Apple Cinnamon Muffins

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These apple cinnamon muffins are super moist and fluffy large muffins. They’re made with fresh chopped/shredded apples, applesauce, cinnamon and nutmeg for the perfect fall breakfast.

Apple muffins in a baking pan with red apples

Why You’ll Love These Apple Cinnamon Muffins

I used my favorite vanilla muffin recipe as a starting base and built an amazing autumn treat for you (with like 18x cuz I couldn’t get the apple flavor prominent lol).
Although these might take a little extra effort than your average muffin, there’s nothing like using fresh ingredients in a bake.
The muffins feel so light since the main ingredients are shredded apples and unsweetened applesauce.

My favorite way to incorporate apple flavor is to add apple butter or applesauce and fresh apples. I use apple butter in my Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls, White Chocolate Apple Butter Muffins and my new Apple Ice Cream.

If you’re looking for more muffin ideas try my Pumpkin Muffins, Carrot Cake Muffins, and Banana Bread Muffins. I know these muffins are gonna be my go-to brunch treat this coming fall season 🙂

apple muffins in pan with a bite taken out

Ingredients:

Butter: I like to use salted butter, but you can also use unsalted butter, just add an extra ¼ tsp of salt to every cup of butter used.
Sugar: I use light brown sugar and I wouldn’t cut the sugar as this can alter both the taste and texture of the muffin.
Apples: I used 2 large granny smith apples.
- I love to use my apple corer to peel, core and slice the apples all in one.
- I tested this with other apples and felt like the flavor wasn’t strong enough.
Apple Butter: Any store bought brand should work
- If you don’t have apple butter, replace it with: 1/4 cup applesauce mixed with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon
Applesauce: Unsweetened any brand is fine.
Flour: I use all purpose flour in most of my recipes and I HIGHLY recommend using a digital scale, as flour is so often over measured.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda: We’re going to need both here and a lot of them to get that gorgeous muffin top.
Eggs: I use 3 room temperature, large eggs. Place them in hot water for a few minutes if they’re cold.
Salt: salt brings out the flavor in all baked goods.
Spices: I use ground cinnamon and nutmeg in this recipe and cinnamon sugar for the topping.
- If you don’t have nutmeg, just cinnamon is fine as well
Vanilla: I use extract in this recipe but vanilla bean paste would work as well.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Peel, core and slice the apples. Place them in a food processor and shred until they’re tiny but not pureed.

Step 2: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a bowl. Set aside.

Step 3: Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a large bowl.

Step 4: Add in one egg at a time and whisk aggressively until it’s well combined and has lightened in color, about 30 seconds.

eggs mixed into the batter, one at a time

Step 5: Add in the applesauce and the vanilla extract and whisk until it’s well combined.

Step 6: Add in the dry ingredients and whisk again just until it’s combined.

Step 7: Fold in the shredded apples, cover and set aside to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

Step 8: Fill the muffins tins halfway after the batter has rested and then spread 1/2 tablespoon of apple butter onto each muffin.

Step 9: Top with the other half of the muffin batter, filling the muffin tins all the way past the top.

Step 10: Sprinkle each muffin with 1-2 tsp of cinnamon sugar for a crispy muffin top and bake for 5 minutes.

Step 11: Reduce the oven temperature and bake for 13-15 minutes, remove and allow to cool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a vanilla glaze?

I was torn between adding a glaze and not and clearly I went with the latter. I’ve already said it a million times but the crispy muffin tops are the best part of muffin soooo no glaze. LOL, but you can certainly still make one like brown sugar glaze or a cream cheese icing.

Can I make these muffins dairy free?

You can use dairy free butter to make these.

Can I make these muffins gluten-free?

I have not tested my muffin recipes, but all my cake recipes work well with a 1:1 gluten-free flour like Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Flour.

Can I use store bought apple butter?

Of course! Especially if you’re in a pinch and you want to save time. You can also replace it with: 1/4 cup applesauce mixed with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon to get that swirl in your muffin.

apple muffins stacked with an apple in the background

How To Store Apple Cinnamon Muffins

I LOVE the crispy muffin top but if you store these in an airtight container, you lose that crispiness. So I leave them out overnight and then after the first night, I store them in an airtight container or bag at room temperature.

They do tend to go bad at room temperature after a couple of days and refrigerating can dry them out so I recommend freezing them. You can freeze them and bring them back to room temperature before serving but again, you’ll lose that crisp muffin top.

To freeze it, place them in an airtight container and then place the container in an airtight bag. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

apple muffins in the pan with a bite taken out

Thanks so much for reading today’s post, if you have any questions just comment down below.

If you make these apple cinnamon muffins, I would love it if you left a star rating for it in the recipe card.

As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!

Love, B