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Close-up of a healthy apple muffin in a paper liner on a patterned fall plate, sprinkled with coarse sugar.
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Healthy Apple Spice Muffins Recipe

These Healthy Apple Muffins are naturally sweetened with maple syrup, packed with shredded apple, and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Made with white whole wheat flour for extra nutrients and a soft crumb, they’re perfect for breakfast, snacks, or teatime.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time22 minutes
Total Time32 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 195kcal
Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cup flour like white whole wheat, whole wheat or a mix of your favorite flour.
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup cooking oil olive oil, melted coconut oil, etc
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup shredded apple
  • OPTIONAL: Turbinado raw sugar for topping

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F and grease a 12-cup standard-size muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray, or line with paper cups.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, applesauce, maple syrup, and eggs until combined. Pour the oil mixture into the flour mixture and mim until combined. Fold in the shredded apples.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle raw sugar over the top if desired.
  • Bake for 5 minutes at 425℉. Then, without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for an additional 15-16 minutes.
  • Remove the muffin tin from the oven and set it on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Flour: Measure using the spoon-and-level method for best results. Too much flour can make muffins dense.
  2. Mixing: Stir the batter just until the flour disappears; overmixing will create tough muffins.
  3. Apples: Shred the apple right before adding to the batter so it stays juicy. A sweet-tart variety like Honeycrisp or Fuji works beautifully.
  4. Texture: For a bakery-style muffin top, sprinkle turbinado sugar over the batter before baking.
  5. Mini Muffins: Scoop into a mini muffin pan and bake 12–14 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Loaf Option: Bake in a greased 8×4-inch loaf pan at 350°F for 45–55 minutes, tenting with foil if the top browns too quickly.
  7. Storage: Muffins stay moist at room temp for 2–3 days, refrigerate up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm in the microwave.
  8. Serving: These are mildly sweet muffins, perfect plain, or with a spread of apple butter or nut butter.
     

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 200mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 49IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg