These healthy Apple Spice Muffins are loaded with juicy apple chunks and autumnal apple pie spices! A gluten-free and refined sugar-free breakfast treat or snack your kids will love!
It's no secret I love cinnamon. The name of my blog gives me away instantly so I'm not even going to try and pretend otherwise. And why would I anyway? Cinnamon is like the most addictive spice there is!
A lot of people go coconut over pumpkin pie spice this time of the year, and you know why? Because it's 80% cinnamon! Well, it's my theory anyway!
I love a good pumpkin treat myself, but you know what excites me the most? Apple desserts with a non-reasonable amount of cinnamon.
The smell when it's baking in the oven? O.M.G! Now add a few other spices like nutmeg, cardamom, and friends, and you've got yourself the best autumnal spice blend there is. Introducing...the apple pie spice!
After that declaration of love for cinnamon and apple desserts, you won't be surprised if I tell you that these apple spice muffins make me very happy. They are like a supercharged healthy apple cinnamon muffin!
Maybe at this point, I should also tell you that I paired my apple spice muffins with another of my new favorite thing: spiced apple cider, and it was amazing.
Too much Fall flavors in one sitting? Never. Not that these apple spice muffins need some liquid to wash them down, they are in fact very moist and fluffy! Just like any apple cinnamon muffin should be!
But honestly, you know what's the best thing about these apple spice muffins? They're healthy enough to eat them for breakfast and you don't have to feel guilty!
Life is pretty good when you can enjoy sweet fall baking and still fit in your jeans!
Now tell me, what's your favorite spice combo? Apple pie or pumpkin pie?
If you tried this Apple Spice Muffins recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!
Skinny Apple Spice Muffins
These healthy Apple Spice Muffins are loaded with juicy apple chunks and autumnal apple pie spices! A gluten-free and refined sugar-free breakfast treat or snack your kids will love!
Ingredients
- 7.5 oz - 210 g - about 1 ½ cups all-purpose gluten free flour I used Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour – for best and consistent results, try to weigh the flour if you can – see notes if you want to use regular flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp allspice
- ⅛ tsp ginger
- ⅛ tsp cardamom
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsweetened smooth applesauce homemade or store-bought
- 1 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar - see notes
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted – make sure to use refined and not unrefined coconut oil to avoid the coconut taste
- 1 large egg
- 2 medium apples peeled, cored and finely chopped
- ⅓ cup walnuts chopped (optional)
- cooking spray
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375F - 190C
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Line a 12-hole muffin pan with muffins liners ,lightly spray each liner with cooking spray and set aside.
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In a large bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and salt. Whisk to combine.
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In another large bowl, add applesauce, coconut sugar, buttermilk, coconut oil and egg. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until well combined, about 3 minutes.
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Transfer wet mixture to flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Fold in apple and walnuts if using.
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Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins. I used a cookie scoop and spooned about 2 tablespoons of batter per muffin.
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Bake for 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pan immediately and place on a wire rack to cool.
Recipe Notes
- FLOUR – I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour. Please note that if you use another brand of GF Flour, results could be slightly different. The original recipe called for 1 ½ cups all purpose flour (the regular kind). If you don't want/need to use GF flour, you could use regular flour but I did not test it.
- SUGAR – Coconut sugar has a light caramel/butterscotch flavor that makes it perfect for these muffins and is healthier than refined sugar. You can replace it with brown sugar, but I tested the recipe using coconut sugar.
Adapted from CookingLight
Jenna
Yum, i think I know what I'll be making when I get my new oven!
Nagi@RecipeTinEats
Look how fluffy and cute these muffins are! I think I have an idea of what to do now. 🙂
Kamisha Sidibe
Hi. This looks yummy. Is there anything to substitute for the coconut sugar?
Marie
Thanks! You can use brown sugar instead (but I tested the recipe using coconut sugar)
40A.
Could these look any more delicious!? I can't have enough cinnamon in my life either and I totally share the opinion that pumpkin pie spice is really just cinnamon with a hat!
Rachel
Hi,
I love this recipe. It tastes so good! I’m thankful it’s GF, too. I’ve tried making this recipe but it keeps coming out gooey. I can’t figure out why except that I used vegetable oil in place of coconut oil and used a different brand of GF flour (Nameste). It keeps coming out gooey on the inside, and sinking, but the bottom is cooked (almost burnt) from allowing it to sit longer to cook through. I did notice in the ingredients list it calls for baking soda, but not powder. Yet in the steps it says to mix baking powder and soda in with the flour mixture. I would love your input.
Thank you for sharing!
Marie
You're right Rachel, I missed the baking powder in the ingredients list, I am SO sorry! I hope they'll turn out great next time if you decide to try them again
Martine
Would dried cherries or apricots substitute for the chopped apple?
Marie
Yes, absolutely!