Easy Vegan Apple Muffins

These vegan apple muffins with applesauce and shredded apple are tender, fluffy, moist, delicately spiced, and require just 8 base ingredients! Enjoy them mini or regular-sized and with several dietary and flavor variations!

Moist and Tender Lightly Spiced Vegan Apple Muffins

I recently shared a recipe for an easy zucchini mock apple pie, and since then, I’ve been craving vegan apple muffins until I FINALLY made a batch this past weekend. These vegan apple cinnamon muffins combine applesauce and freshly grated apple for muffins that are tender, moist, and packed with apple flavor – perfect for any apple lovers!

Not only does the base recipe require just 8 common pantry ingredients, but you can boost these vegan breakfast muffins further with optional add-ins. This includes raisins/sultanas, vegan chocolate chips, and/or chopped nuts for a delicious (and nutritious) combination of flavors and textures.

Even better, this simple recipe is super versatile. Along with the base recipe, you can adjust these vegan applesauce muffins to your dietary and flavor preferences. For example, gluten-free apple muffins, sugar-free, reduced oil, whole wheat, etc. Oh, and did I mention you don’t even need a mixer or special kitchen tools for this recipe?! Just one bowl and a box grater.

The freshly baked cinnamon applesauce muffins not only smell and taste delicious, but they’re perfect for enjoying as a morning or afternoon pick-me-up (at home or in lunchboxes), snack, or dessert.

These vegan apple cinnamon muffins are the Fall-time answer to my summery blueberry zucchini muffins. However, luckily, you can enjoy them year-round, like my vegan blueberry banana muffins. You can also freeze them to enjoy over several months!

The Ingredients

You can prepare this vegan apple muffins recipe with just 8 inexpensive, pantry-friendly ingredients.

The Dry Ingredients

• Flour: You can use all-purpose flour or a 50/50 combination of AP flour and whole wheat flour. 100% whole wheat (or spelt flour) may also work, but the flavor and density will change (stronger and denser).
• Sugar: I used regular white granulated sugar, but unrefined options like coconut sugar should also work and add more caramel flavor. I often use a 50/50 combination of white and brown sugar.

• Leavening agents: Baking powder provides lift and texture to these eggless apple muffins.
• Salt: To enhance the various flavors in these dairy free muffins.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon and apple are a perfect match. Adjust the amount to taste and increase it if needed.
• Mix–ins: I also add raisins/sultanas (or dairy-free chocolate chips) and chopped walnuts (pecans or sunflower seeds would also work).

The Wet Ingredients

• Applesauce: I recommend using unsweetened applesauce for flavor and moisture in these dairy-free apple muffins.
• Apples: I used Honeycrisp apples, which are naturally sweet and crisp. Check FAQs for the best apples for muffins.

You can also use this recipe to make pear muffins. The method is exactly the same!

• Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla for the best flavor.
• Oil: Use any neutral oil like vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil, etc. This will help to make moist, tender-crumbed easy applesauce muffins.

Can I use vegan butter? While it’s possible to use vegan butter (or coconut oil, which is also solid at room temperature), these can make the vegan applesauce muffins seem drier.

Optional add-ins & Recipe Variations

There are several other ways to adapt and add to this recipe.

• Sugar topping: Sprinkle coarse brown sugar or turbinado sugar (with or without additional cinnamon) over the top of the muffin batter before baking for a crunchy, sweet topping.
• Apple crumble muffins: Create a crumb topping with flour (and optionally, some oats), vegan butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle it over the batter before baking the vegan apple cinnamon muffins.
• Nutmeg: Add a pinch of nutmeg for a more warming flavor.
• Blueberries: Add a few fresh blueberries to each muffin for extra color and flavor.
• Zest: A teaspoon of lemon or orange zest will add a subtle but noticeable flavor.
• Icing glaze: Mix powdered sugar with a bit of vanilla and plant-based milk into a drizzle consistency to drizzle over the vegan apple muffins. Check out this lemon glaze recipe.

How to Make Vegan Apple Muffins with Applesauce?

All you need is around 40 minutes, one bowl, 6 simple steps, and minimal effort to prepare this vegan apple muffin recipe.

• 1) First, preheat the oven to 350F/177C and either grease or line a (2x) mini or (1x) regular muffin tin with silicone or parchment paper muffin liners.
• 2) Then, rinse and grate the apple using the medium holes on a box grater.

Save time by using a food processor with a shredding disk to grate the apples in seconds.

• 3) In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, oil, sugar, vanilla, and shredded apples. Mix to combine.

• 4) Add the salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and flour and gently stir/whisk until combined. Then fold in any optional add-ins (raisins/ vegan chocolate chips and walnuts).

A thick batter is expected as the apples release liquid as they bake.

• 5) Divide the batter into the prepared muffin pan (with an ice cream scoop or spoon) and bake mini apple muffins for between 12-18 minutes and regular apple muffins for 25-30 minutes, until they’re golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean (a few crumbs are fine, but no wet batter).

• 6) Finally, remove the apple applesauce muffins from the oven and transfer them to a wire cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before enjoying them.

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Measure the flour correctly: First, fluff it up in the flour bag using a fork/spoon, then use a spoon to transfer it to your measuring cup. Finally, use the back of a knife to level out the top of the measuring cup.
• Don’t over-mix the muffin batter: Or the gluten will become overworked, and these eggless apple muffins may end up dense. A few small lumps are okay.
• Adjust the apple texture: If you prefer bigger bites of apple, use a combination of shredded and finely diced apple (around ¼-inch cubes).
• For pretty muffins: Press a few pieces of finely diced apple into the top of each muffin before baking. This works particularly well with red-skinned apples and provides a beautiful bakery aesthetic.
• Fill the muffins to the top: This will give them a good muffin top.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make ahead: You can prepare the apple muffin batter two days in advance, minus the baking powder and grated apple. When ready to use it, allow it to return to room temperature for 20 minutes on the counter, add the remaining ingredients, and continue with the recipe.

At room temperature: Store the vegan apple muffins loosely covered (to avoid sogginess) for 2-3 days.

In the fridge: Store the vegan apple muffins in an airtight container lined with a paper towel for 5-7 days. I recommend giving them 10-15 seconds in the microwave before enjoying one.

In the freezer: Flash freeze the muffins until solid, then store them in a Ziplock/Stasher bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the kitchen counter for several hours. You can also thaw it in the microwave in 15-second increments.

More Vegan Baked Treats

• Carrot cake muffins
• Pineapple walnut muffins
• Cinnamon rolls
• Easy vegan vanilla cupcakes
• Vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

If you try this easy vegan apple muffin recipe, I’d love to know what you think in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla