Weekend Coffeecake Muffins

cup unflavored, unsweetened applesauce

½ cup (about 2 ounces) pecans

¼ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into -inch pieces and softened

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Place a wire mesh strainer over a bowl deep enough to keep the bottom of the strainer from touching the bottom of the bowl and add the applesauce. Set aside.

Place oven rack in center position and heat to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil; set aside.

In a large food processor, pulse-process pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon until nuts are ground, about 10, one-second pulses. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Add flour, granulated sugar, and salt to food processor and process about 5, one-second pulses, or until combined. Distribute butter and ¼ cup drained applesauce evenly over flour mixture and process about eight, one-second pulses, or until butter is oat-sized.

For the streusel: Remove 1 cup flour-butter mixture and, stirring with fork, combine with reserved brown sugar mixture until combined. Set aside ¾ cup of streusel for muffin batter and set aside what remains for topping muffins.

Add baking powder and baking soda to remaining flour mixture in food processor bowl and process five, one-second pulses, or until combined. Whisk together sour cream, egg, and vanilla; add to flour mixture. Process about five, one-second pulses or until batter is just moistened. Add reserved streusel to flour mixture and process with about five, one-second pulses or until streusel is just distributed throughout.

Divide batter equally between muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining streusel, pressing lightly into batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into a muffin's center comes out with several crumbs clinging to it (you do not want it coming out dry), about 18 minutes, rotating pan 180-degrees halfway through. Place a baking pan or waxed paper beneath a wire rack.

Cool muffin tin on wire rack for 2 minutes. Loosen muffins and carefully transfer each one to wire rack.

For the icing: Whisk confectioners' sugar, water and lemon juice in medium bowl until smooth. Spoon 2 teaspoons glaze over each muffin, letting glaze run down muffin's sides.

Serves 12.

@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per muffin: 291 calories (28.8 percent from fat), 9.3 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 49.8 g carbohydrates, 1.1 g fiber, 3.3 g protein, 36 mg cholesterol, 292 mg sodium.