Description
Delicious and healthy apple muffins made with whole wheat flour, fresh apples, and natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey. These muffins are moist, flavorful, and perfect for a nutritious breakfast or snack. They can easily be adapted to vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, or gluten-free diets.
Ingredients
Scale
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
Fruit
- 1 cup grated apple (lightly squeezed if wet)
- 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 the Oven: Set your oven to 425°F (218°C). Grease all 12 muffin cups with butter or non-stick spray if needed, though a non-stick pan may not require this.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Add grated apple (squeezed if wet) and diced apple, then stir gently to incorporate.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk melted coconut oil (warm if solidified) together with maple syrup. Beat in the eggs thoroughly, then add Greek yogurt, applesauce, and vanilla extract, mixing until the mixture is smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients. Mix gently with a large spoon until just combined; the batter will be thick and may have a few lumps—do not overmix.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Evenly divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar to add a subtle crunch and sweetness.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Store: Transfer the muffin tin to a cooling rack and let muffins cool completely. Store leftover muffins covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerated for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- If using honey, reduce oven temperature to 325°F (163°C) and bake muffins for 23 to 25 minutes to prevent over-browning.
- To make vegan: Replace eggs with flax eggs and yogurt with vegan buttermilk (1½ tsp vinegar + just under ½ cup non-dairy milk, rested for 5 minutes). Alternatively, use more applesauce but be aware it may not fully neutralize baking soda bitterness.
- To make dairy-free: Use the vegan buttermilk substitute as described.
- To make egg-free: Use flax eggs instead of regular eggs.
- To make gluten-free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend from brands such as Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour that works well as a substitute.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
