Apple Cinnamon Muffins — These apple cinnamon muffins are studded with BIG chunks of apple! They’re so easy to make and are perfect for a quick snack or breakfast to-go.
Table of Contents
Basic Apple Cinnamon Muffins
These quick and easy apple muffins are full of chunky apple pieces and are spiced with cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg, which gives them a nice pop.
I’m a cinnamon fan, so I used 3 teaspoons. It’s not over-powering and I think apples can really stand up to spices. In fact, I’d probably use more next time.
These muffins are fast and easy to make, you don’t need a mixer, and are ready in under a half hour.
These apple cinnamon muffins are springy, bouncy, soft and fluffy, with the right amount of density. Light enough, but not airy. Your house will smell like a fall-scented candle, minus the candle.
Ingredients in Apple Cinnamon Muffins
To make the simple apple spice muffins, gather the following ingredients:
- Apples
- All-purpose flour
- Cinnamon
- Banana
- Granulated sugar
- Unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- Coconut oil
- Vanilla extract
- Ground nutmeg
- Baking powder
- Salt
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Cinnamon apple muffins couldn’t be simpler to prepare! Here are the basic recipe steps:
- Dice the apples and toss them with a little cinnamon and flour. (This gives the apples a little flavor and prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins while they’re baking.)
- To make the muffin batter, combine the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls, then combine the two.
- Gently fold in the diced apple, and divide the batter between 12 greased muffin cups. If desired, sprinkle the top of each muffin with turbinado sugar and additional cinnamon before baking.
- Bake until the muffins are domed on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let them cool in the muffin pan for roughly 15 minutes before removing them and allowing them to cool on a wire rack.
Tips for Making Apple Cinnamon Muffins
When making the batter, you may need to add extra flour if the batter looks a little runny. Depending on how juicy your apples and mashed banana are, your batter may look perfect, or it may be a little thin. If it seems too runny, add the extra flour in a tablespoon at a time until your batter seems right.
Also note that when making the batter you’ll want the milk (whatever kind you use) to be room temperature. If the milk is too cold, it may cause the melted coconut oil to re-solidify, and you’ll wind up with chunks of oil in the batter.
Lastly, after scooping the batter in my muffin pan, I topped each muffin with a few reserved apple chunks because I wanted the visual appeal of seeing hearty apple pieces crowning the soft muffins.
The apples soften while baking, and take on a chewier texture, but still have some snap and faint crunch. Their juices release, and it helps the muffins stay soft and moist.
Recipe FAQs
The banana flavor isn’t noticeable, but it adds fluff to the batter like an egg would. Applesauce could likely be substituted, although I haven’t tested it. I suspect the muffins won’t be as soft and tender with applesauce as with a banana.
These apple cinnamon muffins don’t taste like coconut, and even if you don’t like coconut, I suggest using coconut oil anyway. It adds a flavor undertone you can’t put your finger on, and lends a subtle richness that’s so comforting. Sub with canola or vegetable oil if you must.
I suspect this apple muffin recipe would work as mini-loaves, adding about 5 minutes to the baking time. It likely would work as one large 9×5 loaf as well, and would probably take 45 to 60 minutes at a reduced oven temp of 350F, but I haven’t tried it myself.
You can use any apple you’d like in these apple cinnamon muffins! I used a large Fuji apple, but any crisp apple will do. Other great baking apples include Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Crispin, and Jonagold.
Yes, any milk (non-dairy or cow’s milk) will work in this recipe. Just note that you should use an unsweetened milk, otherwise your apple muffins will turn out far too sweet.
Most likely, yes. Just keep in mind that you’ll want to actually measure out the mashed banana and diced apple, as too much moisture in the batter can make it runny (it’s easy to mess up the batter when doubling a recipe!).
You may be able to add diced pears or another fruit with a similar consistency to apples, but generally I would stick to using apples for this recipe. If you’re looking for more fruit muffin recipes, check out my muffin recipe archive for some great ideas!
Storage Instructions
These apple cinnamon muffins can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days. You’ll need to keep them in a cool spot in an airtight container.
You can also freeze these muffins quite easily for up to 6 months. Just let them cool completely before sealing them inside a freezer bag or another freezer-safe container.
When you’re ready to enjoy the frozen apple cinnamon muffins, either let them come to room temperature on your countertop, or microwave them for 15-second intervals until they’re heated through.
