These Cinnamon Apple Muffins are light, fluffy, perfectly moist, and loaded with juicy pieces of apple. They’re big on flavor and made with healthier ingredients!
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Muffins and sweet breads are always a big hit around here!
Banana Nut Bread, Blueberry Banana Bread, Pumpkin Muffins, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, you name it, we’ll devour it.
Well, these Cinnamon Apple Muffins may be one of my favorite muffin recipes. They’re made healthier with whole wheat flour and plain Greek yogurt, and mostly naturally sweetened with applesauce and just a touch of brown sugar.
These muffins make the perfect breakfast, snack, or healthier dessert!
Might I recommend devouring a few fresh from the oven with cinnamon sugar on top? They taste like apple fritters!
Ingredients Needed:
These Healthy Apple Muffins are packed with simple ingredients you probably already have on-hand!
- Yogurt: I use 0% plain Greek yogurt to create a delicious moist texture. Any type of plain yogurt should work just fine.
- Unsweetened Applesauce: applesauce adds even more moisture, apple flavor, and natural sweetness.
- Eggs: binds everything together so the muffins can hold their shape.
- Milk or Buttermilk: buttermilk creates a more moist, tender texture, but regular milk will work too.
- Vanilla: adds depth of flavor.
- Brown Sugar: brown sugar adds sweetness and extra moisture to the apple muffins.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: both help to create a light and fluffy texture.
- Cinnamon: gives the muffins just a hint of spice.
- Salt: enhances all of the apple muffin flavors.
- Flour: I like to use whole wheat flour for a delicious, hearty muffin. Be sure to fluff or weigh the flour so you don’t end up adding too much!
- Apples: Granny Smith or another type of baking apple works great. Be sure to peel and chop so the apple incorporates well into the muffins.
- Cinnamon Sugar Topping: an optional topping made up of melted butter, sugar, cinnamon for a sweet, crunchy finish.
How to Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins
This delicious snack takes just 15 minutes to prep! Just mix it all up, bake, and they’re ready to go!
- Make the batter: In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, applesauce, eggs, milk, vanilla, and brown sugar. Add in the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, then whisk until combined.
- Add flour and apples: Fold the flour and apples into the batter until just combined.
- Portion and bake: Portion the batter out into a greased, non-stick or paper-lined muffin tin. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Add the topping: Brush melted butter over the top of the muffins, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then serve or store.
FAQs for Apple Muffins
My favorite apples to use are Granny Smith. The tart flavor and crisp texture is perfect in these muffins. If you can’t find Granny Smith, any other type of baking apple will work. Try Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, you name it.
The best way to incorporate apples into your muffins is to peel and dice them up pretty small. The smaller pieces incorporate well into the batter and soften up nicely as the muffins bake for the perfect amount of apple flavor and texture in every bite.
If your muffins came out dry, you likely over-measured the flour. To prevent this from happening, make sure the flour is nice and fluffed in the measuring cup. You can do this by spooning it in, then gently leveling it off with your finger. This prevents it from getting packed in, which results in dry muffins.
You can also weigh the flour using a kitchen scale for more accurate results.
There are a couple of things you can do to achieve perfect light and fluffy muffins. First, use both baking soda and baking powder. They are both leavening agents that lighten the texture. Second, be sure to mix the flour into the batter until just combined. Over-mixing can eliminate any air pockets, which are also what helps to create a fluffy texture.
We’re using plain Greek yogurt, applesauce, and milk or buttermilk to create a super moist texture.
Absolutely! This recipe is adapted from my Praline-Glazed Apple Bread, so check that or my Cinnamon Apple Bread recipe out instead.
Finished Apple Cinnamon Muffins will last uncovered at room temperature for up to a day. To store longer, place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips for Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Peel the apples. Apple peel can become dry and chewy when baked. I recommend peeling the apples before you dice them for the best texture.
- Dice the apples small. Be sure you chop the apples up small and evenly in size so they cook all the way through.
- Line or grease the muffin tin. You can either grease a non-stick muffin tin or line it with paper liners to prevent the muffins from sticking.
- Check for doneness. To check that the muffins are done baking, insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, they’re ready to go. If not, the muffins need a few more minutes.
More Apple Recipes You’ll Love
Cinnamon Apple Muffins
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 cup 0% plain Greek yogurt (250g)
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (115g)
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk or buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup brown sugar* lightly packed (210g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2½ cups whole wheat flour fluffed (325 grams)
- 2 Granny Smith or baking apples peeled and finely chopped (3 cups or 315 grams apples)
Cinnamon Sugar (optional)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, applesauce, eggs, milk, vanilla and brown sugar until smooth.
- Add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and whisk until combined.
- Fold in flour and apples with a spatula, just until moistened and no flour remains.
- Lightly grease a non-stick muffin pan or fill with paper liners, and fill muffin cups to the top (you can also make smaller muffins but they will bake more quickly).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. (If using paper liners, they will be easier to remove after several hours has passed)
Cinnamon Sugar (optional)**
- Brush butter over tops of slightly cooled muffins.
- Stir together cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle over muffins before serving.
- Store muffins uncovered at room temperature on the day you bake them. To store longer, place in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Cyndi says
Could you use almond or coconut flour instead of wheat flour?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Cyndi! I’ve only tested the recipe as written and haven’t experimented using these other flours. If you decide to try it out, let me know how it goes!
Luke says
I used 2 smaller Granny Smith apples, which was 270 grams. This was definitely too much apple. I would recommend perhaps in the 200 – 225 gram range for the apples. Even less if adding nuts or raisins, although I didn’t try that.
Also, these will stick to paper liners, so you may want to spray the liners.
Overall the recipe is good. Moist and not too sweet.
Note: I made the recipe exactly as written.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Luke! Did you try removing the muffins from the liners the next day? I find that with most muffins they need to sit overnight at room temperature before they’ll remove easily from the liners.
Luke says
I did have a slightly easier time removing the muffins from the liner the next day. But, what really helped was switching to parchment liners! They are absolutely a game changer when cooking healthier (particularly lower fat) muffins. I got the ones that look like classic cupcake/muffin liners, not the “bakery” style.
Ashley Fehr says
That’s a great tip!
Christie says
Just made these and I love how they weren’t very sweet at all. But they were a bit too wet. I used 11% fat Greek yogurt rather than 0%. Would that have been the reason for the wet?
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Christie! I’m sorry that happened. Did you use whole wheat flour or all purpose by any chance? I know I find whole wheat flour soaks up a bit more moisture
Maureen Brezynskie says
I made these muffins this morning and they are delicious. One of the easiest and best apple muffin recipe I have made. I added walnuts and they are so moist and tasty. I love your recipes! Thanks!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks Maureen!
Patricia says
My daughter is celiac and all “healthy “ baked goods calls for whole wheat flour. Any idea for substitute.
Ashley Fehr says
I would recommend an all purpose gluten-free flour as I don’t have any experience baking gluten-free