James's favorite nursery rhyme is The Muffin Man, perhaps because he is, himself, a little muffin man.

One of his favorite requests in the kitchen is to make muffins. Most muffin recipes seem like a variation on a theme ... here's a recipe I came up with that we enjoy. (Note: These muffins are not very sweet.)

Cream:
1 stick of butter, softened (or 1/2 cup of coconut oil)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (we used dark brown)

Add:
1 egg

Mix to combine.

Add:
1 cup applesauce
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Mix to combine.

Sift together:
2 cups flour (I like a combination of white and whole wheat; something like 1 1/4 cups white and 3/4 cup whole wheat.)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Add dry ingredients to wet; stir until just combined.

Add:
1/2 cup chopped nuts (we like almonds) -- optional, but recommended

Fill greased or lined muffin tins about 3/4 full. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Serve warm, smeared with butter. For a special treat, you could also sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar when they're still hot.

uncommon grace