Starbucksish Morning Buns

I adore Starbucks' morning buns, they're my morning fuel, but it's not economical for me to stop at Starbucks every morning to get one. Especially since I'll talk myself into a tall Salted Caramel Mocha, the drink of the Gods, as well.

So I set out to find a recipe so that I could eat one (or 12) and save $7. I found one, but then of course I had to tweak it to make it healthier...well as healthy as you can get with a cinnamon sugar topping...
They are amazing if I do say so myself and I not modest, so I do.

Morning buns

1 ½ cups applesauce (I used the applesauce I made so it had cinnamon in it)
1 ¾ cup sugar (I use stevia)
4 large eggs
6 cups flour (I use 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat)
1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 ¾ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 2/3 cups of milk (0% works just as well as 2%)

Here's where I don't skimp on the "baddies", For dipping:
10+ Tbs. butter
2 cups sugar
2 Tbs. ground cinnamon

Heat the oven to 350°F. In a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine applesauce and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until just mixed in. Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Add the milk until just mixed in, the batter will be very thick (if too thick add more milk). Spray standard-size muffin tin. Scoop batter into each tin half full. Bake the muffins until firm to the touch, 30 to 35 minutes.

Melt the butter for the dipping mixture. Combine the sugar and cinnamon. When the muffins are just cool enough to handle, remove them from the tin, dip the tops into melted better and then cinnamon sugar.

Mini muffins: It'll make around 72 mini mounds of goodness. 1 Tbs. of batter in each cup – 14 to 18 minute cooking time.

John and I will take 4 minis each to work every morning. I shove all of mine in my mouth at one time hamster style because they're that good!