Last Updated: Nov 19, 2024 by Dr. Sonali Ruder · Originally Published: Sep 29, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases · 31 Comments

Spiced Apple Muffins

Name: Spiced Apple Muffins
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 cup all purpose flour; 1 cup white whole wheat; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 tablespoon cinnamon; ½ teaspoon nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon allspice; ¼ teaspoon cardamom and or ginger (optional); ¼ cup neutral-flavored oil (like grapeseed or vegetable oil); ½ cup applesauce; ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt (I use Chobhani 0% vanilla Greek yogurt); 2 eggs; 1/4 cup maple syrup; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar or coconut sugar; 2 cups apples, peeled and finely chopped, about 1/4-inch ((I like to use Honeycrisp)); 1 tablespoon light brown sugar; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

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My Spiced Apple Muffins are packed with sweet apples and warm fall spices, and topped with an irresistible cinnamon sugar topping. These tasty muffins are the perfect healthy snack and are so easy to make. Simply mix everything together in a bowl and in 20 minutes, you'll have a batch of delicious, warm apple muffins to dive into!

Basket of spiced apple muffins on a green napkin.

Every year when fall comes around, I look forward to apple season. I have fond memories of going apple picking with my family when I was growing up in New York. There's just something so warm and comforting about recipes that use fresh apples like my Baked Apple Cider Donuts or Slow Cooker Apple Crisp.

Now I'm excited to bring you these Spiced Apple Muffins. These tasty muffins are bursting with fresh apples and warm, fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

Enjoy them for breakfast, dessert or anytime in between. They also make an excellent healthy snack for kids to pack in their lunchboxes.

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Why You'll Love This Dish
Doctor's Tips
Recipe Ingredients
Step-By-Step Instructions for Spiced Apple Muffins
Chef's Top Tips
Recipe FAQs
More Comfort Food Recipes
Recipe
Spiced Apple Muffins
Reviews

Why You'll Love This Dish

Delicious- these spiced apple muffins are packed with fall ingredients and flavors like apples, cinnamon, maple and vanilla.
Easy- a simple recipe made with pantry ingredients and no special equipment needed.
Healthy- full of nutritious ingredients like apples, whole grains, and Greek yogurt; lower in calories, fat and added sugar compared to traditional muffins.
Kid-friendly- your kids will gobble these up like mine do! A perfect lunchbox snack.
Stores well- can be stored in the fridge or freezer- the perfect make-ahead treat!

Doctor's Tips

These healthy apple spice muffins are not only delicious, they're also healthier than traditional muffins. Here's why:

Whole grains- I use a mixture of white whole wheat flour with all purpose flour to incorporate healthy whole grains.
Apples- apples are packed with beneficial nutrients including vitamin C, fiber, and phytonutrients that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Greek yogurt- Greek yogurt adds a boost of protein and keeps the muffins moist.
Lower in fat- I use grapeseed oil (which is low in saturated fat) rather than butter. I also use applesauce in the muffins, which allows me to use less oil.
Lightly sweetened- these muffins are lightly sweetened with a combination of maple syrup and light brown sugar. The apples add a lot of natural sweetness.

Recipe Ingredients

Recipe Notes and Substitutions:

Flour- I use a combination of all purpose flour and white whole wheat flour to incorporate some whole grains
Apples- some of my favorite types of apples to use in this dish are Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Braeburn, Fuji, and Pink Lady. Granny Smith is a good choice if you like a more tart apple.
Oil- I use grapeseed oil for it's neutral flavor; you can also use safflower, vegetable or canola oil
Applesauce- I use unsweetened apple sauce; using applesauce allows me to use less oil
Greek yogurt- I use vanilla flavored Greek yogurt
Maple syrup- I use pure maple syrup
Light brown sugar- can substitute coconut sugar
Dried spices- I use a combination of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice; this is the combination found in many brands of store-bought apple pie spice so you can use that if you have it. You can also add a pinch of ginger or cardamom if desired.

Step-By-Step Instructions for Spiced Apple Muffins

Steps 1 and 2 of how to make spiced apple muffins.

Scroll down to the recipe card for full recipe details.

Step 1- Peel the apples and dice them into small pieces. You want to keep the pieces small (about ¼-inch) so that they'll soften fully in the oven.
Step 2- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice (and any other optional spices) together in a large bowl.

Steps 3 and 4 of how to make spiced apple muffins.

Step 3- Whisk the oil, applesauce, Greek yogurt, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and brown sugar together in another large bowl.
Step 4- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Then, gently stir the ingredients together with a spatula or whisk until just combined. Do not overwork the batter.

Steps 5 and 6 of how to make spiced apple muffins.

Step 5- Gently stir in the diced apples.
Step 6- Scoop the batter into a greased 12-cup muffin pan, filling the wells about ¾-full. I like to do this using a cookie scoop. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of each one. Then, pop them in the oven and bake at 375°F for 20-22 minutes. As the muffins cook, they will make your kitchen smell divine!

Remove the spiced apple muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Devour!

A dozen spiced apple muffins in a muffin pan.

Chef's Top Tips

It's very important to measure out your flour properly otherwise it will affect the texture of the final product. Gently stir the flour to loosen any clumps and then spoon it into your measuring cup with a large spoon. Don't scoop the flour up directly with the measuring cup. This will compact the flour more and you'll end up measuring out too much.
Don't overwork the batter otherwise these spiced apple muffins will be dense and tough. Mix the ingredients by hand rather than with a mixer and stop as soon as the ingredients are combined. It's ok to have some lumps in the batter.
Use a cookie scoop to scoop the batter into the muffin tin. It's easier than using a spoon and ensures that the muffins are all the same size.
If you like a little crunch on your muffins, you can top the muffins with a mixture of cinnamon and turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw) rather than brown sugar.
For an extra boost of protein, spread a little peanut butter on these healthy spiced apple muffins.

Recipe FAQs

What apples are best for baking muffins?

You can use almost any type of apple for baking these spiced apple muffins. Some of my favorites are Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Braeburn, Fuji, and Pink Lady. Granny Smith is a good choice if you like a more tart apple. I tend to avoid McIntosh apples as they break down a lot during cooking and can get mushy.

How do you make muffins moist?

It's important to mix the dry and wet ingredients separately before mixing them together. This helps avoid overworking the batter. Also, avoid using an electric mixer- stick with mixing the batter by hand. I also add Greek yogurt and applesauce to the batter, which helps keep the muffins moist. Finally, don't over bake the muffins. Test them with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs, the muffins are done- remove them from the oven.

How do you store apple muffins?

The apple muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature on the countertop for up to 4 days. Make sure to cool them completely first. Then line the bottom of the container with a paper towel and store the muffins in a single layer. They can be refrigerated for up to 6 days. They can also be frozen in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To reheat frozen muffins, let them thaw at room temperature or pop them in the microwave for a minute.

Are apple pie spice and allspice the same?

No. Apple pie spice that you buy from the store is a spice blend that typically contains a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Some brands may also include ginger and cardamom. Allspice is a single spice. It's made from dried berries of the allspice tree, which is native to Jamaica. It has a flavor similar to cloves.