These Apple Muffins have the perfect amount of sweetness, little fruity pockets of apples, and a sweet almond crunch topping! Start your morning right with this wholesome apple muffin! I’m sitting here smelling the sweet scent of these muffins baking and it’s a beautiful thing.
These Apple Cinnamon Muffins are hearty, tender, light, and perfectly balanced. Not too sweet, packed with apples, spiced with cinnamon, and topped with an oatmeal almond cinnamon crunch.
The whole wheat flour adds extra fiber and a nutty taste. These healthy apple muffins are a guilt-free version of the favorite coffee shop apple cinnamon muffin we all know and love.
Apple season for us means Apple Crisp Recipe, Homemade Apple Cider, Apple Crumble, Easy Candy Apples, Baked Apples, Swiss Apple Tart Recipe, Apple Pie Stuffed Apples, Baked Apple Fries With Raspberry Sauce, and those melt in your mouth apple muffins!
WHY APPLE CINNAMON MUFFINS
A good apple Muffin recipe is one of those essential breakfast muffin recipes to have on hand. For starters, it has apples and cinnamon as main ingredients – hello comfort food.
Also, it’s a super easy muffin batter, meaning you need one bowl and a whisk to get it ready. Simply whisk the batter while the oven preheats and after only 15 minutes of baking time there will be Muffins ready to be devoured!
As a bonus, these healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins are not too sweet so you don’t feel heavy or guilty. They are made with whole wheat flour lending them a nice nutty flavor and a good hearty wholesome feeling.
Let’s not forget the oatmeal almond crunch topping which is like the icing on the muffin!
HOW TO MAKE APPLE MUFFINS
All baking fears aside, muffins shouldn’t really be considered baking. They’re straightforward, forgiving, and really really easy to make. If anyone tells you otherwise, I’d like to know who!
Ingredients for Healthy Apple Muffins
Whole Wheat Flour. Do it. You will be shocked out how lovely a whole wheat muffin turns out!
Baking Soda.
Salt.
Egg.
Apples. Cored and grated or shredded.
Yogurt. Use plain yogurt or buttermilk. Either will work.
Light Brown Sugar.
Oil.
Cinnamon.
Ingredients for the Crunch Topping
Oats. Any kind will work.
Cinnamon.
Sugar.
Almonds. Slivered, sliced, or chopped will work.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and grease or line your muffin pan with paper liners. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Take another large bowl and add the egg, yogurt, brown sugar, oil, and cinnamon and whisk them together well. Many muffin recipes call for granulated sugar but I find that brown sugar results in a much better texture and flavor.
Now, add in the flour mixture and apples and use a spatula to mix everything together until it’s just blended—but still has some visible lumps of batter.
The crunchy topping is very much optional, it does add a delicate crunch and an extra flavor from the oats and almonds.
I added cinnamon to the crunch topping because I already used cinnamon in the whole wheat apple muffins and wanted to spike the flavor even more. Any type of nuts will work here, and any spice. Either way, all you need is a big bowl and a whisk to whip up these wonderful whole wheat apple muffins and enjoy !:) To make the crunch topping simply mix the four ingredients together.
I divided the Apple Cinnamon Muffin batter up in a prepared muffin tin, but you could also use a mini muffin pan or a donut pan. After filling the pan spots with batter sprinkle a generous 1/2 teaspoon of crunchy topping on top of each muffin.
Bake the apple muffins for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the muffin.
TOPPINGS FOR APPLE MUFFINS
While our oatmeal almond cinnamon crunch topping is the perfect addition to these muffins, you can choose from a variety of toppings if you would prefer one of these.
- raisins
- crushed walnuts or pecans or almonds
- streusel
- Rolled Oats
- powdered sugar (added after baking)
- Glaze made with apple juice and powdered sugar
APPLE CINNAMON MUFFIN TIPS
- Do not overmix the batter or your Apple Cinnamon Muffins will be tough.
- It’s best if the muffins rest 10 minutes before baking because of the whole wheat flour.
- I sometimes add ginger to the muffin batter, sometimes apple pie spice, and sometimes skip the cinnamon and all other spices, and just add vanilla.
STORING LEFTOVER APPLE CINNAMON MUFFINS
Make sure the muffins are room temperature before storing leftovers. Otherwise, they will become soggy. These Apple Cinnamon Muffins stay fresh for at least 3 days when stored in an airtight container. You can also wrap them in cling film individually.
If you’d like to get a headstart on quick and easy breakfasts for the school year and busy weekdays, you can wrap each muffin individually, freeze them, and then place the frozen muffins in a freezer-quality baggy for up to three months. Thaw and enjoy as needed! About thirty seconds in the microwave (give or take a few depending on your machine) will thaw muffins perfectly.
MORE GREAT MUFFIN RECIPES
Ultimate Blueberry Raisin Bran Muffins
Blueberry Muffins With Crumb Topping
Orange Chai Spice Date Muffins
Ginger Clementine Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Muffins
These healthy Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Muffins have the perfect amount of sweetness, little fruity pockets of apples, and a sweet almond crunch topping! Start your morning right with this wholesome breakfast muffin!
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup oil
- 2 apples cored and grated or shredded
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the topping:
- 2 tablespoons oats (any type)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon almonds slivered, sliced or chopped
Instructions
For the muffins:
-
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
-
Grease or line your muffin pan with paper liners.
-
In a small bowl whisk in the flour, baking soda and salt. Set that bowl aside.
-
In a large bowl, add the egg, yogurt, brown sugar, oil and cinnamon and whisk them well. then add in the flour mixture and apples.
-
Use a spatula to mix everything together until it’s blended—but still has some visible lumps of batter. Do not over mix the batter.
For the crunch topping:
-
Mix all the ingredients for the topping in a small bowl.
To assemble:
-
Divide the batter among the muffin pan and sprinkle a generous 1/2 teaspoon of crunchy topping on top of each muffin. It’s best if the muffins rest 10 minutes before baking to allow for the whole wheat flour to soak up some moisture.
-
Bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the muffin.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Do not overmix the batter or your Apple Cinnamon Muffins will be tough.
- It’s best if the muffins rest 10 minutes before baking because of the whole wheat flour
- These Apple Cinnamon Muffins stay fresh for at least 3 days when stored in an airtight container. You can also wrap them in cling film individually.
- I sometimes add ginger to the muffin batter, sometimes apple pie spice, and sometimes skip the cinnamon and all other spices, and just add vanilla.
This is absolutely the best whole wheat flour muffin recipe I have ever baked. I had three small apples that had been on my counter for awhile, and these muffins were just delicious, and not too sweet. Usually, muffins are a bit dense when using whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat flour), but these were fluffy, had a wonderful texture, and the topping was divine. Several years ago, I read to preheat oven to 500 degrees F before baking muffins. Then, after placing the tin in the oven, immediately turn down the temperature to what is shown on the recipe. This causes the muffins to rise high very quickly, and it does not affect the time required for baking. Thank you for sharing such a tasty and healthy recipe!
Lucy you made my day!!! Thank YOU! I really love these muffins and I’m so happy you liked them as much 🙂
So healthy and delicious
Thanks so much!!!
Apples are just delicious this time of year. This muffins fit perfectly into Fall story. They look so moist and so flavorful. Can’t wait to give these muffins a try.
Enjoy Natalie
Ahh your muffins look glorious!! I wish I could reach into my screen and grab one! I’ve craving these right now 😀
hahah Tammy Thanks!!
Oh yum! My whole family would go crazy for these!
Wow and wow, this is so delicious and it makes my mouth watering
Thanks Dan
The apple cinnamon muffins looks fantastic — and I bet they taste even better. The muffins would make wonderful treats for after school or even in the lunch box. Frankly, I’d love to have one right now with my coffee.
They’re super good Marisa!
Love apple muffins but never made them in whole wheat. This sounds like a great recipe. Next time I make apple muffins I must try making whole wheat.
You’ll love them Veena!
Whole wheat baked goods are my jam. These look wonderful! I’ll be trying them at home soon.
Hope you enjoy them!
These would be great for an after-school snack for my grandkids. I am always on the lookout for healthy treats. Gramma needs to bake a batch of these up soon.
enjoy Gloria!!!
Wow, those muffins look so hearty and absolutely delicious. These are perfect for this time of the year — all the yummy flavors of fall in one delicious muffin.
So true Pavani
These are the perfect example of how you can eat healthy without the guilt these look delicious
oh yes Claudia!
These look delicious and healthy, perfect for an afternoon snack! And I love that you topped them with slivered almonds too
Thanks Karyl
These look perfect and I love the crumb topping! The perfect snack on a rainy fall morning!
So true!