And my apartment smells like warm pumpkins and apples :)