Description
These healthy apple muffins are fluffy, flavorful, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup, whole wheat flour, and fresh apples. Perfect for a nutritious breakfast or snack, they combine cinnamon-spiced apples with a moist, tender crumb that no one will guess is good for you. This easy recipe makes 12 wholesome muffins bursting with autumnal flavor.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Apple Ingredients
- 1 cup grated apple (excess moisture squeezed out)
- 1 cup apple diced into ¼” cubes
Wet Ingredients
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey*
- 2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or any variety)
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (raw sugar), for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Grease all 12 cups of a muffin tin with butter or non-stick spray if necessary. A non-stick pan may not require greasing.
- Mix Dry Ingredients and Apples: In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add the grated apple (after squeezing out excess moisture if very wet) and the diced apple cubes. Stir gently to combine.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted coconut oil and maple syrup together. Add the eggs and beat well. Then whisk in the Greek yogurt, applesauce, and vanilla extract. If the coconut oil solidifies due to cool ingredients, warm the mixture briefly in the microwave in 30-second increments to liquefy.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir with a large spoon just until combined; the batter will be thick and may have a few lumps, which is fine. Over-mixing can make muffins tough.
- Fill Muffin Cups and Add Topping: Evenly distribute the batter among the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops evenly with turbinado sugar for a crunchy, sweet crust.
- Bake: Bake the muffins at 425°F for 13 to 16 minutes, or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Store: Let the muffins cool in the tin on a wire rack. Store leftover muffins covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerated up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from healthy carrot muffins.
- If baking with honey: lower oven temperature to 325°F and bake for 23 to 25 minutes to prevent over-browning.
- To make vegan: replace eggs with flax eggs and yogurt with vegan buttermilk made by mixing 1 ½ teaspoons vinegar with ½ cup non-dairy milk, resting 5 minutes.
- To make dairy-free: use the vegan buttermilk substitution described above.
- To make egg-free: substitute flax eggs for eggs.
- To make gluten-free: use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend such as Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour.