Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Sweet and full of seasonal flavors, these Apple Cinnamon Muffins are perfect Fall treat. These muffins are loaded with fresh apples and beautiful warm spices. Made with simple but wholesome ingredients, without refined sugars, these apple muffins are equally healthy and delicious. 

And here it is. Another apple recipe. Well, what can I say? I'm obsessed with apples lately. They are now in season, juicy and beautiful. With their gorgeous colors and super sweet, who can resist them. I certainly can't.

Apples are on my menu for past few weeks. I love having Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal or Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats for breakfast. But I also enjoy fresh apples as a midday or late-evening snack. With so many apples going on in my life right now, I can only promise to bring you more apple recipes in days to come. Because ... well, why NOT!?

This Apple Cinnamon Muffins recipe is currently a huge hit in my house. We all love these apple muffins because they are soft, flavorful and honestly so darn GOOD! Topped with cinnamon and fresh apples, beautifully flavored with warm Fall spices, these apple muffins are just gorgeous. And to make them you will need only a few simple pantry WHOLESOME ingredients.

Ingredients used

These muffins call only for simple ingredients. You probably have everything you need in your pantry already to make these healthy muffins!

• FRESH APPLES: Apples are definitely a star in this recipe. You can use any type of apples you like or have at hand. When you bake apples they become softer and sweeter, so whichever type you choose, it will be perfect. 
• WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR: I used whole grain spelt flour, but you can use whole wheat flour. Whole grain flour added more nutrients to these muffins but also contributed to overall rustic taste. 
• SWEETENER: I used pure maple syrup, but you can easily use honey here if you like. Sirup gave subtle sweetness yet didn't overload muffins with much sweet sugar calories. 
• APPLESAUCE: Applesauce gave moisture and sweetness. It's basically pureed cooked apples. You can make it yourself at home or grab the jar from the store. Just read the labels and buy one without added sugars.
• SPICES: I used warm, fall-inspired spices – Ceylon cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice to spice these apple muffins. 

Other pantry ingredients you’ll need:

• Eggs – I used free-range, pasture-raised.
• Salt – I like to use Himalayan salt.
• Vanilla extract
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Coconut oil 

How to make Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Making these apple cinnamon beauties are no brainer really. As for the equipment, you'll need measuring cups, mixing bowl, whisk and spatula. + Muffin tin and some paper muffin liners. 

• Start with preparing and measuring all ingredients using measuring cups. Melt coconut oil and let it cool for few minutes on room temperature. Wash and and core the apples, then chop into small dice (I don't peel the apples, but you can if you like).
• Preheat oven to 350 F (178C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use muffin liners.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices together in a bowl until everything is nicely combined.
• In a separate large bowl whisk the eggs with coconut oil, syrup and vanilla extract. Mix everything with the whisk until you get nice sticky mixture. Add in applesauce. Mix again until combined. 
• Add flour mixture into wet ingredients. Stir the batter few times using a spatula. Add in diced apples. Fold everything together gently.
• Spoon the batter into liners, filling them ¾ full. Light sprinkle with cinnamon and coconut sugar, if desired. 
• Pop the muffins into the preheated oven, and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
• Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Makes 12 muffins that serves 6-12 people. Recommended serving size is one muffin. 

PRO TIPS:

• What kind of apples are the best? For muffins, I like to use sweet apples, like Gala or Fuji. The best to use are soft apples, not firm ones because they will bake faster. You can use sour apples, like Granny Smith, but you may need to add more sweetener. That's totally based on your preferences. 
• When folding the batter, use the spatula and don't over-mix it. Little lumps in the batter are ok - a lumpy batter makes a lighter muffin.
• Optional add-ins: You can add-in dried cranberries, raisins, sultanas, or a handful of chopped walnuts.

Substitutions

• Substitute whole gran Spelt flour with whole gran wheat flour. Or use plain/all-purpose flour if you prefer.
• In order to get all the health benefits from coconut oil, make sure to choose organic, virgin coconut oil rather than refined versions. You can substitute coconut oil with ghee or grass-fed butter.  
• You can substitute maple syrup with honey. Make sure you use honey in runny, liquid form, not the raw, solid one. 

Tips for storing

• Keep the muffins covered in air-tight food container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
• HOW TO FREEZE: Place the muffins in a zip-lock bag. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or warm up in the microwave if desired. Be careful not to overheat them.

These Apple Cinnamon Muffins are simply gorgeous. Soft, mildly sweet, bursting with spices and fresh apples. They are also everything but plain. Not the usual muffins loaded with fat and sugar, but NUTRITIOUS and filling treat that is free from refined sugars and unhealthy fats. 

Apple Cinnamon Muffins make easy grab-and-go breakfast, but you can also make a batch for afternoon coffee or tea break. This recipe is perfect for the family and busy weekday mornings, not to mention picnics and outdoor fun. Also, it's a great healthy kids lunchbox choice. 

One of the best features of this apple muffin recipe is that it's super easy to make. You can whip up these beauties in no-time, and they are done, from starts to finish in less than 30 minutes. Win!

Enjoy!

More healthy apple recipes to try

• Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies
• Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
• Apple Pie Energy Bites
• Apple Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
• Apple Pear Crisp
• 20 Healthy Apple Recipes

This post was originally published on September 20, 2018. It has been updated with more information on September 29, 2020. The recipe remained the same.