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These Apple Cinnamon Muffins are moist, tender, and perfect for a quick on-the-go breakfast or snack.
I love the combination of apples and cinnamon, and if you’re like me, you’ll also love my Apple Fritters, Apple Cinnamon Biscuits, Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust, and Easy Apple Crisp recipes all year long.
My inspiration for this recipe was to create the perfect quick snack that was moist like a cupcake but a healthier option. Usually, I build some time into my schedule to make breakfast and actually sit down to enjoy it, but life, will life, and that luxury is not always an option.
That’s why I make these on my day off, so I have them sitting in the fridge whenever I need them. I’ve found real joy in eating a couple when I have a midnight craving, but I don’t want to lose the progress of my workouts.
Let me teach you how to make these moist apple cinnamon muffins easily.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for my apple cinnamon muffin recipe.
Apples
I think the best apples for baking are Honeycrisp apples because they’re sweet and crisp and hold up well to baking.
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
I always use unbleached flour whenever I bake or cook because I find joy in knowing that my food doesn’t contain chemical agents like chlorine, benzoyl peroxide, or potassium bromate.
Ground Cinnamon
Cinnamon is excellent for anyone who needs to reduce sugar intake because the warm flavor and oils give a similar sensation to sugar.
Fat
I like to use a neutral flavored oil in my muffins to provide moisture.
Granulated Sugar
I only use the best sugar on the market. Imperial Sugar is non-gmo, kosher, gluten-free, and halal certified.
Eggs
Two eggs will provide moisture and height to the apple muffins.
How to make the best Apple Cinnamon Muffin Recipe?
I wanted moist apple cinnamon muffins that tasted amazing and were easy to prepare.
The biggest thing to remember is that a few lumps are welcomed.
Step 1: Cook the chopped apples in a dry skillet for 3 minutes to remove some moisture. This will keep the apples from shrinking in your muffins, which can create weird air pockets.
Step 2: In a large bowl, stir the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and apples.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract; dump the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until flour is incorporated with a few lumps.
Step 4: Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray, and fill until 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool slightly before removing from the pan.
That’s how easy apple muffins are to prepare.
Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are a few notes from making these great apple and cinnamon muffins.
- You can use Fiji or Granny Smith apples instead of Honeycrisp.
- Always use fresh apples. Do not use any dried apple chips or anything similar. You want the moisture of fresh, crisp apples.
- Feel free to use gluten-free or whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour.
- If you use salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
- I like to use avocado oil, but you can use any neutral tasting oil (grapeseed, canola, or vegetable oil) you have at home.
- You can use walnuts, peanuts, almonds, or any nut you love in place of the pecans.
- Feel free to use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar in your muffins. The brown sugar will complement the apples and cinnamon very well.
- You can use almond milk or any milk you have at home. I wouldn’t recommend buttermilk for these cinnamon apple muffins.
- My favorite cooking spray is avocado because it does well when baking at high temperatures for a long time.
- You can use paper liners if you’re concerned about sticking.
FAQs
Here are the top questions readers have about making cinnamon apple muffins.
Baking apple cinnamon muffins with the right leaveners is key to achieving the best results.
Baking powder and baking soda are both leavening agents that help baked goods, like muffins, to rise while baking. When the acid combines with a liquid, they undergo an acidic-base reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas, which helps to create lift in the muffin batter. Also, slightly beating your eggs (look for bubbles) before mixing them in will make them rise higher too.
To make your apple muffins light and fluffy, sift your dry ingredient to aerate the flour, giving it a lighter texture. Not overmixing your batter will make them fluffy, so don’t be afraid of a few lumps in your batter.
Using oil is the key to making your cinnamon and apple muffins moist. The oil will ensure that the muffins retain moisture while baking. As butter cooks, water is released, but oil will help lock in moisture.
Apple cinnamon muffins are best eaten immediately, but they will remain fresh in an airtight container for 7 days in the fridge.
Place cooled muffins in an airtight container and freeze for 3 months. Individually wrapping each in plastic wrap will extend shelf life.
To reheat cinnamon muffins, slice them in half and place them in the microwave for 10 seconds or until hot.
The flavor of ground cinnamon is warm, sweet, and fragrant.
Ground cinnamon has strong aromatic properties, which pair perfectly with tart and sweet apple flavors to create the classic apple cinnamon combination.
More Apple Recipes
If you love the combination of apple and cinnamon as much as I do, then I know you’ll love these recipes too!
Latest Recipe Video:
Before You Begin
Before getting started, here are the steps I use to get organized.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 325°F before pulling the ingredients out.
Step 2: Measure everything out.
Step 3: We don’t want surprises, so make sure your oven is heated correctly to 325°F.
Step 4: Start following the recipe and get ready for the best apple cinnamon muffin you’ve ever enjoyed.
Making apple cinnamon muffins doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the right techniques and tips, you can easily make delicious apple muffins. So now that you know how to make your muffin masterpieces, why not try?
Leave a comment below, and let me know what you think of my recipe! Don’t forget to rate it, too – I’d love to hear from you! And don’t forget to share it with your friends and family on social media so they can enjoy these delicious treats!
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Easy Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients
Apple Cinnamon Muffins:
- 1 cup chopped Honeycrisp apple washed
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons oil
- ¾ cup Imperial Sugar granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs slightly beaten
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cooking spray
Brown Sugar Pecan Topping:
- 2 tablespoons Imperial Sugar dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Apple Cinnamon Muffins:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small skillet over high heat, cook apples for 3 minutes in a dry skillet.
- In a large mixing bowl add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and apples.
- In another bowl whisk butter, oil, ¾ cups sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla; dump in flour bowl and blend until flour is incorporated with a few lumps.
Brown Sugar Pecan Topping:
- In a small bowl combine brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon.
- Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray, fill each up 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with topping and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Notes
- You can use Fiji or Granny Smith apples instead of Honeycrisp. Always use fresh apples. Do not use any dried apple chips or anything similar. You want the moisture of fresh, crisp apples.
- Feel free to use gluten-free or whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour.
- If you use salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
- I like to use avocado oil, but you can use any neutral tasting oil (grapeseed, canola, or vegetable oil) you have at home.
- You can use walnuts, peanuts, almonds, or any nut you love in place of the pecans.
- Feel free to use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar in your muffins. The brown sugar will complement the apples and cinnamon very well.
- You can use almond milk or any milk you have at home. I wouldn’t recommend buttermilk for these cinnamon apple muffins.
- My favorite cooking spray is avocado because it does well when baking at high temperatures for a long time.
- You can use paper liners if you’re concerned about sticking.
