When these muffins are served warm from the oven, most people would not guess that they contain less than 4 grams of fat. You can substitute up to 2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour for an equal measure of all-purpose flour or use brown sugar instead of sugar. Reduced-fat muffins are prone to toughness unless the batter is mixed minimallyΓÇöwe find a rubber spatula and a folding stroke to be the most efficient. To avoid overmixing when making muffins with berries or other fruit or nut pieces, add the pieces when the dry ingredients are only about two-thirds moistened, then continue to fold until all of the ingredients are moist and the pieces are distributed. Yogurt makes a particularly thick batterΓÇösimply keep folding gently until the flour is moistened. In general, this batter holds its shape when spooned into cups; do not try to spread or smooth the batter evenly in the cups before baking.
Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400┬░F. Grease a standard 12-muffin pan or line with paper cups.
Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 to 2/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda, if using yogurt instead of milk
Add to the flour mixture and mix together with a few light strokes just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix; the batter will be light but fairly stiff and it will not be smooth. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with:
Cinnamon and sugar (optional)
Bake until a toothpick inserted in 1 or 2 of the muffins comes out clean, about 12 minutes (or longer for variations with fruit). Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes before removing from the pan. If not serving hot, let cool on a rack. Serve as soon as possible, preferably within a few hours of baking.