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
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
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.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Fantastic muffins! I added some ground nutmeg and cloves and they turned out great. I love that the recipes uses whole wheat flour, real fruit and doesn’t use traditional sugar. I will definitely be back for more recipes!
That’s great to hear, Stephanie! I appreciate your review.
I adore all of your muffins recipes that I’ve tried. At any given time I always have a batch in my freezer.
This recipe is perfect as is but, out of necessity, I modified some of the ingredients with I had on hand. I substituted the grated apple for grated zucchini (I made sure to squeeze out the extra moisture). I also added 1/3c of old fashioned oats to make sure the zucchini didn’t render off too much liquid and make them mushy. I filled 12 regular muffin cups and 6 minis. I’m my oven, the minis took 13 minutes and the regular size took 16 minutes. These turned out perfect moist, tender, and so delicious!
Hi, I have made this. Thanks for the easy-to-follow recipe. Is there any nutritional information please? How many calories per muffin?
Hi Nicky, the nurtritional information is below the notes section of the blog.
Hi there, these look so yummy. I was wondering if I can substitute all purpose flour for wheat flour. Thanks so much.
Made these and they were really nice apple and cinnamon flavor. I did not have applesauce though, so subbed half cup of cooked sweet potato that was in fridge. Moist, light, and I will make them again. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome, Kim!
Could I use Apple pulp from my juicer for these ?
I’m not sure without trying it. If you do try it, let me know what you think!
These were really great! Had lots of apples from my tree to use up and I’m glad I found this recipe. The apple pieces are wonderful inside. I agree with another user that it does make more than 12 muffins but I ended up just making quite large muffins to only use 12 instead. I baked at 425 and 18 minutes and they turned out great. I personally would have liked them slightly sweeter which I am surprised because I thought half cup of syrup was a lot but still yummy.
Sounds delicious with homegrown apples! Thank you for sharing, Kelle.
My husband and I both love these, it’s definitely my new favorite breakfast! I like to add some walnuts for a crunch too! Thank you!
Good morning, Kate
Could I use Avocado oil in the muffins?
Thank you
It should be ok, although I haven’t tried it.
I have made these multiple times and every time they are just so yummy! The perfect (and healthy source!) amount of sweetness and texture. I double the recipe so there are extras in the freezer : )
The recipe calls for baking at 425. However, the notes say that if you are baking with honey (which this recipes has) to bake at 325. That’s quite a difference! I see in the comments that several people baked them at 425 with no problem, but a couple of comments noted a lower temperature. Why the discrepancy between the recipe and the honey note? Also, a favorite muffin in our home is apple-almond, so I may try adding some almonds to this recipe for a little more crunch.
Just made these muffins!!!! Delicious
Thank you so much
Great to hear, Ines! I appreciate your review.
These look really delicious! Is it possible to substitute all purpose flour for the whole wheat flour?
That should work fine, too. Let me know what you think, Bobbi!
Wonderful!
Thank you, Theresa!
Are these good to freeze?
These should freeze well. Let me know what you think!
I picked apples this morning and made these with last years applesauce and the fresh apples. The best apple muffin I have had. Thanks Kate
How would you adjust for making mini muffins?
Hi Trish! Keep the same temperature, just cut the time in half. Be sure to watch them though, they can get done quickly.
My family couldn’t stay out of these muffins! Delicious.
Great to hear, Emily!
Turned out moist. Loved the bites of apple pieces and that they are not sweet. I did not have the sugar so omitted but it would have been nice to have that slight touch of sweet. Easy to make! 425 seemed really high but it worked ok. Came out a bit dark on sides and bottom so next time I will do 11-12 minutes or try with the honey instead for lower temp. I will double the cinnamon next time too. A good go-to moist apple muffin for fall!
Ive never left a review for a recipe before, but after making and eating these muffins… WOW, they exceeded my expectations. They are absolutely delicious!! Apple flavor is amazing and the texture is perfect!!
I’m so glad you did, Paige! Thank you for your review.
What’s the nutritional info on these muffins?
It is below the notes section of the recipe.
I just baked these healthy muffins and they are terrible. It is mushy with very little taste. Will never bake them again. Sorry, the rating is 0
I’m sorry to hear that, Iris. How long did you bake them for? What type of apple did you use?
I used green apples baked at 325 for about 24 minutes.Maybe the apples weren’t good? I used honey. They were flavorless and soft. . I appreciate that they were healthy but I couldn’t serve them to my family .Thank you for your reply, Iris.
Can I make this in a loaf pan to be an apple cake instead of muffins? Wondering if the quantity would be enough and if it would rise well.
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
So when you say just “flour”, do you mean plain flour or self-raising flour?
Why don’t people make this distinction in recipes? Always have to ask.
Flour, not self rising. I hope you try them!
Can I use whole wheat pastry flour in these? That’s what I use in your pumpkin muffins.
Sure, they will be slightly lighter in texture. Let me know what you think!
We went apple picking last week and had lots of apples stored. This recipe was a great way to use those apples. I even made the applesauce myself cause we still had lots of them. The muffins were super soft at 13 mins. I think leaving them a little longer (as suggested) makes them more set and would give a little more rise. But they were very good still.
