These apple cinnamon muffins are super moist and tender, and topped with a crumb topping! Made with simple and healthy ingredients and ready in under 20 minutes.
I’m seriously obsessed with recreating all my favorite apple desserts with a healthy twist.
We’ve enjoyed an apple crisp, and apple cake, and a delicious apple pie. Now, we’ve thrown in a classic into the mix- apple and cinnamon muffins.
Why this recipe works
- Lower in fat. By swapping out half the butter with unsweetened applesauce, these muffins keep the moist texture.
- Made in one bowl. Everything for the muffin batter is mixed together, so clean up is a breeze.
- Super moist and fluffy. Like any good muffin recipe, these one tick the texture boxes.
- Gorgeous crumb topping. While delicious on their own, adding a crumb topping takes it to another level.
What we love about this recipe is just how fast they are! From prep to plate, this healthy apple muffin recipe comes together in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients needed
Like many of my healthy desserts, these muffins use simple pantry staple ingredients. Here is what you’ll need:
For the muffins
- Self rising flour. A mix of white flour, baking powder, and salt. If you don’t have any on hand, make your own.
- Almond flour. Blanched almond flour is preferred, but almond meal also works.
- Superfine sugar. Also known as caster sugar. It’s essentially halfway between standard sugar and powdered sugar.
- Cinnamon.
- Apples. Choose tart and crisp apples, like Granny Smith ones.
- Butter. Unsalted and softened to room temperature.
- Unsweetened applesauce. Has a similar texture to butter but with a fraction of the calories and none of the fat.
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk but any milk works.
- Eggs. room temperature.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good muffin.
For the crumb topping
- Flour. Plain and sifted.
- Butter. Softened but not melted.
- Sugar. White or brown.
- Cinnamon.
- Rolled oats.
How to make apple muffins
This recipe is ridiculously simple and follows a 3-step process. The total hands-on time is less than two minutes. Ready to make some muffins?
Step 1- Make the muffin batter
Start by whisking together the butter, applesauce, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Sift in the flour, sugar, and almond flour and mix until combined.
Step 2- Make the crumb topping
Next, in a separate bowl, mix the crumb toppings together.
Step 3- Bake the muffins
Now, transfer the muffin batter evenly amongst a 12-count muffin tin. Sprinkle the crumb topping on each one and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, before carefully transferring them onto a wire rack to cool.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Avoid over-baking the muffins as they will continue to bake as they are cooling down.
- If your dry ingredients have clumps (e.g. the flour), sift them very well first to ensure the batter is smooth.
- As mentioned earlier, the crumb topping is completely optional. These muffins taste just as delicious without them.
Dietary swaps and substitutions
The beauty of these muffins is just how easy they are to customize for various diets or eating styles. Here is what we’ve tested:
- Make them vegan. Use dairy free butter (or dairy free margarine), plant based milk, and use an egg replacement.
- Make them gluten free. Swap out the flour(s) for gluten free blends. Be sure to choose ones that have xanthan gum added to them.
- Replace the eggs. Swap out the eggs for an egg substitute.
- Cut the dairy. Use dairy free versions of the butter and milk.
- Add mix-ins. Chocolate chips, raisins, and chopped walnuts are all fantastic additions.
Storage instructions
Wondering what is the best way to store leftovers? Here are best practices for apple muffin storage:
- To store: Place the muffins in an airtight container, along with a sheet of paper towel. They will keep well for at least 5 days. If you’d like them to keep longer, store them in the refrigerator.
- To freeze: Once the muffins have cooled, place them in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
While any apples work for baking, tart and crisp ones are best. These include Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Johnathon apples.
Each muffin has just 150 calories each.
To prevent apple muffins from drying out, remove them from the oven when they are still a little underdone inside. While the muffins are cooling in the pan, they will continue to cook resulting in the most perfectly moist muffin.
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Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups self rising flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup superfine sugar caster sugar
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples finely chopped
For the crumb topping
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons rolled oats
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Grease and line a 12-count muffin tin with muffin liners.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Sift through the self rising flour, superfine sugar, almond flour and cinnamon until combined. Fold through the diced apples.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the crumb topping ingredients.
- Evenly distribute the muffin batter amongst the 12-count muffin tin. Sprinkle the crumb topping on each one. Bake the muffins for 17-19 minutes, or until a skewer comes out mostly clean.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, before carefully removing from the tin and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
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Wow, I will definitely be making those muffins. So easy, and they sound so so good! I made “blondies” using a mix of sunbutter and peanut butter a few times. They’re absolutely delicious. Here’s my recipe: https://peaceandpizza.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/rainy-day-creative-in-the-kitchen/
Thanks for stopping by Taryn- definitely really easy to make and easy to substitute with any nut butter on hand. Will have to check out your recipe, thanks!
Yum!! I am a huge fan of sunflower seed butter, so these muffins look totally up my alley.
I don’t mind selfies! I just can’t stand it when it starts becoming “all about how good I look right now.” Sorta candid selfies are more fun (can you take a candid photo of yourself??)
Haha I THINK you could do a candid one…join the link up when its rolled out and you can start embracing the selfies! 🙂
I am JUST AS HOOKED! Seriouslyyy! I tried it for the first time this weekend after hearing so much talk about it. And, just like you, after my first spoonful I was in.LOVE. Mmm.. That recipe looks fabulous!
Thanks Elise! Its so good isn’t it!
I usually buy TJ’s sunflower butter but I really love SunButter, too! I was skeptical about it at first, like you, but I quickly grew to love it. It goes really well with the taste of cinnamon, like you prob discovered what with your recipe. I add it to pumpkin smoothies and it’s awesome!
how GOOD is it with cinnamon? But then again what isn’t good with cinnamon!
