It’s apple muffin time! You all really seem to love my banana muffins, pumpkin muffins and carrot muffins and the blueberry muffins in my cookbook. Today, apple muffins are joining the club.
Like the others in the bunch, these muffins are made with 100 percent whole wheat flour and naturally sweetened with maple syrup or honey. They are nice and fluffy, with just enough sweetness to be irresistible.
Granted, I already have an apple oatmeal muffin recipe on the blog from four years ago, but I have significantly upped my muffin game since then. These muffins are the better of the two, by a long shot.
I based these healthy apple muffins off my carrot muffins, replacing grated carrots with fresh apple, and replacing half of the Greek yogurt with applesauce.
These muffins contain apple, three ways: freshly grated and chopped apple for the perfect texture, and applesauce for infused apple flavor. They’re the best apple muffins I’ve ever had.
Healthy Apple Muffin Notes
- These apple muffins taste even better after resting for a few hours, if they last that long.
- I particularly enjoy them with a spread of peanut butter.
- Check my recipe notes for how to use honey instead of maple syrup, and some ideas for how to make the muffins vegan.
I think it’s time for another! Please let me know how you like these muffins in the comments. I love hearing from you.
Baking Tips for Success
How to Measure Flour
How you measure your flour is important. Why? If you measure incorrectly, you could end up with up to 50 percent extra flour, which will make your muffins dense, dry and flavorless. Use the spoon and swoop method:
- Gently stir your flour to loosen any clumps.
- Spoon your flour into the measuring cup with a big spoon or a flour scoop. Do not scoop up the flour directly into the measuring cup.
- Level off the top of the cup with a knife. Repeat as necessary.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda Are Not the Same Thing
…and they are not interchangeable. Both are leaveners that help your baked goods rise (baking powder contains some baking soda, but that’s a long story).
This recipe relies on a combination of baking powder and baking soda to produce light and fluffy muffins. For ideal results, always follow the recipe and measure carefully.
How to Stir Your Batter
This muffin batter is super simple to stir together by hand, and that’s how I recommend making these muffins. Why? Whipping your batter will make the flour’s gluten protein too strong, yielding tough muffins.
I know it can be tempting to use a stand mixer or hand mixer when it’s within reach. Please don’t! Follow the instructions below and you’ll end up with light, fluffy muffins.
Watch How to Make Apple Muffins
Healthy Apple Muffins
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 13 mins
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Amazing, healthy apple muffins made with maple syrup and whole wheat flour! No one will guess that this simple cinnamon apple muffin recipe is good for you, too. Recipe yields 12 muffins.
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
- 1 cup grated apple
- 1 cup apple diced into ¼” cubes
- 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 (I used full-fat but any variety should do)
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (also called raw sugar), for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If necessary, grease all 12 cups on your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray (my pan is non-stick and doesn’t require any grease).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Blend well with a whisk. Add the grated apple (if it is dripping wet, gently squeeze it over the sink to release some extra moisture) and chopped apple. Stir to combine.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil and maple syrup and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then add the yogurt, applesauce and vanilla and mix well. (If the coconut oil solidifies in contact with cold ingredients, gently warm the mixture in the microwave in 30 second bursts.)
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok). The batter will be thick, but don’t worry! Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with turbinado sugar. Bake muffins for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
- Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. If you have leftover muffins, store them, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze leftover muffins for up to 3 months.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my healthy carrot muffins.
*If you are baking with honey: Honey tends to brown quickly, so to avoid overdone muffins, bake muffins at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 23 to 25 minutes.
Make it vegan: Replace the eggs with flax eggs and replace the yogurt with vegan buttermilk—try mixing 1 ½ teaspoons vinegar with a scant ½ cup non-dairy milk. Let it rest for 5 minutes before adding it to the other liquid ingredients. (You could also try using more applesauce in place of the yogurt but I’m not sure it’s acidic enough to counteract the bitter taste of the baking soda.)
Make it dairy free: See “buttermilk” option above.
Make it egg free: Use flax eggs instead of regular eggs.
Make it gluten free: Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour make gluten-free all-purpose blends that work well.
If you love this recipe: You will also love my zucchini muffins, carrot muffins and banana muffins! Here are more apple recipes for you, too.
Larissa
Oh my goodness, these are DELICIOUS!!! I couldn’t even wait for them to cool down before I popped one in my mouth. Glad to have stumbled upon your blog, Kate! I can hardly wait to try more of your recipes!
(PS., I used Jazz apples in this and – because I’m always looking for a way to add more fiber to my son’s diet – also added a spoonful of ground flax and hemp seed)
Sarah Rosenblatt
Saw your instagram post last week, looked at my pile of apples from my farm share (already?) and decided to make these muffins. They are so good! Just the right balance of healthy, tasty, & sweet, and I love the variety of apple textures. For breakfast, I sliced one in half, toasted it, and spread it with almond butter – yummm!
Monica
I make healthy muffins for my granddaughter to have for breakfast and/or lunch. Made this recipe for a second time with McIntosh Apples, substituting more apple sauce for cubed apples since she doesn’t like the smushy part, coconut oil, honey, a tablespoon of flax meal, a 1/2 tablespoon of hemp meal, lower/longer cook-time and threw in a handful of dark chocolate chips (good for you!) to make it more tempting. The only problem with these is, everyone in the family eats them up really fast :-) !
nufar medan
Great recipe! I made it for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year’s holiday, as we ritually eat apple and honey to wish for a sweet new year. It came out PERFECT and delicious! and thanks for the honey comment, It was very helpful.
Erin
They were great! I used 1cup almond flour and 3/4 white (no wheat in the house). So easy to make and yummy. It didn’t even need the sugar topping.
Hoa
Wow
I really really love healthy receipes. I hope that you will have more and more healthy receipes
Oh. Could i use only baking powder
Thank you so much
Kate
No, it’s very important to use the leaveners called for in baked goods. Please stick to the recipe!
Tim
These are absolutely amazing muffins. I’ve tried many recipe’s, and I love your methods for creating these muffins.
They were SUPER moist, fluffy, and delicious. I took them to work and shared with my colleagues.
I used plain white flour instead of the wholemeal flour, and it worked well. The mix was probably runnier than it should have been but maybe that attributed to their moisture level.
I’m going to make this one again and put chopped walnuts in it for some crunch.
Melanie
Really enjoyed these! Just the right amount of sweetness. Thanks!
CGN
Could you make these without applesauce? I love your other muffin recipes and I’d like to try to apple ones! I rarely have applesauce on hand, though. Thanks!
Kate
Hi, I actually like to keep mini (lunch box-sized) containers of applesauce on hand for the rare occasion that I need it. You could probably replace it with an equal amount of yogurt. The final result will not be as strongly apple-flavored.
Karen Mudge
Could I substitute self raising flour for plain/all purpose? That’s all I have left in wholemeal/wholewheat in my pantry! Would I leaves out the baking powder and baking soda in this case! Thank you!
Kate
I’m sorry, self-rising flour isn’t suitable as a substitution. The exact amounts of baking soda and baking powder are key in this recipe (and all other baked goods). It’s highly unlikely that you’d get the proper amount of each in a pre-mixed self-rising flour. Sorry to disappoint!
Lisa
Hi! I was just searching for recipes to use the bounty from our apple picking trip and this looks terrific. I have a question though – my boys love apples “raw” but they don’t like them cooked (“too mushy”) so I’m making a ton of fresh applesauce now and will use that instead of shredded or chopped apples. Any idea how much fresh applesauce I’d need? Just add up all the apple and applesauce quantities and use 2 1/2 cups? Thanks!
Kate
Hi Lisa, I’m sorry I didn’t see your question sooner. The apples here are cut so small that they don’t really get mushy like other baked apples. That said, I’m not sure how to answer your question since extra applesauce will likely introduce more readily-absorbed moisture into the recipe. Please let me know how it turned out if you gave it a shot.
Rachel
My toddler, husband and I are huge fans of your pumpkin and banana muffins but now that we’ve tried these apple muffins we might have a new favorite! They are AMAZING! And healthy enough to be enjoyed for breakfast (without inducing a toddler blood sugar spike!) or just sweet enough for an after dinner treat. I have a feeling we will be making a batch of these every week for the rest of fall.
Mina
We went apple picking this past weekend and I made these for my family. The pickiest child rated them an “A+”. My husband couldn’t believe there is no sugar in them. Super moist and just the right amount of sweet. Thank you!
Question: Do you think I could make this recipe as a bread loaf? I can’t find a comparably healthy recipe for apple bread! Thanks again!!
