Quick And Easy Applesauce Muffins Recipe
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These applesauce muffins are what your mornings have been missing! They’re deliciously soft and spiced, sprinkled with walnuts for the perfect bite. Make a batch in about 30 minutes with just applesauce and simple pantry staples.
The cozy fall season is here! I just made a big batch of my slow cooker applesauce, and I’m so excited to make family favorites like applesauce bread, applesauce cake, and these applesauce muffins.
They’re perfect for busy weekday grab-and-go breakfasts, slow weekends with your favorite fall coffees, or even a light afternoon snack with tea. I make a batch on Sunday, pop them in the freezer, and have them ready-to-go all week long.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- So easy!
- Warm and oven-fresh
- Homemade goodness
- Cozy fall flavors
- Serves a crowd
How to Make Applesauce Muffins
Whip up these cozy applesauce muffins with easy ingredients and minimal hands-on time. Just mix the wet and dry ingredients, scoop the batter into a muffin tin, and bake until golden and fluffy. And there you have it; a fuss-free muffin moment anytime you want it!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- All-purpose flour: To measure your flour accurately, use the scoop and level method. Scoop the flour into your measuring cup, then use the back of a butter knife to level it off so it’s flush with the rim. This simple trick helps you avoid packing in too much flour, which can make your muffins dry or dense.
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon: For that warm, cozy fall flavor that pairs perfectly with applesauce.
- Baking soda and baking powder: To help the muffins rise.
- Salt
- Eggs
- Applesauce: For natural sweetness, moisture, and a hint of apple flavor to the muffins. I use homemade when I have it or store-bought unsweetened applesauce.
- Vanilla extract: For extra sweetness.
- Walnuts: For adding a delightful crunch!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Let’s make some fall-tastic muffins! Don’t skip the rest time after baking, as letting them cool for at least 5 minutes allows the crumb to set properly, which means your muffins will hold together beautifully instead of crumbling apart. Plus, the flavors continue to develop as they cool, giving you that perfect cozy bite with every mouthful.
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan. If you’re using muffin liners, lightly spray them with cooking oil. The muffins can stick a little while warm.
To get started, whisk the flour, sugars, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients and combine
Mix the eggs, applesauce, milk, butter, and vanilla extract in a second bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry bowl. Stir just until combined. Fold in the walnuts.
Step 3: Bake
Divide the batter evenly between all muffin cups, filling each one all the way full.
Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Substitutions
These applesauce muffins will taste even better when made with ingredients you love. If you want to switch things up or want to use ingredients you have on hand, here are my recommended substitutions:
- All-purpose flour: Replace with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Sugars: Use coconut sugar or maple sugar for a more natural sweetness and stronger flavor.
- Ground cinnamon: Ground nutmeg, cardamom, or ginger are good swaps or additions to ground cinnamon. You can also try apple pie or pumpkin pie spice.
- Walnuts: Swap with pecans, almonds, or pumpkin seeds for a nut-free option.
Expert Tips
- Use unsweetened applesauce: Sweetened applesauce can make your muffins overly sweet and throw off the balance. If you only have sweetened, reduce the sugar in the recipe slightly to compensate.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Overmixing can lead to dense, tough muffins instead of light and fluffy ones.
- Toast the nuts: If using walnuts or pecans, give them a quick toast in a dry pan or oven before folding them in. It enhances their nuttiness and adds a subtle crunch.
- Add texture with seeds or oats: Sprinkle the tops of your muffins with rolled oats or chopped walnuts before baking for extra crunch and a rustic, cozy look.
- Sweeten the tops: Just before baking, dust the muffins with a little cinnamon sugar or drizzle with maple syrup when they come out of the oven for added sweetness and shine.
How to Store This Recipe
Cool muffins completely, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for about a week, or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. When you’re ready to enjoy one, warm it in the oven at 350 F until just warmed through.
What to Serve with Applesauce Muffins
Applesauce muffins are incredibly versatile and pair well with all kinds of breakfast and brunch favorites. For a cozy morning spread, serve them alongside scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, or a cheese and onion quiche.
These muffins also make a sweet companion to savory dishes like a sharp cheddar omelet on a chilly day. If you’re enjoying them as an afternoon snack, try pairing them with a hot cup of matcha tea or a chai latte.
More Easy Breakfast Treats To Try
- Pumpkin and cream cheese muffins
- Cheese danish
- Pumpkin pancakes
- Cinnamon rolls
- Pumpkin pecan waffles
- 4-ingredient banana bread
The Best Applesauce Muffins Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F . Grease a 12-cup muffin pan.
- Whisk the flour, sugars, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- Mix the eggs, applesauce, milk, butter, and vanilla extract in a second bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry bowl. Stir just until combined. Fold in the walnuts.
- Divide the batter evenly between all muffin cups, filling each one all the way full.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use unsweetened applesauce for just the right amount of sweetness. If you only have sweetened, reduce the sugar in the recipe slightly to compensate.
- Don’t overmix the batter, as it can lead to dense, tough muffins instead of light and fluffy ones.
- If using walnuts or pecans, give them a quick toast in a dry pan or oven before folding them in for better texture and flavor.
- Sprinkle the tops of your muffins with rolled oats, chia seeds, or sunflower seeds before baking for extra crunch and a rustic, cozy look.
- Just before baking, dust the muffins with a little cinnamon sugar or drizzle with maple syrup when they come out of the oven for added sweetness and shine.
These are really good! I added a chopped apple and some raisins along with walnuts. By mistake I only used 1/2 c applesauce but it worked.
That’s fantastic to hear, Carol! Adding chopped apple, raisins, and walnuts sounds like a great way to customize the muffins. Love that they still turned out yummy even with the applesauce adjustment!