I’m yet to try out a pumpkin smoothie- always stuck to berries! that needs to change.
I know I won’t be in the majority but I don’t love selfies. Or at least I don’t like taking them of myself I always feel so awkward / silly doing them. Heather was giving me tips but for me I could TOTALLY relate to Amanda’s blog post about them 🙂 For a name I like Spill it Sunday’s.
I have never tried Sunbutter you have seriously made me really want to, so of course I will HAVE to enter the giveaway. Loving that muffin recipe too it looks like a good one!
Marvelous about my weekend was buying new furniture at Ikea, going for Brunch with friends and getting to do some Christmas craft.
Marvelous today is this friggin weather! I just went out at lunch time and I think my arm is slightly sunburnt which is a great thing! (well not the whole burn thing but that it is sunny enough to be burnt).
Thanks again for the International Spotlight on me yesterday too <3
P.S. have you head of a new CBD brunch spot called Silo by Joost or Joost by Silo (it is one or the other I forget which), meant to be good!
Haha you’re actually in the majority- not many here like selfies! I’ve always been afraid to take the but now- damn it lets have abit of fun lol! Can’t believe you got sunburnt so easily!
Thank YOU for letting me put the spotlight on you (and letting me insult you… ;)) Seriously, I swear every week there is a new brunch spot! I wish they would open more in the suburbs instead of all the ‘hot spots’
I know, my usual thing is that I sunburn then tan but it doesn’t usually happen that quick.
Yes it must be a Melbourne thing to constantly open new brunch places!!
I like “Self-ish” Sundays. Because sometimes you need to be selfish.
This weekend I took my CPR/AED certification, so I’m one step closer to my NASM PT certification. Yay!
Sometimes? We should be selfish all the time 😉
Congrats Cassie- how exciting!
I want to eat all your muffins. I just had an apple cinnamon egg scramble and I’m thinking one of your muffins would taste FANTASTIC crumbled on top with some sunbutter!
That sounds so yum!
I thought the same exact thing about Sunflower Seed butter! In my twisted way of thinking, I wondered why nobody ever talked about it if it was sooo good. Now I am hooked, dare I say…I might even like it more than peanut butter.
Better than peanut butter? Never!
But its close 😉
As a nut butter lover, I hate to admit that I’ve never tried Sunbutter … but it’s not too late! :). The muffins look delicious, as always, and I like all the names … I think I like Spill It Sundays the best!
Megan I am shocked…crossing my fingers for you to win purely to rectify that!
Spill it Sunday it is!
Love love love sunbutter!!! I usually make my own though but would love to try out some of this goodness.
Selfie Sundays. Love it! But I still think FML Fridays was kind of awesome haha
You make your own? Geebuz dude…why ain’t we seeing this on the blog!
Spill it Sundays (with a side of selfies).
Okay, I have a confession to make: I’ve never had anything besides almond or peanut butter. No judgement! I’m like you pre-America 😛
But with a slew of recipes such as chickpea sunbutter bites and granola bars, how can I continue to even blog without considering picking some up? I ask you 😛
It’s on my next iHerb list … which is getting longer by the darn minute!
Looking forward to Sundays very much, as you’re right, they are quiet in the blogging world – which is why some selfie time will be very much enjoyed 😉
Haha no judgement at all, although promise me you won’t make the iherb order until after brunch…seeing as I reckon it’ll be alot longer. Also going to give you guys some barney butter to try- you might want to order that too!
Looking forward to organising the link up- here’s to having more computer time Sundays :p
No Sun BUtter here 🙁 and NO, I am not going to make my own. Grinding sunflower seeds would probably take 2 years, and besides that, my food processor died….now you can high five your Mom… 🙂
I think Selfie’s are great. Ok, I am addicted, but seriously – they’re fun.
So excited for that link up!
Thanks Lucie- I’m so glad we can all embrace the selfie and become more comfortable with them.
Oh your poor poor food processor. Lucky you are relatively well stocked!
A Sunbutter giveaway and a recipe all in one post? I think I love you! 😉
I like the name Spill It Sundays!
This post was a way of thanks for your kale tutorial 😉
Spill it Sunday it is!
I’m gonna echo a few other commenters and say that Spill It Sundays is my favourite — and I think it’s a great idea to include a selfie. I’m doing another selfie post today and it honestly gets easier to take them the more you do it. Who woulda thunk 😉
Sunbutter muffins! Love it! Let me know if yours turn green. I used Sunbutter in one of my muffin recipes once and they turned green a few days later. It wasn’t mould or anything, but apparently there’s something in sunflower seeds that interacts with the baking powder and causes a chemical reaction when baked. Makes for interesting experimentation 😀
Love the selfie posts you have- thanks for the inspiration.
….I’m kinda scared now to see if they do turn green- This is the first time I’ve baked with them (they seem to keep colour in no bake bars but then again, there’s no baking soda!). I’m kinda hoping it happens! Who knew this comment would be a science lesson for me 😉
I always feel semi-weird taking selfies but if everyone was doing it I’d probably do it too (yep, I’m that kind of person). Hmmmmmm I like one of the last three (selfie) names, but I can’t pick which one—-not helpful. On another note–I love sunbutter and was pleasantly surprised the first time I tasted it. I haven’t really experimented with it much though so maybe I should start doing that.
Haha we can be sheeps together- Spill it Sunday it is, so get ready to embrace the selfies!
Definately try experimenting with it- if you like spicy food- mix it with soy and hot sauce and pour over noodles. Yum!