Healthy Apple Muffins
Amazing, healthy apple muffins made with maple syrup and whole wheat flour! No one will guess that this simple cinnamon apple muffin recipe is healthy, too.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
Itโs 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. Theyโre the best apple muffins Iโve 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 itโs 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
โฆand they are not interchangeable. Both are leaveners that help your baked goods rise (baking powder contains some baking soda, but thatโs 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 thatโs how I recommend making these muffins. Why? Whipping your batter will make the flourโs gluten protein too strong, yielding tough muffins.
I know it can be tempting to use a stand mixer or hand mixer when itโs within reach. Please donโt! Follow the instructions below and youโll end up with light, fluffy muffins.
Watch How to Make Apple Muffins
Healthy Apple Muffins
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 ยพ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup grated apple
- 1 cup apple diced into ยผโ cubes
- โ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- ยฝ cup maple syrup or honey*
- 2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
- ยฝ cup plain Greek yogurt (I used full-fat but any variety should do)
- ยฝ 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 doesnโt 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 donโt 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 buttermilkโtry mixing 1 ยฝ teaspoons vinegar with a scant ยฝ 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 Iโm not sure itโs acidic enough to counteract the bitter taste of the baking soda.)
Make it dairy free: See โbuttermilkโ option above.
Make it egg free: Use flax eggs instead of regular eggs.
Make it gluten free: Bobโs Red Mill or King Arthur Flour make gluten-free all-purpose blends that work well.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
These are incredible. Iโve made them a few times now and they have never failed me.
Great to hear Kez! Thank you for your review.
I made these for the first time and they were really tasty! My husband and kids even loved them! I love that all the ingredients are healthy. I will definitely make these more often in the future :)
The apple muffins got RAVE reviews (husband, friend, teenage neighbor), and I loved them too. I used a slightly different combo of less grated apple, more apple sauce, which worked perfectly. I so much appreciate all the ways that you help me to make so many things that are more nutritious than their counterparts and more delicious too.
Thank you!!
This is now my go-to apple muffin recipe. Made recipe as is. Muffins came out perfectly, not too dry, wet, or the dreaded โstodgy.โ Nice and light with perfect apple taste coming through (which is very hard to achieve in other recipes Iโve tried!). Thank you!
Do you have these ingredients in weight measurements, by any chance? Thanks!
I donโt, sorry!
Volume ingredients are really preferred here. Other than the flour (and even that might vary based on the manufacturer), nearly everything is going to vary slightly, apple size, Greek Yogurt consistency, etc. Itโs not worth weighing a teaspoon or less and most scales arenโt going to make that difference meaningful. Narrowing this to grams will be an exercise in frustration.
The Banana bread recipe has metric measurements and the flour and coconut oil measurements are the same for this so 75 grams coconut oil, 220 grams flour, 168 grams honey or 155 grams maple syrup. 1/4 milk was 56 grams so should be same for yogurt I guess? Hope that helps! The banana bread is great if you havenโt made it
These apple muffins came out perfect, just as you promised! I made them today for my birthday and even put peanut butter on them as you suggested! Heavenly. I used 1C. of spelt flour and 3/4C of ww, didnโt have yogurt so I subbed with sour cream. I will be making these forever. Thank you Kate!
Youโre welcome, Lynn! Thank you for your review.
Loved it! Quick to make and delicious โ the perfect level of sweetness.
Thank you for your review, Claudia!
Great. My toddlers and I loved them! We made them as mini muffins and they were perfect. Thanks
Great to hear, Stephanie!
I donโt normally leave reviews on recipes but had to for these muffins.
I bit into one after they came out of the oven and said โholy &@&@ these are good!!โ
I followed the recipe to a T. My kids also love them!
Great to hear, Candice! I appreciate your review.
These are just absolutely perfect. To quote my husband, who took one to work today: โThese muffins are amazingโฆ if this is the only kind of muffin I get for the rest of my life Iโll be a happy manโ Ha! Thanks!!
Hooray! I love to hear that. Thank you for your review.
I added 3tablespoons of mincemeat that was leftover from the holidays. The family gave them 2 thumbs up!
This recipe turned out very well- not too sweet and even though it used only wheat flour it was quite moist. Love that thereโs yogurt in it! I added a tablespoon of ground flax to boost the nutritional value and baked the muffins at 375 instead of 425. They came out toothpick clean in 13 minutes. I must have a smaller than normal muffin tin- the recipe made 18 good sized muffins. Thank you for posting this recipe, Iโll have to check out what else youโve got!
These are the best muffins I have ever made!!
I followed the recipe and made 12 muffins with maple syrup baking them at 425 degrees F, and they were still gooey at 13 minutes. Still trying to perfect how long to cook them, but hands down the best muffin recipe!
these are absolutely DELICIOUS 10/10
Great to hear, Meg! I appreciate your review.
