Vegan Applesauce Muffins
on Feb 01, 2024, Updated Aug 02, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links.
These healthy vegan applesauce muffins with oats and cinnamon are packed with apple flavor and quick and easy to make for a delicious snack.
For more easy muffin recipes, try these Easy Eggless Banana Muffins Recipe with Walnuts, Easy Vegan Carrot Zucchini Muffins or One-Bowl Healthy Oatmeal Muffins Recipe.
These easy applesauce muffins are the perfect combination of warm, comforting flavours: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and apple.
The recipe features wholesome ingredients like whole wheat flour, maple syrup, applesauce, fresh apple and oats. They’re easy to make in under 30 minutes, kids love them and you can easily customize them add-ins like carrot and zucchini.
The entire family will enjoy these perfectly soft and moist muffins. Enjoy them any time of day or a sweet snack or dessert!
If you’re looking for gluten-free muffins, you can try these Chickpea Flour Muffins or Vegan Buckwheat Muffins.
Ingredient Notes
- Applesauce: Any store-bought jar of applesauce or homemade applesauce works! Unsweetened applesauce is recommended but you could also use sweetened applesauce just note the muffins will be sweeter and have more added sugar.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is best here for flavour and consistency though you could also use agave syrup or honey.
- Coconut Oil: Can be substituted with olive oil or melted vegan butter. I have not tested these muffins without oil. These Healthy Vegan Blueberry Muffins and Vegan Apple Oat Protein Muffins are oil-free.
- Whole-Wheat Flour: This can can be subbed with spelt flour, white whole wheat flour or a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend for gluten-free muffins.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger are perfect with the applesauce and maple syrup, if you’re missing nutmeg or ginger it’s not a huge deal but definitely use them if you have them!
- Oats: The recipe calls for quick oats but you can use rolled or large flake oats if that’s all you have.
- Apple: I like granny smith here as they’re crunchy and not too sweet, however, any crunchy apple variety such as gala, Fiji or honey crisp works!
- Brown Sugar: This is an optional topping but adds a lovely little crunch to the baked muffins, can be subbed with white sugar, coconut sugar, demerara, sucanut, turbinado or raw cane sugar, you could even mix the sugar with a little cinnamon to make a cinnamon sugar topping…yum!
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Variations
This recipe makes a great base for other add-ins:
- Carrot Applesauce Muffins: Add 1/2 cup packed finely grated carrot along with the diced apple or omit the apple and add 1 cup finely grated carrot or try these vegan carrot muffins or vegan carrot zucchini muffins.
- Zucchini Applesauce Muffins: Add 1/2 cup drained and lightly packed finely grated zucchini along with the apple or omit the diced apple and add up to 1 cup drained and lightly packed grated zucchini.
- Blueberry Muffins: Swap half of the apple for 1/2 cup fresh blueberries or omit the apple and add 1 cup fresh blueberries.
- Banana Applesauce Muffins: Substitute half of the applesauce for ripe mashed banana.
- Try up to 1/2 cup add-ins like raisins, chocolate chips, cranberries or chopped pecans or walnuts.
Step by Step Instructions
Before you Start: Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
Step 1. Combine the wet ingredients (applesauce, coconut oil, vanilla and maple syrup) in a medium mixing bowl until completely smooth.
Step 2. In a separate large mixing bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients (everything except for the diced apple) and make a “well” in the centre of the bowl.
Make sure you mix it up really well to break up any clumps and distribute the baking soda and salt. I like to use a whisk or fork to combine the dry ingredients.
Step 3: Pour in the wet ingredients from step 1.
Step 4: Gently fold together until fully combined. Be sure not to over mix. Once you’ve incorporated all the flour, stop mixing. This will help ensure nice, fluffy muffins!
Step 5. Add the diced apple and fold a few times until they’re distributed throughout.
Step 6. Using a large spoon or ice cream spoon, scoop the muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups.
Option to sprinkle each muffin with sugar for a sweet crunchy finish.