Sandra Lea
These turned out so light and fluffy. My batter seemed to be a little wetter than yours but I just baked a little longer. The only change I would make next time is to add a little more cinnamon.
Hannah Walker
Absolutely delish! I recently made a huge lifestyle change and this was a perfect fit! I will be making these again and have saved the recipe! Thanks so much for sharing!
Kate
Thank you, Hannah! I am happy to know it works well with your new lifestyle change and that is will be a repeat!
Connie
Can I replace the Greek Yogurt with Buttermilk? I know it doesn’t really make it healthy but I have some left that I want to use up so… was hoping I could use it here? Thanks!
Kate
Hi Connie, I think you could! Just use slightly less buttermilk than the amount of yogurt called for here. And don’t feel bad, buttermilk is not an ingredient I would consider unhealthy! :)
Connie
Thanks for making me feel better about the substitution. I did switch it up, buttermilk for yorgurt and it turned out well. Phew! Did about the same amount as the yogurt. Will have to try again with the yogurt to so I do a proper compare but I was happy to get rid of the excess buttermilk I had.
Fabienne
I am always happy to find recipes online that are made healthier without being dull from dishes or sweets I love! It’s my first time making muffins with apple. That’s why I’m wondering if they are supposed to be so moist? I made muffins with blueberries before which were not as moist. Is it because of the amount of apples or the applesauce?
Fabienne
Just wanted to say that after the muffins cooled down completely they were perfect (not so moist as I found them straight from the oven)! My flatmates and me loved them so much that I will repeat this recipe again very soon!
Angela
Hi Kate! Made this recipe tonight and reaped my reward with some ahmaazing apple muffins, so firstly.. thanks a lot! And here comes my question: since I halved the recipe, I was a bit uncertain regarding how to adjust the bake time.. so I ended up just, uh, kinda winning it. Got any advice for how to adjust for someone with a 6-muffin pan?
Kate
So glad your muffins turned out well! If you have a 6-muffin pan and the recipe yields 12 muffins, just divide the amounts by two and bake for the same amount of time specified in the recipe… I think that will work! (I say this assuming that you’re muffin pans makes regular-sized muffins, not jumbo, in which case the muffins would take longer to cook.)
Marj
Hi Kate, I will make these muffins tomorrow..but I need to double the recipe…can I do that or do I have to make two separate batches? Plus do you know how much sugar and carbohydrates are in each muffin?
Thanks.
Kate
Marj, you will be ok just doubling and dividing up the batter to an additional 12 muffins. The nutrition information below the notes section provides the estimate for the serving size, which is one muffin. Hope this is helpful!
Lauren
I love this recipe I am in the kitchen manager for a senior living facility for trying to make healthy food are used coconut nectar as the sweetener the residents all loved Them the muffins looked beautiful and thank you for all the lovely recipes on your site
Kelsey
Made these muffins last night and there are already only 6 left! These muffins are delicious, so moist and perfectly sweet – great recipe! Thanks for sharing :)
Kate
You are very welcome, Kelsey! Thanks so much for sharing and for your review :)
Edith
Thank you for this delicious recipe!, Made it over the weekend and the whole family loved it!. Definitely a keeper.
Kate
You are welcome! I am happy you enjoyed it Edith :)
Ruwani
What could I replace the apple sauce with? Living in Uganda and apple sauce is not easy to come by!
Kate
Hi Ruwani, I would probably replace it with an equal amount of yogurt. Hope that helps!
Kathy Bayham
Wonderful! I’d give it more starts if possible!! This recipe is so flexible; the 2nd time I baked them, I added more spices, sub’d brown sugar for maple syrup, and omitted cubed apples. They still turned out incredibly moist and flavorful and were nicely domed. This recipe should be in every baker’s repertoire! Thank you!!
Kate
You are so sweet, Kathy! Thank you so much. :)
Diana
Full of flavor! Mine stuck to the paper muffin cups I used, but they were still delicious! I added a tsp each ground flax, chia seeds, & some Amazing Grass powdered greens to the mix & you couldn’t even taste all of the extra healthiness. LOL
Thank you for making another way to enjoy healthy & amazing muffins!
Wondering though, where I might find the nutritional info?
Kate
I am happy you enjoyed them Diana! The nutritional information is under the recipe notes section. You will need to click to expand.
Shellie
I made these last night with the vegan and gluten free substitutions you suggested — they were fabulous! A bigh THANK YOU for sharing this. Its so hard finding healthy vegan and gluten free recipes and this fits the bill perfectly.
Kate
That’s great! Thank you, Shellie.
Danielle Lerer
Oh my goodness, these are so delicious. The whole family, including my 1-year old will love these for breakfast. I used half granny smith, half gala apples for a nice tart-sweet balance. Will definitely make again!
Kate
Thank you, Danielle for sharing! I really appreciate the review. :) I’ happy your kiddo will love these for breakfast.
Alaina
I used double the applesauce instead of adding Greek yogurt and they turned out great! I also added in walnuts. So delicious.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Alaina! I’m glad they turned out so well for you. :)
Barb
I am looking to make a completely sugar free muffin. (This means no honey, no maple syrup, no agave, etc… no sweetener!) Can you recommend a substitute for the honey? Or can I just omit it? The muffins need not be sweet, I just want don’t want to throw off the batter. Would something like mashed banana work?
Kate
Hi Barb, I think mashed banana is probably your best bet.
Linda
Absolutely delicious! Used a Granny and Honeycrisp, turned out fantastic.
Your recipes NEVER fail to please!
Kate
Lovely! Thank you, Linda. :)
Elizabeth
I first found you because of your healthy, yummy muffin recipes! This is one of my favorites. Fluffy and delicious.
Mel
How many calories do the healthy apple muffins have?
Elizabeth
A stormy morning here , but it’s perfect for something warm from the oven. These muffins fit the bill and we’re delicious and moist ! Thanks Kate & Cookie. Loving the cookbook !
Kate
A perfect baking morning! Thank you for the comment and review, Elizabeth! Happy you loved the muffins.
Michelle
I do not show the nutritional value. I click on the arrow and nothing shows.
Deb
Just making my second batch because the first one was so good (and didn’t last long!)
Thanks for a healthier version of muffins.
(Trying to rate it 5 stars, but 1 star keeps disappearing)
Kate
That is a great problem to have! Thank you for the review. (That shouldn’t be happening, so I will look into it! Thanks for letting me know).
Camie
I made these this morning with my 6 and 11-year old. I doubled the recipe and used half pure maple syrup/honey and half yogurt/apple sauce. They were delicious! Every one loved them and they made the house smell wonderful on this crisp spring morning. Thank you for sharing your talent!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Camie! I’m happy it was great for the whole family.
Shinta_Sa
wow, it looks so incredible and healthy, my husband and son would love this. thanks for the recipe.
Kate
You’re welcome!
Julie Peterson
Could I use Kamut or Spelt flour? My husband is wheat sensitive so I try to use ancient grains.
Avona Preston
Made these April 2,2018 Temp 350 -Honey Unless Noted all Ingredients Same
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, Green Apples,3/4 c Honey, Sour Cream (in fridge), Pureed Apple = Applesauce, 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla, Cinnamon Sugar on top.
I LIKE these But, Husband Wants at least 1 Cup Honey with OUR Sour Apples.
I will make these again with MY additions.
THANKS for Posting.
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for sharing.
Sydney
Okay these are so freaking tasty. I’ll be lucky if they last 3 days. Adding to my recipe box :)
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Sydney! :)
Sasha
Can I susbstitute the apple sauce for coconut oil?
Kate
Unfortunately no. Sorry! You can use olive oil.
Salina Franklin
Can I use butter in place of the coconut oil? I don’t have any oil on hand and it can be so expensive!
smir
what is the purpose of the greek yogurt? can it be omitted?
Kate
You could also try using more applesauce in place of the yogurt but I’m not sure it’s acidic enough to counteract the bitter taste of the baking soda.
leda hoffman
I look forward to trying this recipe. When I click on nutrition it doesn’t show any stats. I am a weight watcher and need fiber, carbs, protein and fat. You know it might make the difference between having that second muffin with my coffee. Thank you.
Kate
Sometimes browser settings will blog the plug-in. Try clearing your cookies and allowing pop-ups if that doesn’t work. Hope this helps!
leda hoffman
I found that when I went to my phone rather than my computer the nutrition stats popped up. Five points per muffin. That’s about the points for most healthy muffins. One that I get from Whole Foods is 8 points so 5 is good. I have done the point system for 8 years. For me I need the accountability. Can’t wait to try these. Thanks
Greg S
These muffins are amazing! I’ve used oat flour instead & that works great. I’ve only peeled the shredded apple & leave the skin on the chopped which makes a nice combo. I highly recommend this recipe! These muffins are close to perfection on flavor & nutrition.
