Description
These Healthy Apple Muffins are a wholesome, flavorful treat made with whole wheat flour, fresh apples, and natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey. Moist and tender with a hint of cinnamon, they’re perfect for breakfast or a nutritious snack. With options to make them vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, these muffins accommodate various dietary needs while keeping deliciousness front and center.
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
Fruits
- 1 cup grated apple
- 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 and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 425°F (or 325°F if using honey for baking). Grease all 12 cups of your muffin tin with butter or non-stick spray if necessary.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add the grated apple (squeezing out excess moisture if needed) and the diced apple cubes, then stir to combine evenly.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the melted coconut or olive oil with maple syrup or honey until blended. Add eggs and beat well. Then incorporate the Greek yogurt, applesauce, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth. Warm gently if the coconut oil solidifies.
- Combine Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and gently fold with a large spoon just until combined. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy, which is normal.
- Fill and Sprinkle: Distribute the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar to add a crunchy topping.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 13 to 16 minutes at 425°F, or if using honey, bake at 325°F for 23 to 25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Store: Remove the muffin tin and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely before removing muffins. Store at room temperature covered for up to 2 days, refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- If baking with honey, reduce oven temperature to 325°F to prevent over-browning, and increase bake time to 23–25 minutes.
- To make vegan: use flax eggs as egg substitute and replace yogurt with vegan buttermilk (1 ½ teaspoons vinegar + ½ cup non-dairy milk, rested 5 minutes) or additional applesauce.
- For dairy-free option: use the vegan buttermilk substitute instead of yogurt.
- For egg-free muffins: substitute eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water per egg, mixed and rested 5 minutes).
- To make gluten-free: substitute whole wheat flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend such as Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