Is there a substitute for the apple sauce? Iโve made these muffins before and they are delicious. But this time, I donโt have applesauce and rarely have it in the house. Can apple juice somehow be substituted?
I recommend this recipe as written. Sorry! What did you decide to do?
Just made these first time and I too donโt have applesauce so I used 1/2 of very ripe Pear and put into my mini food chopper. Made my own pear sauce with just a few pulses. Muffins came out perfect at exactly 13 minutes! Love them! Thank you.
I would just get some extra apples and make a small batch of applesauce. Its fast and easy.
I use extra Greek yoghurt instead of applesauce
Same and they turned out great!
I buy the individual size applesauce and thus always have applesauce for a recipe. I always use it as a substitute for oil in a cake or muffin recipe.
Could you please let me know what the flour equivalent is in grams instead of only in cups?
I donโt provide conversions, sorry! I do know this conversion table has been helpful to others in the past.
These muffins are great!! Very tasty but not too sweet, so they are a good daily snack. The little apple cubes are my favorite part! My batter was way runnier than in the pictures, I have no idea why, but I just baked them a little longer and they still turned out great. I used baking apples and also added some extra spices (ginger, nutmeg, clove) and oats (because the batter was so runny, haha!). They also freeze well. I will be making these again! :)
Would partial oatmeal work? If so, what would you suggest as a substitution? 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup oatmeal?
Hi! You can add 1/3 cup oats to my muffin recipes or you could try to make this with oat flour.
These look amazing. Quick question โ can I assume I need to use UNSWEETENED applesauce or will any applesauce work? Thank you.
I prefer unsweetened, but you can try what you have on hand. Let me know what you think!
Suggestions of which type of apples to use?
I like granny smith, but use what you prefer.
I have apple pulp left over from juicing apples. Could I using them in place of the applesauce? How can I use it?
I havenโt tried it so I canโt say for sure. Sorry!
YUMMMMM! I have been searching for a moist muffin mix! EVERYTHING I make from your recipes are amazing1
What types of apples do you recommend?
You can use any apples you prefer, but I used Granny Smith here.
I havenโt made the muffins yet. Was wondering if almond flour would work? Thanks.
Unfortunately, almond flour isnโt a great 1:1 sustitute.
These were tasty, however, ended up not baking properly I think due to the apples being juicy in spite of my best efforts to wick out the moisture REALLY well. I baked them for probably a total of 20 minutes at 425 and they still were soggy. I donโt fault the recipe and they were still delicious, just be mindful of making sure the fruit gets thoroughly โjuicedโ and you will probably be golden. I also ended up using a cup of yogurt instead since I didnโt have applesauce and used gluten free flour.
Iโm sorry to hear that! Iโm glad you were still able to enjoy them.
Just made these today. I used King Arthurโs gluten free flour mix and dairy free buttermilk. They are so delicious! Super light and fluffy. My family loves them. I look forward to trying more of your recipes!
Wonderful to hear, Ranee!
Hi Ranee! Iโm looking to also make these GF/Dairy-free for a party Iโm hosting and Iโm wondering: was your dairy-free buttermilk swap for the amount of yogurt that is called for in the recipe? I believe 1/2 cup? Thanks in advance!
I have made this recipe twice now because my husband and I loved the first batch so much! We had no problem finishing the recipe between the two of us. A couple of swaps I made that worked โ used butter instead of oil and we were somehow out of vanilla(?!) so swapped in brandy โ these taste like pancakes !! Iโve found you can leave uncovered a few days to keep the sugar topping crispy. Seeing they are adapted from the carrot recipe Iโm gonna have to try that next!
I love to hear that! I love how you got creative, Anna. I appreciate your review.
My 9 year old granddaughter and I made these, following the recipe exactly. They were in the oven about 12 min when the electricity went off. We left the oven door closed and they finished up just fine. They are moist and delicious, not too sweet. We think weโll experiment with adding some quick oats next time just for fun.
I made these today and subbed 3/4 cup flour with a bowl of leftover apple oatmeal, I used 1/3 coconut Andy 1/2 olive oils as you suggested.
I love trying different muffin recipes. This one was the best. I did add golden raisins to the recipe they added more sweetness so I didnโt put the sugar on top.
Iโm happy you loved them, Linda! I appreciate your review.
These apple muffins taste too good! Amazing. I donโt want to share them. Lol. I canโt believe they are healthy!
I made mine with half regular flour and half almond flour.
I used the maple syrup and vanilla Greek Yogurt.
I was afraid to bake at 425 degrees thinking they might burn but they were perfect baked for 13 minutes.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!
I substituted 1/2C flour for 1/2C oats, and 1/4c flour for 1/4c flax meal. Came out great!
Great to hear, Jake!
So yummy! Made these for my toddler and the whole family loved them. Replaced the flour with gluten free flour, I used coconut yoghurt and as I didnโt have apple sauce I just used more yoghurt. Turned out perfectly, will make again soon :)
Great to hear, Tahnee! I appreciate your review.
Terrific recipe! I am not much of a baker, but followed this recipe to a T and these turned out! Yipeee! My husband even commented on how light and fluffy the muffins were โ thatโs a first for me! LOL
I chose to use olive oil (as the fat) and organic maple syrup (as the sweetener). I used two medium/large Granny Smith apples which more or less resulted in the two cups of apple. Will make these again FOR SURE!
Thanks so much the healthy inspiration!
These muffins turned out great! Nice to have something without chocolate for a change. I used flax eggs since I ran out of eggs and perfecto! Feel good about these for my kids too!
Iโm glad they were a hit with everyone, Lauren! I appreciate your review.
Hi! Can I use regular yogurt? I donโt have any Greek on hand. Thanks!
I recommend this best as written.
I absolutely love these muffins! They were the best Iโve ever made. I made them 3 times in a row. Next, will be the orange cranberry muffins.
These are the best muffins Iโve ever made! So soft and moist and springy inside with a nice crust around the outside. Iโve made these 3 times in the past 3 weeks since I found the recipe. I made one batch with blueberries instead of apples and it tastes just as great. Iโm sure any kind of fruit or even chocolate chips or nuts would be a great addition to this awesome healthy muffin base!
These are so good!! I replaced Greek yogurt with almond milk and a bit of vinegar. They are light and perfectly moist!!
Thank you for sharing, Eg!
These are so moist and delicious! Thank you for a great recipe.
Hi,
I love your recipes so much โ Iโve made most of them many many times. Iโm an Aussie mum and am responsible for feeding two little people (and my husband), and I love making your recipes because they always work out, they are nourishing and taste amazing. Your website is my go to when to make morning teas or something special. I just made these muffins (again), and I realised that I have never thanked you for the time and effort you invest in helping others eat well. You are amazing. Thank you!
You are so kind, Kate! Iโm glad your family enjoyed these muffins.
HOLY FLUFFY MUFFINS BATMAN!
I was worried about the high baking temp, but PERFECT. These were so soft and scrumptious <3
Iโm glad you loved it, Anna!
Ive tried a few sugar free muffin recipes and lost hope because they didnt fit the bill โ soggy or saggy and not muffiny..
I read the comments here and thought id give it a try.. Im so glad i did! These are sooo yummy, fluffy and sweet enough but healthy.. Hubby and kids love them too!!
My now go-to muffin recipe! Will definitely stick around to check ot your other recipes :)
Thank you Kathryne :)
Youโre welcome, Lana! Iโm glad this will be a go-to recipe for you.
Is there any way to get the measurements in grams / mls please? I live in the UK and trying to work out โcupsโ conversions can be very confusing. I would really love to try this recipe!
Just made theseโฆsuper delicious and easy!! I didnโt have apple sauce so I used half a mashed banana instead.
Also made them gluten free.
These are great even for my very picky kids! I do add extra cinnamon in the batter and with the sugar topping! Making them again today
Thank you for your review!
I made these muffins today, followed the recipe using 1/3 of a cup of honey and stone ground wholemeal spelt flour. Made some apple purie, this was definitely worth the effort. They are the best apple muffins Iโve ever made, Love the full on apple taste. Thanks for the recipe.
Does using oven with fan affect temperature?
Yes, it will likely.
I havenโt made them yet. But what are the nutrition facts on them?
Hi Alexis, the nutrition information is below the recipes notes. I hope you love them!
Made them. I was wondering what are the nutrition facts per muffin?
Hi Alexis! The nutrition information is below the notes section of the recipe.
Made them twice now, really love the apple flavor. I did sub vegetable oil for the coconut oil and added more grated apple as I did not have applesauce. They were delish! I did think they were better the next day vs day of. Also added extra cinnamon. Thanks for a great recipe
Youโre welcome, Meerana!
Best apple muffin I have ever had. People I share it with agree.
Best part is how healthy they are.
Great to hear, Catherine! Thank you for your review.
Could you please give the measurements in grams as well? I think US cup is different from the cup in my place too. Iโm new to baking and would like to follow the recipe strictly. Thanks
So good! Had to make my own applesauce (I didnโt have any pre-made). I added 1 cup of fresh blueberries and used tiny muffins tins.
Thank you for sharing, Dena! Thatโs great to hear.