Great to hear, Noel!
Hi. Can you use all grated apple?
I prefer this recommended as is. If you try it, let me know!
I did! It was fabulous! I used 2 cups grated, and then I added a crumble on top (by no means healthy, but delish)!
The muffins didn’t turn out well…. A bit dry and not flavorful. I don’t know what went wrong… maybe too much whole wheat flour?
I’m sorry to hear! How did you you measure your flour? If you didn’t spoon and level it, may have been too much. Or, if you over stirred your batter.
I plan on making soon for the fall season and holidays. What apple is the best to put in it out of the million different apple types there are?
Hi Kate,
Love your recipes. A few questions:
• About how many medium apples does this recipe need?
• Any way I can reduce the sweetener a bit? I am a Type 1 diabetic who loves muffins, especially yours. Are the carbs much lower without the sugar topping?
• Do I add oats to the recipe if I want, rather than subbing them for some of the flour?
Thanks so much!
Roberta
Hi Roberta, you can try omitting the oats. I don’t have a great option for sweetener reduction as it is apart of the liquid.
I absolutely LOVE these muffins!! I have made them 3 times already & about to make them a 4th! Bringing some to my Sister when I go visit!
They are super moist with great flavor!
I’m glad you loved it, Kelkk!
Love the recipe. I added some vanilla protein powder and flaxseed. This is the second time I’ve made them and this batch was delicious.
Great to hear, Alita!
I really love this recipe and its amazing and healthy. My very best apple muffins so far and easy to follow the instructions. Thank you i will make this again❤️.
Kate, We love your recipes and are part of each week’s meals, and treats!
I was wondering why you don’t give the weights (ie. grams) of ingredients like four? Thanks – W
Hi Walter! I am in the United States so we don’t use metric measurements. :)
Kate,
What and where can I find your recipe on the top of What to cook for October? It looks like a bowl of roasted hazelnuts, spinach, feta cheese, etc and looks DELICIOUS!
Thank you,
Lisa
You’re welcome, Lisa!
I just saw and made this recipe on this rainy day we are having, it sounded so good. I had all the ingredients and I used the maple syrup and the coconut oil. I’ve never had an apple muffin and they are delicious and baked perfectly. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Janis!
How many eggs are used? I see them listed in the instructions buts not the ingredient list.
See right below the sweetener. Enjoy!
Is it possible to make these with Einkorn flour? I love your recipes because so healthy.
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
I was so disappointed with this recipe, I don’t know why it didn’t work out… I measured it exactly including using the tips and tricks in the notes section and they came out saltier than expected. We grow our own apples so I use the Granny Smith variety and couldn’t taste the apples at all, even what the apple sauce.
I might try again in the future but so disappointed because I had hoped to give these as a gift for my friend for her birthday.
I’m sorry to hear that, C. Thank you for your feedback.
Used key crisp apples,made my on applesauce
Think they’ll be great
So moist, so delicious, so so easy. I didn’t have applesauce but substituted canned pumpkin, YUM! Also didn’t have cupcake tins so I made a loaf cake instead. Baked it at 350 degrees for 1 hour. This recipe will be a constant go to for many years to come, thank you!
Great to hear, Tracy!
Too much trouble for a muffin and I didn’t find them outstanding. Sorry Kate.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love this one. I appreciate your review, Lynne.
These muffins are absolutely divine. Possibly the most moist recipe I’ve ever tried. Warm out of the oven with a nice glass of milk or reheat for 12 seconds in the microwave. So good!
Thank you for sharing, Stefanni!
Have made these twice now & really like them. Made them with gluten free flour & maple syrup. Turned out great!
I have been on the hunt for some healthier snack recipe for my 13 month old and decided to give this a go. I really thought these would be dry and taste like a wheat muffin, but they’re actually really tasty! Saving this recipe for the future.
The only adjustment I made is, I made mini muffins so they only needed 10 mins in the oven.
Hi! Can I use oat flour 1 ¾ cups to replace the whole wheat flour? I would like to try this recipe.
Thank you,
See my How to Make Oat Flour for ratio recommendations.
These are excellent!!! Made as written with regular whole wheat flour, EVOO, maple syrup and unpeeled apples. Really nice blend of flavors! At first I was a little concerned that the regular whole wheat flour would be too harsh, it wasn’t. Wife says that she really likes the chopped apple bits!! lol
I’ve made these several times. They are wonderful. With this years tasty apple cider, is there any way to incorporate apple sider into these muffins?
I haven’t tried it. Sounds interesting, though!
These are so yummy, moist and fluffy. Takes a few minutes to put it all together and l used almost all my measuring cups and spoons, but worth it in the end. I made exactly as recipe shows, using white whole wheat flour.
Thank you for sharing, Pattey!
Hi, this is my first time ever commenting on a recipe. My hubby is on a no wheat diet so I sub oat flour and almond flour . My kids had 3 each and they are very picky. This was absolutely fluffy and deliciously. Thank you so much
Great to hear, Nadia!