Kate
Wonderful, Greg! Thanks for the review.
Claire
Can I substitute whole wheat pastry flour?
Specifically, I want to use Arrowhead Mills Organic Pastry Flour.
Kate
Hi Claire, I think so. The muffins will be a little more delicate and your batter might be more wet, but I think your muffins will turn out well!
Claire
Thank you so much Kate. I’ll be trying the recipe soon.
I love your recipes. I have a serious sweet tooth and your recipes have provided me with a great opportunity to cut back on the refined sugars and still enjoy all the yummy baked goods.
Emma
This is a very forgiving recipe! I changed it considerably and it turned out amazing. Used extra apple sauce instead of chopped apples, gluten free self raising flour, left out the baking soda as I had none, used rice malt syrup instead of honey and it still worked so well. Thanks for an amazing recipe.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Emma! I appreciate the review.
Samantha
These were amazing! Lightly sweet, very moist, and they feel so great to eat (versus the sugary unhealthy ones you buy at the store). I used honey instead of maple syrup, and it worked wonderfully. I would say maybe I’ll add a little more cinnamon next time because I love that spice, but honestly, best muffin recipe ever. Now I have to try the others – can’t wait! Thanks Cookie and Kate! :)
Kate
I’m happy you think so, Samantha! I appreciate your star review and comment. Let me know what you think as you try the other variations.
Danielle
Can I replace the oil with apple sauce?
Alexandra Souflas
Hello to Cookie and Kate,
I have been making you wonderful muffins for our boys they loves them, as they are watching what they put into his body and your healthy muffins have hit the spot.
I love having to use a recipe that works.
AWSOME!
YUMMY
DELICIOUS
MARVELLOUS
Next pay packet I am going to purchase the cookbook.
Thank you both so so much!
Love from one happy family.
Souflas family.
❤️
Kate
I love all of those words, Alexandra! Thanks so much for your review.
Ann
Which of your muffin recipes would you best recommend for kiddos and which would freeze best? Thank you!!
Kate
I don’t freeze all my recipes, but I recommend looking through the comments to see other readers success. :)
Katie
I just made these healthy apple muffins! they were so yummy! Even my Dad the sweet tooth loved them. The only change I would make is to halve the wet mixture. I ended up having to throw half the mixture out. Other than that, they were absolutely delicious.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Katie!
Rana
I see that this recipe was posted quite a while ago, but I’ve just come across it today…..hey, the internet is REALLY slow in Oz!! I’ve just popped one of these into my mouth..too hot, but can’t wait! DELICIOUS!! I had to use some red delicious and gala apples, that was what I had, but wow these are unreal!! I didn’t have quite enough whole meal flour, so I popped in 1/2 c. oat,chia&coconut mix….don’t know if it made it any difference to the outcome, but can I just say “cheers” for your website…I love muffins, I’m not bad at baking, but most muffin recipes leave me disappointed…hallelujah,we have a winner here!! Can’t wait to try the raspberry ones, love it when I can eat and not feel too guilty about it! Thankyou again.
Kate
I love your excitement! Thanks for sharing and for your review, Rana.
Gary
Terrific muffins. I used Greek style unsweetened almond yogurt and unsweetened applesauce. Came out perfect but I put a little extra sugar on the top.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Gary!
Cheri
I made these today. I used 1 cup grated red delicious apple and 1 cup blue berries. It is delicious!
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Cheri!
Yolande Mirza
Mine has just gone in the oven.. the dough is already super delicious, having licked the mixing bowl clean, hehe! Technical questions: If I double up this recipe, how does it affect my baking time? Do I have to rotate the muffin pans halfway through for even cooking, for an even bake? Or should the “fan cooking” function of my oven cover that for baking on more than one shelf?
Elisabetta Renwick
I discovered this delicious recipe for Healthy Apple Muffins today and it is going to be my favourite sweet muffins for the future. They were quick and easy to make, deliciously moist and flavoursome, and the whole batch got eaten at lunch time for four people (I had only one because I could see the popularity of them). Next time I’ll be doubling the recipe! This is a 5-star recipe in my view.
