Apple Cinnamon Muffins

This apple cinnamon muffin recipe uses simple pantry staples and a lot of apples to make some of the most tender, moist, and fruit-packed home-baked pastries.

The fruity apple flavor melds with cinnamon, and the fragrant golden brown tops with the moist, apple-packed center.

Apple muffins are the perfect choice for a sweet breakfast, a midday snack, and special occasions.

There are many reasons to love this apple muffin recipe.

First, like our apple bread, it is packed with apples. We use three large ones in total, which can seem like a lot, but it’s not.

This amount of apples allows us to reduce the sugar in the recipe and jam-pack the muffins with apple flavor and natural sweetness.

Also, like in our easy apple cake and vegan apple muffins, we use only the simplest ingredients, which you probably already have in your pantry.

Finally, our muffin recipes are the easiest to make, well-tested, and produce the moistest, softest, and most delicious treats.

You’ve seen and loved this in our blueberry muffins, lemon muffins, zucchini muffins, and vegan pumpkin muffins.

So preheat your oven and let us know what you think. You’ll have them ready in just about 30 minutes. We’ll wait in the comment section below 😊.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Apples: You can use any apple. If you like sweeter muffins, use a sweeter apple variety like Fuji, Pink Lady, or Golden Delicious. If you like more tart muffins, you can use green apples or Granny Smith. We use Fuji.

Flour: You can use all-purpose flour or half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour. For gluten-free baking, use GF flour.

Sugar: You can use white or brown sugar.

Olive oil: You can substitute avocado oil or a neutral vegetable oil like canola oil or sunflower oil for olive oil. You can also replace oil with melted butter. For oil-free baking, substitute two tablespoons of milk for the oil.

Milk: This apple muffin recipe works with cow’s milk, almond milk, rice milk, cashew milk, oat milk, and soy milk. Pick your favorite.

Aromas: We use cinnamon and vanilla extract. You can also use a pinch of nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and clove.

Lemon zest: Lemon zest is optional. You can substitute orange for lemon.

Baking powder and baking soda: Use both to have the perfect combination of volume, color, and tender crumb.

Tip: You can use one 12-muffin tin or two 6-muffin tins. We strongly recommend using muffin liners so the muffins don’t stick to the pan. If you don’t have liners, you can make them at home by cutting twelve 5-inch square pieces of parchment paper.

Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Line your muffin pan with muffin liners.

Cut 1.5 apples into small dice and add it to a bowl. We keep the peel on, but you can peel them if you prefer.

Toss the apples with 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Set aside to marinate while you make the batter.

Add almond milk, sugar, olive oil, vanilla extract, and grated lemon zest to a mixing bowl.

Whisk until well combined.

Grate the remaining 1.5 apples (peel on) with the large holes of a box grater and add them to the bowl with the liquids.

Sift in all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda and stir until combined without overmixing.

Now, stir in the diced marinated apples.

Tip: For the fluffiest and lightest muffins, avoid overmixing the batter and sift the flour with a fine mash sift.

With a spoon, arrange the batter into your prepared muffin pan. Optionally, sprinkle the muffins with a pinch of sugar.

Bake at 350°F or 180°C for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly dry.

The apple muffins should be golden brown on top. Let them cool on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes before eating them.

Storage

Make ahead: Apple muffins are excellent for making ahead as they keep moist for several days.

Room temperature: Let the muffins cool to room temperature and store them in a plastic bag in a dark corner of your kitchen. They will keep for up to five days.

Freezer: Let cool down completely, transfer to a freezer-friendly bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw: Defrost muffins at room temperature. This only takes about 30 minutes, and you can speed things up with a microwave.

Reheat: Microwave for 30 seconds.

APPLE RECIPES: apple crumble, apple cinnamon rolls, vegan apple pie, vegan apple crisp, apple cake, Hasselback baked apples, apple bread, apple crisp, vegan apple pie, apple tart, vegan apple fritters.

MUFFINS: vegan blueberry muffins, sweet potato muffins, vegan pumpkin muffins, zucchini muffins, cornbread muffins, chickpea frittata muffins, and oat flour muffins.

Desserts

Apple Crumble

Desserts

Vegan Apple Cake

Breakfast

Apple Bread

Breakfast

Vegan Blueberry Muffins