Healthy Apple Muffins
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These Healthy Apple Muffins are tender and fluffy, naturally sweetened with honey, and made with whole wheat flour for an extra hit of fibre and nutrients. To keep them super moist and flavourful, we’re using a mixture of shredded apple and diced apple. Top them with a dollop of nut butter for a rounded autumnal breakfast!
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Incredibly moist healthy apple muffins
If you hadn’t noticed yet, I love a good muffin. They make the perfect grab-n-go breakfast, especially when smeared with a little nut butter or lemon curd!
These Healthy Apple Muffins are my most recent breakfast obsession. They’re tender and fluffy, super moist, lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and chocker block full of fresh apples.
I just know you’re going to love these muffins as much as I do!
What makes these apple muffins healthy?
Oftentimes, the muffins we get at a bakery or supermarket are loaded up with extra sugar and fat and have little nutritional value. These healthy apple muffins are the complete opposite! They contain a few swaps that retain some of the nutrition without compromising on flavour or texture.
- They use whole wheat flour for an extra hit of fibre. While these muffins do contain a little bit of plain flour (to prevent them from becoming too dense), they’re mostly made with whole wheat to retain nutrients and add a nutty flavour.
- They’re packed with fruit! These healthy apple muffins use both shredded and diced apples to keep them moist and make sure to get a good dose of fruit in each bite.
- They’re sweetened naturally with honey, making them completely refined sugar free. If necessary, you could also use pure maple syrup or agave syrup as a substitute.
Main ingredients
Only 12 easy-to-find ingredients make up these healthy apple muffins. You probably already have every one of them on hand! Let’s break down the 6 main ingredients:
- Whole wheat and plain flour: Flour provides structure for our muffins. For a bit of extra fibre, we’re using mostly whole wheat and supplementing a little plain flour to keep the muffins fluffy and light.
- Honey: To keep these muffins from trespassing in cupcake territory, we’re using a bit of honey to sweeten them naturally.
- Buttermilk: The acid in the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to give these muffins lift; it also adds extra moisture.
- Rapeseed oil: Helps keep them from going gummy and adds a softness. I prefer cold-pressed rapeseed oil as it’s the healthiest and least processed oil on the market, but any neutral oil will do. Coconut can work in a pinch too!
- Apples: We’re using a mix of shredded and diced apple in this healthy apple muffins recipe. The shredded keeps the muffins extra moist and the diced adds extra texture and pockets of appley deliciousness.
Other Ingredients
Aside from the above ingredients, we’ll also need a few extra things to make these healthy muffins:
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
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How can I make my muffins lighter and fluffier?
To achieve light and fluffy muffins, it’s best to use baking soda and an acid for optimum lift in addition to baking powder.
You also want to make sure you don’t over-mix your batter as this can cause gummy or chewy muffins. It’s best to only mix until the batter comes together and the flour disappears – lumps in muffin batter are okay!
How to make healthy apple muffins
Making these healthy apple muffins couldn’t be easier! It’s basically a dump and go recipe – simply mix up the dry ingredients, then the wet, and add the two together. Here’s how to make them:
- Preheat the oven and line a regular sized muffin tin with 6 silicone or paper liners.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients until well combined. Set aside.
- Add the wet ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk together well until emulsified.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into it. Gently fold everything together, then add the diced apple. Keep folding gently just until the apples are dispersed and the flour disappears.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the 6 cups. Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the tray, then remove them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Full details are in the recipe card at the end of this post.
FAQ’s
What kind of apples are best for muffins?
Ideally, you want to use a tart cooking apple for this recipe. A Granny Smith or Bramley will give you the best flavour in these muffins.
Can I substitute the buttermilk?
The acid in the buttermilk is required to react with the baking soda and give lift to the muffins. If you don’t have any on hand, you can make your own by measuring out 50ml of regular milk and adding 10ml of lemon juice. Give it a stir and let it sit and curdle for 5 minutes before using.
Can you freeze apple muffins?
Absolutely! These muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost them at room temperature.
How long do these muffins last?
Sealed in an airtight container at room temperature, these healthy apple muffins should last around 3-4 days.
Tips for making this recipe perfectly
- Don’t over-mix the batter once you add the dry ingredients! Over-mixing results in tough muffins. I like to do only a couple of folds before I add the apples and then continue folding until the flour just disappears. It’s okay if the batter is lumpy.
- Fill the muffin cavities to the top! This will ensure a nice dome on these muffins.
- Let the muffins cool completely before serving. I know, torture! But they will continue to cook as they cool and become extra fluffy. If you eat them right out of the oven, the texture will be more gummy.
More healthy muffin recipes
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Banana Nut Muffins
White Chocolate Cranberry Muffins
Sugar Free Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Carrot Muffins
Ginger Pear Muffins
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If you make this recipe, let me know by snapping a picture and tagging me on Instagram @naturallysweet_kitchen. I love seeing your creations and sharing them in my Stories. Or let me know you love this Healthy Apple Muffins recipe by leaving a comment and rating below!
Healthy Apple Muffins Recipe (Refined Sugar Free)
These Healthy Apple Muffins are tender and fluffy, naturally sweetened with honey, and made with whole wheat flour for an extra hit of fibre and nutrients. To keep them super moist and flavourful, we’re using a mixture of shredded apple and diced apple. Top them with a dollop of nut butter for a rounded autumnal breakfast!
Ingredients
- 100 g whole wheat flour
- 50 g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 100 g unpasteurised honey
- 60 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- 60 ml rapeseed oil
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 75 g shredded apple
- 50 g diced apple
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190ºC (375ºF) and line a regular sized muffin tin with 6 silicone or paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Add the egg, honey, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and shredded apple to a medium bowl or measuring cup. Whisk together well until emulsified.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into it. Gently fold everything together 3-4 times, then add the diced apple. Keep folding gently just until the apples are dispersed and the flour disappears. Do not over mix the batter; it’s okay if it’s a bit lumpy.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the 6 cups. The batter should just reach the top of each cavity. Top with a few thin slices of apple if desired.
- Bake the muffins for 16-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Notes
- These muffins will keep sealed in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- These muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.