Kate
Thank you, Elisabetta!
merav
hi i dont have any apple sauce , what shall i put instead?
it does look great!
thanks
karen
These look fantastic and I plan to make them today for our upcoming camping trip. Is there any way I can use dates to sweeten instead of syrup?
Kate
I’m not sure dates will work. The maple syrup helps with the moisture in the batter too. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
Kristen
OMG–SO STINKING GOOD. I used GF flour from Trader Joes (worked GREAT) and added in a sprinkle of Allspice. I’m going to have a hard time eating just one at a time! :)
Kate
Love that they work so well gluten free! Thanks for sharing, Kristen.
Amy
First off, my family is obsessed with your muffin recipes! The banana and pumpkin versions are frequent breakfast staples in our home and perfect for busy school mornings. We just went apple picking and I was really excited to make these. They are cooling, and so I haven’t tried one yet but I had trouble grating the apples – I first tried a box grater and it was only leaving pulp and juice after a lot of effort, so I took out the ole Cuisinart and used the shredding disc, hoping that would be better. It was slightly better but the shredded apple really clumped together in a wet, soggy mess and was difficult to incorporate. My batter was also quite a bit wetter than yours was – I figured my apples were on the juicier side and so put in a little less applesauce to compensate. Anywho, because I am such a fan of your recipes and especially the muffin ones, I would love some tips here on how to make it a better experience next time! Thanks!
Kate
Hi Amy! So sorry for the slow response. Thank you for your comment. Did you pick Granny Smiths? From apple variety to another, and even apple to apple, I think apples vary in moisture content and grate-ability (can we make that a word?). I actually had trouble grating a Granny Smith the other day using the same grater that I used for this recipe and I was frustrated and disappointed since it worked so well for me when I made this one. I was able to get the grating going by slicing off a little circle of skin on the side, so I had a flat apple flesh area to start on. Anyway, I am going to make these apple muffins again soon and look for ways to offer better guidance and tips. Hope your muffins were tasty!
Sarah Rosenblatt
I may have commented on this recipe before, but I don’t care! I’m commenting again! These muffins are the best, I make them all the time. Sometimes I use half pears, half apples – so good. I also sprinkle a little bit of oats on top. They have just the right blend of flavors, and the texture by cooking the apple three ways is genius. These are SO GOOD!
Kate
I don’t care either! Thanks for commenting again, Sarah. I appreciate it! Thanks for your comment(again) and review.
Penny
These are absolutely superb, I very rarely follow a recipe closely, but this one I did with the exception of adding some walnuts.love , love , love them !! Will definitely bake them again :).
Kate
I’m glad you did and that you loved it, Penny! Thanks for your review.
Kara
I followed your recipe and they came out perfectly! Very delicious!! Thank you!! :)
Kate
You’re welcome, Kara!
Karen
can you add oats to this recipe? what would be the ratio to flour?
Kate
Hi Karen, yes you can! You can add up to 1/3 cup old fashioned oats to any of my muffin recipes.
Karen
Can you add oats to this recipe like your old recipe? What would be your ratio to flour?
Kate
Hi Karen! After a bunch of recipe testing, I’m pleased to report that you can add up to 1/3 cup old fashioned oats to any of my muffin recipes.
Jodi Weiss
I made two of the recipes today and this was one of them. (I also made the chocolate balls with slivered almonds) I swapped out the plain yogurt with vanilla. I also realized I didn’t have apple sauce so I used a banana. Sooooo good
Kate
I like that, Jodi! Thanks for sharing. I appreciate your review.
Danielle
These were wonderful! My house smelled incredible. I used cinnamon apple sauce and was worried there would be too much cinnamon and the muffins would be bitter but it turned out just fine! I’d like to try this with gluten free flour next :). Thank you!
Kate
I love the smell of fresh baked muffins! Delightful. Thanks for sharing, Danielle.
Yee Kok Siong
Yummy! Recently visited an apple orchard and now have more apples than we know what to do with, so I decided to get a jump start on the week by making my mother’s recipe for Apple Muffins.
Kate
Fresh-picked apples, delicious! Thank you for your review.
Coco
So these muffins are idiot proof. I accidentally used the wrong measuring cup for the flour and ended up with probably 1/2 cup extra before I realized my mistake. I upped the wet ingredients a bit and the muffins still turned out great.
