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These apple cinnamon muffins are super moist and tender, and topped with a crumb topping! Made with simple and healthy ingredients and ready in under 20 minutes.
Got an abundance of apples and need to put them to good use? Try this apple cinnamon muffins recipe.
Unlike other muffins, these use simple wholesome ingredients and pack in loads of apple flavor. They need little prep and are so good, you’ll be baking them all Fall!
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
These muffins may look complicated but honestly, they are so easy to whip up.
- Healthier. Using applesauce helps cut down on the butter, and adding some almond flour adds protein and fiber.
- Made in one bowl. Everything for the muffin batter is mixed together, so clean-up is a breeze.
- Amazing texture and flavor. The texture is tender on the outside, moist and fluffy in the middle. They have a lovely apple cinnamon flavor without being overpowering.
Ingredients needed
These cinnamon apple muffins are so easy to make and besides some baking staples and apples, there isn’t much else that is needed to make. Here is what you’ll need:
- Self rising flour. A mix of white flour, baking powder, and salt. If you don’t have any on hand, make your own.
- Almond flour. Blanched almond flour is preferred, but almond meal also works.
- Superfine sugar. Also known as caster sugar. It’s essentially halfway between standard sugar and powdered sugar.
- Cinnamon.
- Apples. Choose tart and crisp apples, like Granny Smith ones.
- Butter. Unsalted and softened to room temperature.
- Unsweetened applesauce. Has a similar texture to butter but with a fraction of the calories and none of the fat.
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk works.
- Eggs. room temperature.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good muffin.
For the crumb topping
- Flour. Plain and sifted.
- Butter. Softened but not melted.
- Sugar. White or brown.
- Cinnamon.
- Rolled oats.
How to make apple muffins
Healthy apple cinnamon muffins are easy to make: the only thing to remember is to avoid overmixing the batter.
Make the muffin batter: Start by whisking together the butter, applesauce, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Sift in the flour, sugar, and almond flour and mix until combined.
Make the crumb topping: Next, in a separate bowl, mix the crumb toppings together.
Bake the muffins: Now, transfer the muffin batter evenly amongst a 12-count muffin tin. Sprinkle the crumb topping on each one and bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them onto a wire rack to cool.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Avoid over-baking the muffins: The muffins will continue baking as they are cooling in the muffin tin.
- Sift your ingredients: If your dry ingredients have clumps (e.g. the flour), sift them very well first to ensure the batter is smooth.
- Omit the topping: As mentioned earlier, the crumb topping is completely optional. These muffins taste just as delicious without them.
- Bake in the middle rack: When baking cakes or muffins, it’s always best to use the middle rack as they cook more evenly and are less prone to browning quickly on top.
- Add mix-ins: If you love texture in the muffins as well as the top, fold through some raisins, berries, or even chocolate chips.
Storage instructions
To store: Place the muffins in an airtight container, along with a sheet of paper towel. They will keep well for at least 5 days. If you’d like them to keep longer, store them in the refrigerator.
To freeze: Once the muffins have cooled, place them in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More delicious ways to enjoy apples
Frequently Asked Questions
While any apples work for baking, tart and crisp ones are best. These include Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Johnathon apples.
Each muffin has just 150 calories each.
To prevent these muffins from drying out, remove them from the oven when they are still a little underdone inside. While the muffins are cooling in the pan, they will continue to cook resulting in the most perfectly moist muffin.
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups self rising flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup superfine sugar caster sugar
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples finely chopped
For the crumb topping
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons rolled oats
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Grease and line a 12-count muffin tin with muffin liners.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Sift through the self rising flour, superfine sugar, almond flour and cinnamon until combined. Fold through the diced apples.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the crumb topping ingredients.
- Evenly distribute the muffin batter amongst the 12-count muffin tin. Sprinkle the crumb topping on each one. Bake the muffins for 17-19 minutes, or until a skewer comes out mostly clean.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, before carefully removing from the tin and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
I like anything I can cut open and spread butter on. 😉
No joke- I bread discriminate here in Australia (not that we have a great range) but some are the WORST vehicle for butter. So many brands are a NO GO purely because the butter breaks the bread once spread. Is it my fault I like being generous with the butter?!
