Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Studded with apples & topped with cinnamon sugar, these healthy apple cinnamon muffins are a warming, cozy breakfast or afternoon treat.

breakfast / dairy free

It’s my birthday today, which is timely, because I couldn’t be more excited to share that this apple cinnamon muffin recipe kicks off a series of posts I’ve been working on for Anthropologie(!!). Pinch me.

First up are these sweet apple cinnamon muffins that I baked up in this super sweet ceramic muffin pan.

How to Make Healthy Apple Muffins

These healthy apple muffins are pure apple-cinnamon-ey goodness coming out of the oven. With their full flavor, you’d never guess that they’re on the healthy side. Here’s what makes them a good-for-you treat:

• Sunflower oil takes the place of butter. If you can’t find sunflower oil, olive oil or canola oil would also work.
• Applesauce subs in for some of the sugar & oil and makes them wonderfully moist.
• Whole wheat flour adds whole grain power to these healthy apple muffins.
• Cinnamon is said to have anti-inflammatory properties, but it also adds delicious apple/cinnamon fall flavor here.
• And chunks of apple boost the fiber content and up the moisture and texture.

Mix together the wet and dry ingredients separately, stir them together until just combined, divide the batter among the holes in a muffin tin, and sprinkle the tops with chopped apple and cinnamon sugar. Pop them in the oven, and you’ll have delicious healthy apple cinnamon muffins in no time.

What to Serve with Apple Cinnamon Muffins

These apple cinnamon muffins are meant for pairing with a hot beverage. White hot chocolate, coffee, tea, or hot apple cider would all be great choices. They would also be delicious with matcha white hot chocolate, a matcha coconut latte, a turmeric latte, or superfood hot chocolate!

If you love these apple cinnamon muffins…

Try these banana chocolate chip muffins, these lemon muffins, or these corn muffins next!

4.7 from 14 reviews

Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

  PrintPrep time 10 minsCook time 20 minsTotal time 30 mins These healthy apple cinnamon muffins are one of my favorite fall breakfasts. Applesauce, sunflower oil, and whole wheat flour put them on the lighter side of things, but they’re still wonderfully moist and well spiced.Author: Jeanine DonofrioRecipe type: Snack, breakfastCuisine: AmericanServes: 12 muffinsIngredients

• ¾ cup almond milk
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup sunflower (or canola) oil
• ¾ cup cane sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup spelt or whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 large gala apple, diced

cinnamon sugar topping:

• 1 tablespoons cane sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, or spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Set aside
5. To the medium bowl with the almond milk, add the oil, sugar, eggs, applesauce and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
6. Pour the wet mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in two-thirds of the chopped apples. Use a ⅓ cup measuring cup to fill each muffin cup. Top with the remaining apples and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

3.4.3177

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49 comments

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1. Erin
   08.30.2021

   Ok, I was a little worried. I was dealing with a sick baby this morning and I forgot the eggs! Despite my lack of attention to that detail, these muffins came out great!

   Reply ↓

   • Jeanine Donofrio
     08.30.2021

     I’m so glad they worked out!

     Reply ↓

2. Lori L
   10.20.2020

   Do you happen to know the calorie count of these?

   Reply ↓

3. Rachel
   09.19.2020

   I just made these today for the new year and swapped Greek yogurt for the almond milk and vinegar. Also used 1.5 apples and turbinado sugar for the top with extra cinnamon in the batter instead. They turned out great!

   Reply ↓

4. Rose
   03.29.2020

   Hey Jeanine. Just made these and didn’t have apple sauce so just used 2 grated apples. Also a little extra spice. Fantastic! So light and pillowy. Will definitely make again. Thank you!

   Reply ↓

5. Lauren
   10.08.2019

   Could you add oats to this? Would you change the amount of flour if you did?

   Reply ↓

6. Corinne
   06.22.2019

   Is there any way of knowing the carbs sugar fats etc for diabetic diets

   Reply ↓

7. Beck Harris from deliberatelivinggifts.com.au
   05.10.2019

   I just wanted to say thank you for this amazing recipe!!! So delicious!! Even my anti apple hubby loved them!!!

   Reply ↓

8. Anne Elliott
   01.01.2017

   These will work well with peaches, pears, prunes., bananas–any fruit. I canned a lot if apples and peaches this year so will use aint of them for this recipe, blending one cup for the sauce. I use oat bran in all my muffins now, as it adds so much fiber, but can hardly be noticed in the finishd muffins. Half oat bran, half flour.

   For sweetener, half erithrytol and half molasses sugar–fabulous taste.

   Thanks. Anne

   Reply ↓

9. Aidan
   12.23.2016

   I love apples and I love muffins and, more importantly, I love every single one of your recipes that I have tried so I would love to have a go at these; is there any reason that a flax or chia egg wouldn’t work for the chicken eggs here?

   Reply ↓

   • Jeanine Donofrio
     12.24.2016

     Hi Aidan, I didn’t have good results with flax eggs here – I just couldn’t get the muffins to rise well 🙁

     Reply ↓

10. resimlinefisyemektarifleri from resimlinefisyemektarifleri.com
    12.23.2016

    Very beautiful

    Reply ↓

11. Anna
    11.14.2016

    They turned out well! I think they could be a bit more flavorful though.

    Reply ↓

12. Eden Passante from sugarandcharm.com
    10.24.2016

    These cinnamon muffins look absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply ↓

13. Charmi from charmipena.com
    10.02.2016

    Any ideas for replacing the almond milk? Could I just go with regular milk? (Nut allergy anaphylaxis house here, but my kids actually eat the food I make from Love and Lemons so I gotta keep at it!!)

    Reply ↓

14. Sarah. A from sarahlikesgreen.com
    09.22.2016

    just made these, so delicious!! will be making them again for sure (i’ll alternate with my favorite pumpkin muffin recipe!)

    What’s the best way to store these after they’ve cooled?

    Reply ↓

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      09.24.2016

      So sorry for my slow reply! I keep them on a plate at room temp covered loosely with foil.

      Reply ↓

15. Lisa Eberly from nourishbylisa.com
    01.27.2016

    These look uh-ma-zing and your bakeware is also so so cute!

    x Lisa
    http://www.nourishbylisa.com

    Reply ↓

16. omran
    01.24.2016

    hi

    Reply ↓

17. Sajoy Cherian from signetring.ae
    01.21.2016

    Amazing website and photography ! I love your passion !

    Kindly check out my blog which features top restaurants and hotels in Dubai
    : http://signetring.ae/

    Reply ↓