The second variation was deliberate–due to a severe egg allergy in my family, I actually used 1/4 cup plain yogurt in place of each egg, so a total of 1 cup plain yogurt. I thought this recipe handled the substitution really well. And they smelled amazing while baking. Thanks, Kate, for another great recipe!
Kate
I’m glad you think so, Coco! I appreciate your kind comment and reivew.
Jenny Hamon
I work at a preschool, and we have muffins for snack twice a week. I’ve made your pumpkin muffins, your banana muffins, and just tried these apple muffins last week. They are fantastic!! All the recipes have been great, and the kids love them! Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Kate
That’s wonderful to hear, Jenny! Thanks so much for sharing.
Fadia
Made them twice and they are delicious! I can’t believe there is only 1/2 cup of maple syrup in them. Also, I put two cups of grated apple instead of the cubes and it worked great.
Kate
Great the hear!
Kari
One of my favorite recipes for sure!
Kate
Great, Kari!
Karen Marshall
These ARE amazing. Very moist and tender, yet not too sweet! Thanks for the recipe
Kate
You’re welcome, Karen!
mary beth
Just made your apple muffins this morning. These muffins are fantastic. You really are the goddess of healthy baking recipes and healthy recipes in general. I always look forward to you’re posts and check out your website first when I’m looking for a healthy addition to our family menu. Thank you very much for your hard work and dedication to health!
Tara
They are delish! And my picky 2 year old loves them!!
Kate
Parent win! Thank you, Tara for sharing.
Molly McMahon
I just made these right now and they smell DELICIOUS! The last muffins are cooking in the oven and I can’t wait to taste them!
Kate
What did you think!?
sera
I made these a couple of days ago and they really are good. I’ve been trying to hurry up my preschooler’s breakfast and this does the trick! So delicious!
Kate
Great, Sera! Thanks for your review!
Sharon OBrien
Wow, so good. I used a combination of oat and buckwheat flour. Didn’t have applesauce so used pumpkin butter.
Kate
Oh, that sounds interesting! I might need to try that.
Donna
I don’t know if my apples were just extra juicy or what. But my batter was NOT thick. It was a very thin batter. Even thinner than pancake batter. I triple checked all ingredients and I’m positive I measured everything correctly. We’ll see how they bake up.
Kate
Hi Donna, how did your muffins turn out?
Donna
I honestly thought they would be a flop because the batter was so runny. They turned out amazing! Delicious recipe!!
Sarah
These look amazing! However I cannot have the Greek yogurt so I was wondering if I could just sub it with more applesauce? Also what are your thought with subbing whole wheat flour with whole spelt flour!? Thanks!
Sarah
Kate
Hi Sarah! Check my recipe notes on “make it vegan” for a substitution to the Greek yogurt. I think spelt flour will work, but it doesn’t always behave just like whole wheat, so that’s a bit of a gamble.
Mel
Hey Kate, how about buckwheat or chickpea flour? If I don’t want to make applesauce should I add maple syrup or coconut sugar ?
Kate
Hi Mel! Those flours will behave quite differently from whole wheat flour (or any other glutenous flour). It would be pretty risky to sub either of those here. I’d recommend a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend instead. You can replace the applesauce with more yogurt.
Ai
Hello Cookie and Kate! I tried these for the second time today. I doubled the recipe, halved the oil and added a little more applesauce (which I didn’t have handy so I had fresh apple purée instead…) . I also only had 2 eggs so I didn’t double the eggs. The batter was still very wet. So I added another 1/3 cup of whole wheat flour. I found that baking them for 20 minutes had the best results. Now the most interesting substitution here that I made for a friend with milk allergies was tofu! I puréed a carton of silken tofu (I live in Tokyo) to replace the yogurt so that my friend would not be itching herself for a week. This batter yielded 18 medium sized muffins and 24 mini muffins. Oh and the apples were deep red apples, 3 large ones, and it was not too sweet. I think walnuts and cranberries or craisins will work well too!!
I’m excited to take these to work tomorrow! Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom to make healthy treats! Xoxo
Kate
I appreciate you sharing your approach! Enjoy them at work. :)
Marie
So delicious! Thank you!!!
Kate
Thank you, Marie!
