Applesauce Muffins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• Apple Cider Applesauce (recipe follows) or 1 1/2 cups store-bought applesauce
• 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 pound juicy apples, such as McIntosh, peeled, cored, and quartered
• 3/4 cup apple cider
• 1 tablespoon sugar, plus more if needed
• Pinch of salt
• (makes 1 1/2 cups)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin and a 6-cup tin with paper liners.
3. Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves together into a medium bowl.
4. Set aside.
5. Put 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, the granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
6. Cream on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
7. Mix in the eggs, 1 at a time.
8. On low speed, mix in the applesauce and then the flour mixture.
9. Stir in the nuts by hand.
10. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
11. Bake until a tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
12. Let cool completely in the tins on a wire rack.
13. Meanwhile, in the clean bowl of the electric mixer, mix the cream cheese with the remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter and 1 cup brown sugar on medium speed until smooth.
14. Spread the cream cheese frosting on the muffins.
15. The muffins can be refrigerated in airtight containers up to 2 days.
16. Bring the apples and cider to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
17. Cover the pan; reduce heat.
18. Simmer until the apples are very soft, about 12 minutes.
19. Stir in the sugar and salt.
20. Cook (uncovered) over medium-low heat until the apples have broken down and most of the liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes.
21. Let cool slightly.
22. Puree in a food processor until smooth.
23. Add more sugar, if desired.
24. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.

flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, salt, freshly ground nutmeg, ground cloves, unsalted butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, apple cider applesauce, pecans, cream cheese, juicy apples, apple cider, sugar, salt

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/applesauce-muffins-393250 (may not work)