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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These were very easy to make and absolutely delicious! I didn’t have bananas on hand so I subbed 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree and they are perfect for fall! Also I used vegetable spread instead of coconut oil to make it less greasy, lower calorie, and to prevent that unfortunate solidification while I’m trying to mix up everything! They make great muffins and you’ll probably want to double the recipe otherwise you’ll eat them up before you know what happened! Last time I tried doubling and used the other half to make a loaf of bread instead and it was heavenly! 10/10 would recommend this recipe to Anyone!
Thanks for saying that these are a 10 out of 10 for you! Glad that you were able to make bread from the recipe as well!
I sibbed out the banana with applesauce and it worked just as well! Super soft and delicious! My baby is going crazy for them!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad your baby loves them!
Thank you so much Averie for another perfect recipe!👌 Another lunchbox hit👍
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is a lunchbox hit!
Made as instructed and I loved them!!
Thank you for this awesome recipe! Tasted yum, wouldn’t change a thing.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you wouldn’t change a thing!
Hello! I’m keen to try this recipe, but I have a friend who is allergic to banana. Would a chia egg work in this case? Or would you recommend I use avocado? Another friend of mine who will eat this is allergic to nuts (I know, I know) so I wanna use coconut milk. Would it make the muffin taste too, er, coco-nutty? Thanks, from a vegan cooking newbie x
I have only made the recipe as written and the only way to know if something will work when baking is to try it out. Good luck!
I know it’s way too late, but for all the people who ask themselves this question to come: 1,5tbsp apple sauce works great as a substitute for the banana.
Hi Averie! Just wanted to let you know what I made this recipe last night, and my husband and daughter absolutely love the muffins! My daughter said they are the best I’ve made so far.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
These were lovely thank you! Now making them again.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad you’re making it again!
This recipe is delicious. It bake time I needed was 25 minute. I can’t share enough how yummy I find it. Thank you.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Modified the recipe to substitute aquafaba for the banana and milk. It was a little too wet, so they didn’t form a great muffin top, but the cake was beautifully moist and scrumptious! I’ll play around with the portions to make it better, but it’s really satisfying to finally have a good vegan muffin recipe?
Sounds like you were still successful! I have never made anything with aquafaba (read lots about it) so good for you for trying!
I don’t have a banana! What can I use instead?
I would go buy one to ensure the recipe turns out properly.
Great muffins. My family really enjoyed them. Next time I make them I will put less nutmeg. As it seem to take over all the flavors.
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! Some brands of nutmeg can be very intense, I know what you mean, so just scale it back a bit.
Don’t have any milks on hand – is water an acceptable substitute?
Perhaps – haven’t tried using water so can’t speak to the result, texture, or taste.
This recipe is amazing! Will make this again :3
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that you’ll make it again!
I noticed in the ingredients it says 1 cup plus all-purpose flour. Plus what? Is it a typo?
It’s not a typo. When baking with fruit, no two apples or whatever it is will be the exact same in size, juiciness, etc. and if you need a touch more flour to get the batter to the right consistency, then add it based on your common sense.
I needed a vegan muffin that was kid-friendly for a family brunch and these were perfect! They were so soft, and I loved the big chunks of apple. They were a hit with everyone!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that they were a hit with everyone!
Hi, love the sounds of your muffins but I am wondering if you tried subbing coconut sugar for granulated for a healthier alternative, would it effect the flavor? Or even brown sugar, I don’t keep white sugar in the house. Thanks!!
I haven’t tried making any substitutions but you could probably use brown sugar noting that it’s moister than white sugar so you may need to adjust the baking time and/or dry ingredient ratios.