The air is crisp, the coffee is hot, and the muffin flavor of everyone’s choice is pumpkin spice! Our Streusel Pumpkin Muffins with Probiotic Glaze Frosting are a fabulous fall-inspired treat. Real pumpkin, Lifeway Pumpkin Spice Kefir, and applesauce add sweetness and fiber, plus the pumpkin purée and Lifeway Farmer Cheese keep these muffins soft and tender without artificial ingredients.
Cultured Dairy: The Nutrition Benefits You Need to Know
With increasing research linking the correlation between probiotics, gut health, and immunity, it’s no secret that the integrity of our gut is vital to our health. Although additional factors such as stress, antibiotic usage, and individual health conditions can contribute to the condition of our gut, a focus on healthy food choices is one of the easiest ways to support the microbiome.
Several studies have shown a strong association between the gut-brain-microbiota. Probiotics introduced to the gut have been found to support immunity, improve allergies, and improve digestion.
Studies have shown that reduced diversity of healthy gut bacteria during early years is associated with an increase in food allergies during school-age years. In addition, kefir made from whole-fat milk helps absorb key nutrients such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamin K is important because it helps your bones absorb calcium. It’s important to know that kefir contains a special trio: vitamin D, K, and calcium – all three crucial elements to support bone health. Lifeway Farmer Cheese is also a great source of all these nutrients, just in a different format for all the cheese lovers out there.
Ingredients
- For the Muffins:
- 1 3/4 cup gluten-free oat flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup unrefined light brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 1/2 cup Farmer Cheese
- 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup Lifeway Pumpkin Spice Lowfat Kefir
- For the Crumb Topping:
- 1/4 cup quick rolled oats
- 1/4 cup oat flour
- 1/4 cup unrefined light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 4 tbsp. butter
- For the Probiotic Glaze Frosting
- 1 cup natural confectioners' sugar
- 1 tsp. pumpkin spice
- 2 tbsp. additional Lifeway Pumpkin Spice Kefir
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- For the Muffins: In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, and Lifeway Pumpkin Spice Kefir until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold everything together gently until combined.
- Fill liners until mostly full.
- For the Streusel topping: Whisking flour, oats, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Mix in the melted butter until crumbs form. Set aside.
- Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until you can pull out a clean toothpick from the center of a muffin.
- Allow the muffins to cool completely in the pan before removing. Then remove from the pan, place on a cool plate or serving dish.
- Mix together all probiotic frosting ingredients until smooth. Top muffins with the probiotic frosting and sprinkle on the streusel topping. Keep leftovers in the fridge if you have any for up to a week.