Step 7. Bake the muffins for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the muffin comes out clean. Carefully lift the muffins out onto a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes.
Enjoy for a sweet treat any time of day, on their own or sliced and topped with your favourite spread like almond butter or apple butter.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. To make these gluten-free applesauce muffins, replace the whole wheat flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
If needed, be sure to use gluten-free certified oats as well.
Sure. You can use unsweetened homemade applesauce or any store-bought unsweetened applesauce.
Well, yes and no. They’re still muffins! However, they’re low in calories so are easy to fit into a nutrition plan and contain some nutritious ingredients like apple and oats.
Each muffin provides 4 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein to help balance out the carbohydrates. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, they’re also dairy-free and egg-free.
As far as muffins go, I would say, yes, they’re healthy and can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Enjoy!
Let the muffins cool completely then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Yes. For longer storage, let the muffins cool completely then store in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vegan Applesauce Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, 300 ml
- 2/3 cup maple syrup, 160 ml
- 1/3 cup refined coconut oil, melted (80 ml)
- 2 teaspoon vanila, 10 ml
- 1 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour, 230 g
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup quick oats, 50 g
- 1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and diced, 150 g
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar, optional, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare 12 pc muffin pan with muffin liners for later.
- In a medium bowl combine all the liquid ingredients (applesauce, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla) and set aside.
- In a separate large bowl place all your dry ingredients (everything except diced apple) and mix well to combine.
- Make a ‘well’ in the centre of the bowl of dry ingredients and pour in your wet ingredients. Using a spatula fold the wet and dry ingredients together until well combined.
- Add your diced apples and gently fold to mix them in.
- Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, evenly distribute muffin mix into prepared muffin tins. For an optional crunchy top sprinkle brown sugar on to each muffin top before placing in the oven.
- Place in a preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted in the centre of the muffin and come out clean. When ready remove from the oven, lift out of the pan and place on the cooling rack for 10 minutes. Once muffins are cooled, enjoy!
These came out very well. Moist and flavorful. Whole family loved them.
Thanks so much! So glad to hear that.
These are great! I subbed creamy peanut butter for the coconut oil. So light and moist.
Thanks
Lovely light and fresh muffins. I followed the recipe pretty closely. I used slightly less maple syrup and oil and added a small amount of pumpkin to make up the moisture from those. I subbed raisins for chopped apple because, lazy. LOL. NTL these muffins were so soft and moist. And easy! Truly wonderful. And I love that all of the ingredients are in my pantry pretty much all the time. Will make again for sure!
Thanks very much!
Can you use coconut flour??
I wouldn’t suggest coconut flour without first adjustments to the recipe. It won’t work as a 1-1 substitute. Thanks!
I made these muffins and they are delicious. I didn’t have whole wheat flour but had extra whole oats and made oat flour. Using the scale measurements the recipe came out as expected. Totally suggest making them!
I’m about to make these. Muffin and muffin pans are twice the size of cupcake pans, maybe even larger than that. In the photo they look like cupcake sized muffins. I have both and I’m not sure which ones to use. I wish the recipe was more clear on that.
I use a standard 12-cup muffin pan and standard muffin/cupcake liners. Each cup should be about 2.75-inch wide by 1.25-inch deep. Hope that helps!
I revamped the recipe a little to make it more Christmassy by adding in some (dried cranberries which I rehydrated in orange juice over night) and a couple of drops of orange essence in with the wet ingredients
That sounds yummy!
A nice basic recipe that can be modified easily. I used canola oil, white whole wheat flour, and old fashioned oats. It was delicious. It could be slightly fluffier. I think the whole wheat flour probably made it slightly dense, but nothing too bad. I’ll add pecans the next time. I gave it 4 stars simply because it wasn’t super soft. I’ll still make this recipe again. Thanks, Deryn!
…so accidentally dumped in coconut oil after stirring up jar (was going to heat & well, squirrels), never worked w/coconut oil before. It’s all clumpy, gonna mix it up anyway as can’t afford to start over and throw out. But heads up to any other newbies out there.