Dani Wilson
These came out SO good!!!! They were really easy to make also. I don’t cook or bake much and I managed it no problem. I love that they’re on the healthy side. I love baked goods. I find it hard to give them up. These in moderation are a perfect treat .
Kate
I love that these turned out so well for you, Dani! Thanks so much for your comment and review.
Christine
I love these but I find myself continuing to put them back in the oven because they aren’t even close to being cooked all the way through after 15 min. The inside is still pretty wet..even after cooling. Is this normal?
Amber White
I absolutely love these muffins, and every recipe of yours I have tried. I am trying to make this into a quick bread but it isn’t turning out. I love all of your muffins, but bread is just so much easier for me to make. Any info would be great. Thanks for all the yummy recipes!!
Kate
Im glad you like the muffins! I haven’t tried this in bread form yet, so I don’t have any advice for you. Sorry! You could see what other readers may have tried by looking through comments.
Debbie
I make whole grain muffins regularly for my family. This is a great recipe! I subbed sour cream for the yogurt, since that’s what was in my fridge, and added about a third cup of pecans, due having a little less than the two cup of apples. The flavor is amazing! Thanks for the yummy breakfast.
Kate
Thank you, Debbie!
Stella
I am determined to attempt all the muffin recipes on this website! These were delicious, not-too-sweet, moist, fluffy, snack muffins. My dude’s coworkers went nuts for them and told me they would pay me to make more! However, I didn’t have applesauce so I substituted more greek yogurt and a touch of almond milk. I could still sort of taste the baking soda & baking powder, so next time I will definitely use the apple sauce or maybe a mashed banana. Thank you for a wonderful muffin experience ;)
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad they were a hit. Thanks so much for your review!
Janice
These muffins are so tasty!!! I made a few substitutions. Half whole wheat flour and half s organic oats, yogurt and no applesauce, 1 drop cinnamon essential oil, pears for the apples. This recipe is moist…..YUMMY!!!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Janice!
Barb
Out of this world!!
Kate
Thanks, Barb!
lola
amazing recipe, easy to follow and the muffins taste delicious :)
Kate
Thank you!
Lisa B
Made these today for Christmas morning brunch. I don’t want my toddler eating sugary cookies and candies until she is a bit older, but I feel guilty when I bake things she can’t eat. These came out perfectly. Thanks so much!
Kate
I love that you made these for her so she still had a treat! Thanks for sharing, Lisa.
Christine
Perhaps the best muffin I’ve ever made, even with substitutions. I was out of whole wheat flour and maple syrup, so I subbed white flour and brown sugar without changing any quantities, and it still produced a delicious muffin that I’ve already had three of today. Thank you!
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Christine! Thanks for sharing.
Adeena Winkler
I made these today with my 5 year old. They came out amazing! The only thing I changed was I used only 1/2 the amount of applesauce (didnt have enough) and made up the rest with more yogurt. We will definitely be making these again!
Kate
Great to hear, Adeena! I appreciate your review.
APH
Great muffin recipe for my toddler! I add 1 cup of old fashioned oats and use the maple syrup instead of honey. They turn out wonderful! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Kate
I’m happy your toddler loved them! Thanks for your review!
Dawn Summer
These apple muffins are my all-time favourite. I love that they are made with wholesome ingredients with tonnes of nutritional value. They are my favourite treat to bring to my friends who are new mothers for an easy, heathy snack. My daughter and husband love them as well. Great work on this recipe.
Kate
Family favorite, I love it!
Helen
Fantastic recipe! Great for the whole family…my toddler loves them. I used rice malt syrup instead of maple or honey and also a whole cup of yoghurt instead of half. Delicious!!
Kate
Thanks for your review, Helen!
Alex
I’ve made these before, and absolutely adored them! However, I was wondering if it’d be possible to make put the batter into a loaf pan and make an apple bread?
Kate
I haven’t tried it, sorry! Maybe see in the comments if any of the other readers have.
Jill Valentine
These are truly the yummiest apple muffins I’ve ever made or tasted. They stay moist and have just the right amounts of sweetness and healthiness. Best. Ever.
Kate
I’m glad you love them, Jill!
Amanda B
These turned out nice! I doubled the cinnamon and added mixed seeds on top along with the raw sugar. I did find them a tiny bit lacking in sweetness (my apple sauce was unsweetened, maybe that was why?), but they’re perfect with a drizzle of maple syrup on top. Thanks!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Amanda!