The Best Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Every fall the apple orchard is a MUST for our family and we are always looking for new and yummy things to make with ALL the apples (hello classic apple crisp)! Plus, after perfecting our gluten-free blueberry banana muffins… it was time for another fluffy gluten-free muffin around here. You guys, they are so light, fluffy, and have so much flavor!
Perfect for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack that the whole family will love!. You can even make a double batch and keep some in the freezer for later!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the full recipe card below for a full listing of the ingredients, instructions, & estimated nutritional information.
- Apples – during testing I used honeycrisp apples but any variety of fresh apples will work!
- Almond Flour + Cassava Flour – the perfect combination of flours to keep your apple muffins gluten-free but they can also be swapped out for 1 cup of whole wheat flour if gluten isn’t a concern.
- Applesauce – a great way to keep the muffins moist and fluffy. Other recipes have used mashed bananas or oils, but these are apple muffins so we used unsweetened applesauce and they are perfect!
- Coconut Oil – option to use this, regular butter, or plant-based butter.
How To Make Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Step 1 – Measure out the wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate bowls.
Step 2 – Mix the dry ingredients in to the wet ingredients.
Step 3 – Fold in the cut up apples and melted coconut oil.
Step 4 – Pour the batter in to prepared muffin cups in a muffin tin pan.
Step 5 – Bake the muffins in the preheated oven.
Pro Tip – Let Fully Cool!
It is extremely important to let your gluten-free baked goods fully cool before eating. Otherwise, they can fall apart or become more crumbly.
Recipe FAQs
Highly recommend using classic honey crisp apples, but any variety of red or green apples will work. Just pick your favorite or use what you have on hand.
Yes! There is no need to remove the skin before chopping and adding them to the muffin batter.
Simply insert a toothpick in to the middle of a muffin and if it comes out clean, they are done. If it does not come out clean, continue baking at 5 minute increments until they are cooked through.
Yes! Once they are fully cooled, they can be placed in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the counter and enjoy!
Other Easy Muffin Recipes You Might Like
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Apple Cinnamon Muffins Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins are made with simple, real ingredients! They are gluten-free and make a delicious breakfast or snack!
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1/3 cup real maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups super fine almond flour
- 3/4 cup cassava flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 cup fresh apple, cored & chopped
- 1 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (sub melted butter)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 12 muffin tins with liners.
- Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add 3 eggs, 1 cup applesauce, 1/3 cup maple syrup, 3 tablespoons almond butter, & 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
- Dry Ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, add 1 1/4 cups super fine almond flour, 3/4 cup cassava flour, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves. Whisk to combine (which helps break up any clumps).
- Combine: Add the Dry Ingredients to the Wet Ingredients and stir to combine.
- Apples + Coconut Oil: Fold in the chopped apples and coconut oil.
- Bake: Divide the mixture between 12 muffin tins, filling about 1/2-3/4 of the way full. Option to add extra little chunks of apple on top or some rolled oats, if you want. Make sure they are pretty small, otherwise they may sink to the middle part of the muffin. Bake for 22-24 minutes on the middle rack.
- Cool + Serve: Remove and let cool 5-10 minutes in the pan and then place on a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Notes
- Whole Wheat Flour: option to use 1 cup whole wheat flour in place of both the almond flour and cassava flour.
- Apples: honeycrisp apples were used in testing, but feel free to use any variety of apples.
- Storage: keep in an airtight container on the counter for about 24 hours or so & then I would recommend storing in the refrigerator, since there are no preservatives in these.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 187
- Sugar: 8.7 g
- Sodium: 98.1 mg
- Fat: 9.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.2 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 46.5 mg
Erin says
Made these last week – so good!
kare says
I don’t have cassava flour can I just use almond flour?
Erin says
I haven’t tested it that way so I am not sure how it will turn out, but you can definitely try!
Sara says
Yum, these muffins are delicious! The texture is light and fluffy, they are moist without being soggy (if you bake with alternative flours you know what I mean), and they have just the right level of sweetness. I was a little hesitant about all the different spices so dialed back a bit other than the cinnamon, but the combo was great and easy to tailor to my family’s tastes. Another winner!
Erin says
So happy to hear that, Sara!! And thank you so much for taking the time to leave a thoughtful review – it is so appreciated!
Mollie Benjamin says
Fall in a muffin. Easy to follow and quick to throw together. I used Oat Flour & Pumpkin Pie spice to make use of on hand ingredients. This will definitely be a go-to recipe.
Erin says
Yay! Happy to hear that, Mollie! Thanks for the feedback!
Nicole says
These muffins are excellent. I did not have cassava flour so I used tapioca flour. It worked really well. I will be making these again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Erin says
So glad you enjoyed them, Nicole! And thanks for letting everyone know about the tapioca flour substitute – so helpful!
Celeste says
Loved these! I’ve tried quite a few grain free recipes and often the texture is kind of funky. Loved the texture and the flavor of these, great recipe!
Erin says
Thank you, Celeste! So happy you enjoyed them!