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Vegan Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients
Apples
- 1 ½ cups apple, diced small + 1/4 cup apple, diced small, reserved for topping (I used 1 large unpeeled Fuji, and it yielded about 1 3/4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Batter
- ½ cup mashed ripe banana, about 1 large
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, other milks may be substituted including coconut, soy, rice, cow, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted (vegetable or canola oil may be substituted)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- pinches turbinado sugar, optional for sprinkling
- pinches cinnamon, optional for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a Non-Stick 12-Cup Regular Muffin Pan very well with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pan; set aside. (I don’t prefer the cosmetic look of muffin liners and I am not sure if the paper will stick to the muffins).
- Prep the Apples
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups apples, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and toss to coat. The flour helps prevent apples from sinking during baking; set aside.
- Make the Batter
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork.
- Add the sugar, milk (room temp milk will prevent coconut oil from re-solidifying; if it does anyway, some small clumps are okay), oil, vanilla, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, nutmeg, and whisk until combined.
- Add 1 cup flour, baking powder, optional salt, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix. Batter is quite thick and if yours is seemingly too thick, add a tiny additional splash milk to thin it.
- Fold in 1 1/2 cups apples and any loose flour in bottom of bowl.
- Divide batter equally among the cavities of the prepared pan. Each cavity will be about 3/4 full. Spraying a one-quarter cup measure with cooking spray so the batter slides right off is handy here.
- Using the reserved 1/4 cup diced apples, top each muffin with a couple pieces, divided equally.
- Optionally add a pinch of turbinado sugar and pinch of cinnamon to each muffin top.
- Bake for about 17 to 18 minutes, or until tops are domed, puffed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs dangling but no batter. Allow muffins to cool in pan for about 10 to 15 minutes before removing and placing on a rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Apple Breakfast Recipes:
Caramel Apple French Toast Casserole — An EASY recipe with a make-ahead overnight option so it’s perfect for weekend or holiday brunches!! Soft bread, juicy apples, and buttery streusel topping is pure DECADENT comfort food!!
Cinnamon Roll Apple Bake — A layer of cinnamon rolls topped with apples and a crunchy oatmeal crumble makes this the ULTIMATE apple crisp!! EASY, ready in 40 minutes, and tastes AMAZING!!
Caramel Apple Muffins — Soft, fluffy, springy, loaded with chunks of apples, and so much CARAMEL flavor!! EASY, no mixer needed, and you’d never guess they’re accidentally vegan!!
Caramel Apple Sheet Pan Pancakes – Craving pancakes but not the work of standing at the stove flipping them? Make these EASY sheet pan pancakes!! Perfect for a weekend brunch or as a weekday breakfast because they’re ready in 10 minutes!!
Glazed Apple Cinnamon Scones — Finally, scones that aren’t dry! The perfect fall comfort food packed with apples, cinnamon and that glaze!!
Apple Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Syrup — These apple pancakes are packed with cinnamon and other fall spices. Slather with butter and dunk them in some homemade vanilla maple syrup!
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Bake — The soft and gooey factor of a cinnamon rolls with apples and so much CARAMEL SAUCE!! Easy, ready in 30 minutes, and uses store-bought cinnamon roll dough to save time!
Yes, please! :)
Love seeing the apple chunks in the muffin tops!
Perfect healthy apple muffins, Averie! I love baking with coconut oil and it pairs so well with cinnamon. Your photography is excellent here showing off those pretty apple chunks! I appreciate how you are always mindful of those on special diets and are inclusive by sprinkling these recipes in from time to time. Thanks for sharing, m’lady!
Thanks for the compliments, and for noticing both my photography and trying to include a few more vegan recipes lately :)
The chunks of apple in this are lovely! Such an awesome muffin :)
The chunks of apple caught my eye. I like this healthy version. Sounds delicious!
Kind of loving those huge chunks of apple! These look so delicious, and it’s great that they’re vegan!
I saw this post wehn I was UNiveristy but I could not comment!! I was so excited to see you are doing more vegan stuff because I tried your last muffins and they turn out great. I am even inspired to take a vegan cake! Totally loving the fall flavours and apple bits. They look so good, I can taste them from Australia!
When I started my blog 5 years ago, I was vegan/GF and although I cook with butter and eggs, I am vegetarian and aside from butter and eggs in baking, that’s the only non-plant based foods I consume. I hate to say “vegan, except for eggs/butter”, but that’s what I am :) Most people don’t want to be showered with vegan recipes so my blog has ebbed and flowed through the years but it’s nice to post things like this.
I didn’t know you tried my other muffins – thanks for LMK!
And vegan cake when it uses pumpkin or banana is easy and almost always a success. I have a feeling this cake could be made without the eggs and increasing the amt of baking soda https://www.averiecooks.com/2012/10/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bundt-cake-with-chocolate-ganache.html & that it would be great!
Wow! Such a long history! No wonder you are so good now. I actually do not mind vegan food, as long as it taste good I am going to eat it. Even some now vegan bakery items sometimes taste worse than the vegan alternative.
Your Welcome! they came out great! I used a mix of pumpkin and sweet potato, really lovely
It is funny that you say that because I have bunch of roasted banana puree that I need to use up! I think I give your recipe ago and try it vegan.
roasted banana puree sounds amazing! Wow, I could eat that by the spoonful I bet!
And yes, my blog has ebbed and flowed and no one wants to hear about kale salads every day (well, my audience didnt) and so I started baking with eggs and butter in an effort to make life easier on me and others reading – but when I can post a vegan recipe that tastes 100% as good as a non-vegan one, I do!
What you said about vegan bakery items – oh boy I know. I have paid ridic amounts of money for some ‘high end’ specialty vegan baked item and in reality, the things I make that are vegan or even accidentally vegan https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/06/chewy-peanut-butter-and-chocolate-cereal-bars.html things like that – that I will take ANY DAY over some highbrow, dry, overpriced thing in a bakery. LOL
Such cuddly little muffins! I’d like to try them with smart balance instead if coconut oil (so I don’t have to go buy anything else).
Perfect fall snack.
Good call on shopping in your own pantry :)
I’m all for your muffin kick – these look and sound amazing!
Thanks!! :)
I love seeing the little apple chunks showing from the muffins. Me too, cinnamon is so delicious and it made me happy when I smell it from baked goods. My vegan friend will love this recipe!
I love cinnamon so much, too!
Just look at those chunky apple pieces! Love that it’s made with coconut oil too!
And thanks for pinning :)
Your description of coconut oil in baked goods is so spot on! The texture is just….hard to describe. And you know i am not a coconut fan, but I haven’t bought (or missed) butter in a couple months now. I’m actually running low on coconut oil!
I am going apple picking with my class of students in a month or so. And AppleFest is here in 2 weeks. I need to start an apple board on Pinterest.
And remember when you were about to start giving your coconut oil away? Crazy how times change! I have so.much. that I may never get thru it all LOL but it will be fun to try :)
I actually am part of an apple board on Pinterest. I need to pin this to that one!
Yes, there is something about baking with apples that shows the move to the cooler season and it makes me feel so homey and want to curl up with a blanket and book and light a fire. I love baking with apples. These muffins look great and when I try them I think I will substitute the applesauce for the banana because Seraphim reacts to banana now too. Ah well. As I scrolled through your related recipes, they all look so delicious. I love the apple crumble for one at the last. One of my favorite treats before I discovered I was sensitive to oats was granola with chunks of apple, dates, cinnamon and toasted walnuts, served with warmed almond milk and drizzled with maple syrup. Oh my. That STILL would put a big smile on my face! :-)
I can’t believe how sensitive your son is -gah! Well if you try w/ applesauce, LMK how they come out!
Last nite, I did have that glass of champs, and thought of you as I was doing it. You’re amazing!
I love all your muffins recipes!! They are all perfectly baked and of course the flavors are always spot on! I did apples today too, but not vegan and I used buckwheat flour (my new favorite)! ! So excited for fall apples and apple recipes! Oh and I love all the cinnamon. I am cinnamon, pumpkin and apple addict this time of year!
Beautiful photos, Averie. I’m loving all these vegan muffin recipes, it’s sure the perfect time to bring on the muffins since they make such easy on-the-go snacks. But so many muffins are so unhealthy for you (even homemade) and I love that I can always count on yours to turn out. Your Banana Yogurts are still my fav but I’m gonna try these next!
IMO, many muffin recipes I see these days are really cupcakes, going by the name if muffins. And while they don’t have frosting, they have enough add-ins that they may as well. I’m not trying to pull these off as a ‘skinny’ recipe and havent even checked the stats, but they’re better than many, i.e. those cupcake-muffins I see everywhere :)
LOVING the new vegan recipes! (Not that I’m vegan, but I always have almond milk in the fridge and it’s convenient when you don’t have eggs.)
I just posted egg-free Double Chocolate Zucchini muffins on my site today! Great minds.
When I started my blog 5 years ago, I was vegan/GF and although I cook with butter and eggs, I am vegetarian and aside from butter and eggs in baking, that’s the only non-plant based foods I consume. I hate to say vegan, except for eggs/butter, but that’s what I am :) Most people don’t want to be showered with vegan recipes so my blog has ebbed and flowed through the years but it’s nice to post things like this. Just saw your muffins and they’re gorgeous. Can’t believe you’re a baker at work – and then you come home..and bake!
Oh boy oh boy!! These look like a perfect way to start off apple season! (: Can’t wait to make them!! Mmmm! :) So sweet!
Yes indeed!