Get yourself one of these. It will change your butter loving world. No more broken bread ever. I own one and I couldn’t imagine my life without it.
https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=butter+bell+crocks&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=31464519537&hvpos=1t2&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=397179206640806073&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_41jsscpww1_b
I love all of the name ideas and can’t pick just one! 😀 I’d be awful at choosing “left or right” in those suspense movies. Never take me into a cave!! Lol.
Nut-free muffins! Sounds great and I pinned them after I saw YOUR pin of them on Pinterest 🙂
You need to read my WIAW post, STAT.
Okay… Going to right now 🙂
Ohhh, I can totally work this in to my confessions posts! I love the “Spill it Sundays” name and you know I can never have enough reasons to plaster pictures of myself all over the internet! 😉
Gosh, I was sitting here trying to remember the first time I tried sunbutter, but I can’t place it. I know I didn’t know a THING outside of peanut butter before stumbling into blogworld and I know that sunbutter was one of the many I tried within the first few months of jumping in, but I don’t think I started to love it as much as I do now until…well, until THIS post! https://www.kissmybroccoliblog.com/2011/07/21/my-breakfast-date/ And yes, yes I am slowly catching you up on all my favorite old posts! LOL
I hope my future posts continue to spark memories from KMB so I can go back and read this gems- Love it! Instead of reading a novel, I’m going to wind down at nights reading your posts from the very start!
YES. Embrace the selfies 😉
Awww, you are so sweet! But umm, feel free to skip all the posts before like mid 2011…I had NO IDEA what I was doing…they aren’t pretty! Lol
I LOVE Sunbutter, so good!! Your muffins look great!
I vote for Spill It Sundays!
Spill it Sundays it is- thanks Karey! I hope SunButter is whole30 approved!
Selfies for the win! I admit to not being a huge sunbutter fan… I’m more of an almond butter addict… but in a pinch it’s pretty tasty 🙂 And muffins made with nut butter are even beter.
Seriously- so good! I used to only use butter in muffins. Who would have thought!
I like Spill it Sundays! I don’t take many selfless because I look so freaking awkward in every one, BUT I would do it for the link up! Never had sun butter, but maybe I should try! I know there are no peanuts, but what’s it made of?
Spill it Sundays it is and you WILL be doing it for the link up – haha no pressure!
Its made from Sunflower seeds- its so good- sweet and salty. My peanut allergy friend introduced me to it!
I like Shamelessly Sharing – but not a selfie fan. 🙂
Great recipe!!!!
Thanks Jody! You should embrace the selfies haha!
I do headless ones! 🙂
Spill it Sundays! I feel like a goober taking selfies and pictures of my food and hashtagging…. #bloggerproblems
You? a goober? Never. 😉
I see just about everyone loves “Spill it Sundays” and I have to agree…requiring a selfie is a great motivator for someone like me to share one 🙂
Even though I have had just about every nut butter around lately, I have yet to try Sunbutter – combining it with apples in muffin form is BRILLIANT!!!
Rainy weekend here in Georgia, so ran in the rain and stayed home and had tons of quality time with my daughter!
That sounds like a great weekend- quality time with a special someone!
Spill it Sunday it is- and SunButter worked so well with it! Hope you’re having a great start to the week, Shashi!
yay! i heart giveaways! I’ve tried other brands of sunflower seed butter .. but I’ve still never tried Sunbutter. I love how you added it to your muffins, which i think look amaze btw 🙂 I’m pretty much a fan of anything apple cinnamon 🙂
can’t decide on a name for the link up though..they all sound great!
Thanks Maria- they worked well in the muffins!
I love the selfie Sunday idea! I think Spill it Sunday would sound good. I love learning fun facts about bloggers and their ‘real lives’ haha.
you and me both- spill it sunday it is! By the way expect an email soon!
Spill it Sunday or Self Talk Sunday – I’m undecided but tending a little more for the former. Either way, I’m looking forward to this – who doesn’t like random facts and the occasional selfie to get to know other bloggers even better?!
