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18 Best Apple Muffin Recipes

Apple muffin recipes are the perfect fall baking project. With the apple season just around the corner, it’s time to find ways to enjoy all that delicious fruit. Whether it’s for breakfast, brunch, or anything in between, you’ll always relish the first bite of a warm apple muffin.

Whenever apples are in season near you, pick some up to make one of these delicious recipes. Are you wondering what kind of apples are best for apple muffins? Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Braeburn are all great options. Any tart and firm-fleshed apple will work well.  

Who knew there were so many variations on apple muffins? From apple walnut muffins to vegan apple muffins, there’s a version of this classic breakfast treat for you. Here you’ll find all the best apple muffin recipes.

The Best Apple Muffin Recipes

Apple Muffin Recipes

Here are some of the overall best apple muffin recipes. Out of all the recipes in this article, these are the crowd-pleasers. They’re moist and full of apple flavor, with just the right amount of cinnamon flavor. If you make one of these apple muffin recipes, you can expect they’ll disappear almost as soon as you take them out of the oven.  

  • Best Apple Muffins: This recipe is a go-to favorite because it’s versatile and turns out decadent apple muffins every time. They’re tender and flavorful, with a crisp streusel topping. Even better, the recipe includes variations to make these muffins healthy or vegan.
  • Healthy Apple Muffins: Choose this recipe if you’re looking for a healthier choice that doesn’t skimp on flavor. These muffins are bursting with apple flavor. Since they use whole-wheat flour, they’re good for you, too!  
  • Apple Cider Donut Muffins: You may have memories of going to an apple orchard and biting into fresh apple cider donuts. Recreate that experience at home by baking up a batch of these apple cider donut muffins! It’s all of your favorite flavors in one muffin.

Apple Walnut Muffin Recipes

There are two types of people in the world: those that like nuts in muffins, and those that hate nuts in muffins. If you’re the former, you’re in the right place! Walnuts add an extra layer of flavor and texture to make apple muffin recipes even tastier. Here are the very best apple walnut muffin recipes.

  • Jumbo Fluffy Walnut Apple Muffins: These muffins are crumbly, full of apple, and nutty – just what you want from an apple walnut muffin. They’re the perfect breakfast with some butter and apple juice. Make these muffins if you want an easy, classic apple walnut muffin.
  • Apple Nut Cinnamon Muffins: You’ll love this recipe if you want muffins with a bit of textural complexity. The crisp topping and tender muffin make that first bite just glorious. Even though these muffins are full of apples and walnuts, they’re lighter than many apple muffin recipes.
  • Whole-Wheat Apple Walnut Muffins: If you’re a fan of apple nut muffins, you definitely need to try making them with whole-wheat flour. The flour adds even more rich, nutty flavor to the muffins – plus it’s good for you! This recipe freezes surprisingly well, so feel free to a big batch and save the leftovers (if there are any).

Apple Streusel Muffin Recipes

Apple Muffins

As if they weren’t delicious enough already, these apple muffin recipes add another level of delicious with a streusel topping. Streusel is sugar, butter, and flour sprinkled on top of muffins. As the muffins bake, the streusel becomes a mouthwatering crisp and crumbly topping. Don’t bypass these recipes for the best apple streusel muffins.

  • Glazed Apple Crumb Muffins: Make this recipe if you want a muffin that looks as good as it tastes.  These apple streusel muffins are tender with just the right balance of apple to muffin to streusel topping. The glaze makes these muffins look very appealing – bake them for a brunch of potluck and watch them disappear!
  • Apple Strudel Muffins: This recipe makes your classic apple streusel muffin. Use a softer apple such as McIntosh to make these muffins even more moist. Serve them with a scoop of ice cream as a dessert, or devour them for breakfast.
  • Best Apple Muffins: If you want easy apple streusel muffins that don’t skimp on flavor, go for this recipe. You’ll have warm apple streusel muffins in under an hour. The streusel topping incorporates some cinnamon and nutmeg for even more fall flavor.

Apple Cider Muffins

Have you ever heard of apple cider muffins? Well, they’re like apple cider donuts that are easy enough to make regularly. To bring these apple muffin recipes to the next level, use home-made apple juice or cider. The muffins will be bursting with fresh apple flavor. These are sure to be a hit with anyone who loves apples!  

  • Cinnamon Apple Cider Muffins: This recipe is basically apple cider donuts from a muffin tin. whole wheat flour adds another dimension of nutty flavor to the muffins. Cider and chopped apples keep the muffins so tender they practically melt in your mouth. Sure to be a favorite.
  • Apple Cider Muffins: If you’re craving apple muffins but don’t have apples around, make these! The apple flavor comes from cider or juice, so you won’t need an extra grocery run to pick up apples. The muffins are light and fluffy, the perfect after-school snack for your kids on a crisp fall day.
  • Cinnamon Streusel Apple Cider Muffins: We’ve already covered all the glories of streusel topping. What could be better than an apple cider muffin with streusel? Not much. Make this recipe for luscious muffins with a hint of apple cider flavor.

Apple Oatmeal Muffin Recipes

7 Apple Muffins

These apple muffin recipes incorporate oatmeal. If you’ve never had oatmeal in a muffin, don’t pass them up just yet! These muffins are all the best of oatmeal cookies and apple muffins combined. The oatmeal keeps them moist and hearty even as they’re stored. Make apple oatmeal muffins ahead of time and grab one when you need a quick breakfast.

  • Apple Oatmeal Muffins: This recipe makes simple, delicious muffins. They’re surprisingly healthy and full of flavor. You’ll want to use a softer apple such as Gala or Fuji to make sure the muffins stay moist and soft. Eat them fresh or freeze them for later.
  • Apple Oatmeal Crisp Muffins: By now, you know that streusel makes any muffin even better. These apple oatmeal muffins are decadent and filling, with a crispy oatmeal topping that brings them to the next level. You’ll love them!
  • Easy Apple Oatmeal Muffins: These muffins whip up in half of an hour. If you’re on the go and want some apple muffins in a hurry, this is the recipe for you. The apple oatmeal muffins are so tasty nobody will guess they only took thirty minutes to make!

Healthy Apple Muffin Recipes

Baking Apple Muffins

There’s nothing wrong with a serving of butter and sugar now and then, but sometimes you need a more health-conscious treat. Healthy apple muffins are just the thing. Apples give a natural sweetness to the muffins, and just a few substitutions make them vegan. Here are three of the best healthy apple muffin recipes.

  • Vegan Cinnamon Apple Walnut Muffins: These apple muffins are completely vegan, but nobody would be able to tell. They’re all the best of apple muffins: full of apple flavor, moist and light, with a walnut-cinnamon swirl. You’ll want to make these vegan apple muffins over and over again.
  • Healthy Apple Muffins: If you’re just looking for a lighter version of the classic apple muffin, this is the best recipe for you. They might be healthy apple muffins, but they have just as much flavor! Yogurt and coconut oil make these muffins a healthier option.
  • Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins: It can be hard to find apple muffin recipes that are gluten-free. This is the perfect recipe for gluten-free apple muffins. Some gluten-free baked goods are too crumbly, but the additional moisture from the apples keeps these muffins from being dry.  They are tender, flavorful, and perfectly scrumptious.

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