These savory muffins, reminiscent of bagels (but easier to digest!), have the surprise of a burst of Treeline Chive and Onion Cream Cheese in the middle. Theyre a fantastic accompaniment with almost any type of soup. Recipe by Nava Atlas, TheVeganAtlas.com.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or light spelt flour, or a combination
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 cup plain plant-based milk, or as needed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 12 rounded teaspoons Treeline Chive and Onion cream cheese
• Poppy seeds for topping
• Sesame seeds for topping, optional

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350º F
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir together well.
• Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the applesauce, plant-based milk, olive oil, and poppy seeds. Stir until well combined, adding a bit more plant-based milk if needed to make a smooth, slightly stiff batter. 
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of the batter into 12 paper-lined muffin tins. Place a teaspoon of vegan cream cheese in the center of each. Spoon the remaining batter into the muffin tins, covering the cream cheese completely. Top with a sprinkling of extra poppy seeds, plus some sesame seeds for a nice touch.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden. Remove the muffins from the tins as soon as they’re cool enough to handle, then cool on a rack or a plate.

**Variation: Skip the poppy and sesame seeds and use Everything Bagel seasoning instead.