Admittedly, though, I’m not sure about including a selfie myself. It probably won’t come off as a surprise given there’s not a single picture of me on my blog. Maybe I’ll let all others doing so convince me to tag along … But I’m definitely up for the question part and what I really like is that we’re free to choose whichever day works best for us to post it.
Spill it Sunday it is- and its time for you to embrace the discomfort- Time to take some selfies 🙂 We should all appreciate ourselves. But at the same time, if your not comfortable, no pressure at all 🙂
I’m going to go with the majority with Spill it Sundays. And taking selfies is definitely outside of my comfort zone, but that’s what makes it worthwhile, right? 😉
Spill it Sundays it is- Can’t wait to see some sprinkled selfies. That’s alot of alliterations in one comment.
I have yet to try out sunbutter. My mother-in-law buys it all the time and raves about it. I really need to get some! These muffins look fantastic too. I’m kind of wishing I had some for breakfast right now! 😉
You need to try it- its so good!!! hope your enjoying your week off! 🙂
Favorite name idea: (Selfie) Spill it Sundays. I’m getting more comfortable with taking selfies but I always think I look soooo awkward and can NEVER take them with other people around. Thus, empty twerk.
Spill it Sundays it is my friend- lets get ready to embrace this- empty twerk or not 😉
I always feel semi-weird taking selfies but if everyone was doing it I’d probably do it too (yep, I’m that kind of person). Hmmmmmm I like one of the last three (selfie) names, but I can’t pick which one—-not helpful. On another note–I love sunbutter and was pleasantly surprised the first time I tasted it. I haven’t really experimented with it much though so maybe I should start doing that.
Haha we can be sheeps together- Spill it Sunday it is, so get ready to embrace the selfies!
Definately try experimenting with it- if you like spicy food- mix it with soy and hot sauce and pour over noodles. Yum!
I’m gonna echo a few other commenters and say that Spill It Sundays is my favourite — and I think it’s a great idea to include a selfie. I’m doing another selfie post today and it honestly gets easier to take them the more you do it. Who woulda thunk 😉
Sunbutter muffins! Love it! Let me know if yours turn green. I used Sunbutter in one of my muffin recipes once and they turned green a few days later. It wasn’t mould or anything, but apparently there’s something in sunflower seeds that interacts with the baking powder and causes a chemical reaction when baked. Makes for interesting experimentation 😀
Love the selfie posts you have- thanks for the inspiration.
….I’m kinda scared now to see if they do turn green- This is the first time I’ve baked with them (they seem to keep colour in no bake bars but then again, there’s no baking soda!). I’m kinda hoping it happens! Who knew this comment would be a science lesson for me 😉
A Sunbutter giveaway and a recipe all in one post? I think I love you! 😉
I like the name Spill It Sundays!
This post was a way of thanks for your kale tutorial 😉
Spill it Sunday it is!
No Sun BUtter here 🙁 and NO, I am not going to make my own. Grinding sunflower seeds would probably take 2 years, and besides that, my food processor died….now you can high five your Mom… 🙂
I think Selfie’s are great. Ok, I am addicted, but seriously – they’re fun.
So excited for that link up!
Thanks Lucie- I’m so glad we can all embrace the selfie and become more comfortable with them.
Oh your poor poor food processor. Lucky you are relatively well stocked!
Okay, I have a confession to make: I’ve never had anything besides almond or peanut butter. No judgement! I’m like you pre-America 😛
But with a slew of recipes such as chickpea sunbutter bites and granola bars, how can I continue to even blog without considering picking some up? I ask you 😛
It’s on my next iHerb list … which is getting longer by the darn minute!
Looking forward to Sundays very much, as you’re right, they are quiet in the blogging world – which is why some selfie time will be very much enjoyed 😉
Haha no judgement at all, although promise me you won’t make the iherb order until after brunch…seeing as I reckon it’ll be alot longer. Also going to give you guys some barney butter to try- you might want to order that too!
Looking forward to organising the link up- here’s to having more computer time Sundays :p
Love love love sunbutter!!! I usually make my own though but would love to try out some of this goodness.
