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.

healthy apple muffins

Why you will love apple muffins

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.

Apple muffin on a marble table

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.

Apple muffin cut in half where you can see the apple filling.

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 😊.

Ingredients for easy apple muffins

ingredients for apple muffins

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.

Apple muffins cooling down on a marble table

How to make apple cinnamon muffins

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.

Apples cut into small dice and tossed in cinnamon and sugar.

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.

Adding chopped and grated apples into the batter

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

Muffin batter into the muffin tin.

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.

The apple muffins are just baked and are cooling down.

Tips

Use olive oil instead of butter. Apple muffins with oil are moister, tenderer, taller, and last longer. Everyone loves moist apple cinnamon muffins.

Line your tin with muffin liners: In our experience, most muffin pans make muffins stick. So unless you use a lot of oil or butter to prevent the batter from sticking, we recommend lining your muffin tin with muffin liners. If you don’t have liners, you can make them at home by cutting twelve 5-inch square pieces of parchment paper.

Marinate the apples while you make the batter. Even if it’s just 5 minutes, this step infuses the apples with flavor.

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.

Similar recipes

Apple muffins

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

5 from 3 votes
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.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American

Equipment

  • 12-muffin tin (or two 6-muffin tins)
  • 12 muffin (paper) liners or twelve 5-inch squared pieces of parchment paper

Ingredients 

  • 3 large apples
  • teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ cup milk any
  • ¼ cup sugar + 1 tablespoon to marinate the apples
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 lemon the grated zest + 1 tablespoon of juice to marinate the apples
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour or 1 cup whole wheat + 1 cup all-purpose
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C. Line muffin pan with muffin liners.
    Cut 1½ apples with the peel on into small dice and add it to a bowl.
    Toss with 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Set aside to marinate while you make the batter.
    Apples cut into small dice and tossed in cinnamon and sugar.
  • To a mixing bowl, add ½ cup milk, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and the grated zest of 1 lemon.
    Whisk until well combined.
    Grate the remaining 1½ apples (peel on) with the large holes of a box grater and add them to the bowl with the liquids. Stir with a spoon.
    Sift in 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon baking soda and stir until combined without overmixing.
    Now, stir in the diced marinated apples.
    Adding chopped and grated apples into the batter
  • With a spoon, arrange the batter into your prepared muffin pan. Optionally, sprinkle the muffins with a pinch of sugar.
    Muffin batter into the muffin tin.
  • Bake at 350°F or 180°C for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly dry. Cool down on cooling rack.
    Apple muffins cooling down on a marble table

Notes

Nutritional information is an estimate for 1 apple muffin out of 12.
SUBSTITUTIONS
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.
TIPS
Use olive oil instead of butter. Apple muffins with oil are moister, tenderer, taller, and last longer. Everyone loves moist apple cinnamon muffins.
Line your tin with muffin liners: In our experience, most muffin pans make muffins stick. So unless you use a lot of oil or butter to prevent the batter from sticking, we recommend lining your muffin tin with muffin liners. If you don’t have liners, you can make them at home by cutting twelve 5-inch square pieces of parchment paper.
Marinate the apples while you make the batter. Even if it’s just 5 minutes, this step infuses the apples with flavor.
For the fluffiest and lightest muffins, avoid overmixing the batter and sift the flour with a fine mash sift.
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 20-30 seconds.

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 107mg, Potassium: 236mg, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 33IU, Vitamin B6: 0.04mg, Vitamin C: 7mg, Vitamin E: 1mg, Vitamin K: 4µg, Calcium: 82mg, Folate: 48µg, Iron: 1mg, Manganese: 0.2mg, Magnesium: 10mg, Zinc: 0.2mg
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Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with vegetarian and vegan recipes.

5 from 3 votes

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Recipe Rating




4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These are extremely tasty muffins. The only suggestion / request would be to provide an approximate weight on the apples. โ€œLargeโ€ apples is a bit subjective and I ended up with a lot of batter and oversized muffins.

  2. 5 stars
    These Apple muffins are so delicious you guys! My kiddo and I made them for breakfast and they were ready in a jiffy. Thereโ€™s so much Apple and so little sugar, we loved that!!! We added some orange zest cause I didnโ€™t have lemon and they turned out delicious! Thanks for the recipe ๐Ÿ™‚