Selfie Sundays. Love it! But I still think FML Fridays was kind of awesome haha
You make your own? Geebuz dude…why ain’t we seeing this on the blog!
Spill it Sundays (with a side of selfies).
As a nut butter lover, I hate to admit that I’ve never tried Sunbutter … but it’s not too late! :). The muffins look delicious, as always, and I like all the names … I think I like Spill It Sundays the best!
Megan I am shocked…crossing my fingers for you to win purely to rectify that!
Spill it Sunday it is!
I thought the same exact thing about Sunflower Seed butter! In my twisted way of thinking, I wondered why nobody ever talked about it if it was sooo good. Now I am hooked, dare I say…I might even like it more than peanut butter.
Better than peanut butter? Never!
But its close 😉
I want to eat all your muffins. I just had an apple cinnamon egg scramble and I’m thinking one of your muffins would taste FANTASTIC crumbled on top with some sunbutter!
That sounds so yum!
I like “Self-ish” Sundays. Because sometimes you need to be selfish.
This weekend I took my CPR/AED certification, so I’m one step closer to my NASM PT certification. Yay!
Sometimes? We should be selfish all the time 😉
Congrats Cassie- how exciting!
I know I won’t be in the majority but I don’t love selfies. Or at least I don’t like taking them of myself I always feel so awkward / silly doing them. Heather was giving me tips but for me I could TOTALLY relate to Amanda’s blog post about them 🙂 For a name I like Spill it Sunday’s.
I have never tried Sunbutter you have seriously made me really want to, so of course I will HAVE to enter the giveaway. Loving that muffin recipe too it looks like a good one!
Marvelous about my weekend was buying new furniture at Ikea, going for Brunch with friends and getting to do some Christmas craft.
Marvelous today is this friggin weather! I just went out at lunch time and I think my arm is slightly sunburnt which is a great thing! (well not the whole burn thing but that it is sunny enough to be burnt).
Thanks again for the International Spotlight on me yesterday too <3
P.S. have you head of a new CBD brunch spot called Silo by Joost or Joost by Silo (it is one or the other I forget which), meant to be good!
Haha you’re actually in the majority- not many here like selfies! I’ve always been afraid to take the but now- damn it lets have abit of fun lol! Can’t believe you got sunburnt so easily!
Thank YOU for letting me put the spotlight on you (and letting me insult you… ;)) Seriously, I swear every week there is a new brunch spot! I wish they would open more in the suburbs instead of all the ‘hot spots’
I know, my usual thing is that I sunburn then tan but it doesn’t usually happen that quick.
Yes it must be a Melbourne thing to constantly open new brunch places!!
I usually buy TJ’s sunflower butter but I really love SunButter, too! I was skeptical about it at first, like you, but I quickly grew to love it. It goes really well with the taste of cinnamon, like you prob discovered what with your recipe. I add it to pumpkin smoothies and it’s awesome!
how GOOD is it with cinnamon? But then again what isn’t good with cinnamon!
I’m yet to try out a pumpkin smoothie- always stuck to berries! that needs to change.
I am JUST AS HOOKED! Seriouslyyy! I tried it for the first time this weekend after hearing so much talk about it. And, just like you, after my first spoonful I was in.LOVE. Mmm.. That recipe looks fabulous!
Thanks Elise! Its so good isn’t it!
Yum!! I am a huge fan of sunflower seed butter, so these muffins look totally up my alley.
I don’t mind selfies! I just can’t stand it when it starts becoming “all about how good I look right now.” Sorta candid selfies are more fun (can you take a candid photo of yourself??)
Haha I THINK you could do a candid one…join the link up when its rolled out and you can start embracing the selfies! 🙂
Wow, I will definitely be making those muffins. So easy, and they sound so so good! I made “blondies” using a mix of sunbutter and peanut butter a few times. They’re absolutely delicious. Here’s my recipe: https://peaceandpizza.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/rainy-day-creative-in-the-kitchen/
Thanks for stopping by Taryn- definitely really easy to make and easy to substitute with any nut butter on hand. Will have to check out your recipe, thanks!