These Healthy Apple Muffins are made with whole grain oats and sweetened with just a touch of honey, making them the perfect simple fall breakfast! This post is sponsored by my friends at Bob’s Red Mill.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my policy and more about affiliate links. This post was originally shared in August of 2018 but has been updated.
Apple season = the best season in my opinion. There are few things I love more than baking with apples, whether it’s these muffins, Healthy Baked Apples or Apple Oatmeal!
I’m the type of person that eats apple cinnamon and pumpkin flavored things all year round because I love them so much, but there’s something about enjoying fall flavors on a chillier autumn day that make them taste even better!
I have so many fond memories of going apple picking every fall with my mom and brother. Usually we’d go with cousins or friends, and we would come back with WAY more apples than we could ever eat.
Even as a kid, I can remember being so excited to get home and bake with the apples. There’s just something about spending an afternoon at an orchard, coming home, making something yummy with the apples + enjoying it for dessert!
Back then we probably would’ve made apple crisp, or baked apples.. but I can tell you if we had made these healthy apple muffins, I would’ve been one happy camper – especially if I got to take them as a snack at school!
Why we love these apple oat muffins:
Obviously these muffins are just delicious, but we love them for other reasons too!!!
- Low Sugar – Lots of muffin recipes are loaded with sugar, these are sweetened with just apples and a bit of honey.
- Versatile – You can enjoy these for breakfast, or as a snack. You totally could even warm one up, serve it with ice cream and call it dessert!
- Simple ingredients– You probably have everything you need on hand to make these healthy muffins!
Ingredients for Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins:
These healthy apple muffins are made with pantry staples you probably already have on hand.
- Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- baking powder, baking soda
- cinnamon , ginger , nutmeg, cloves
- salt
- honey
- coconut oil
- almond milk
You’ll also want to have a muffin tin, silicone muffin liners and a blender.
All of the ingredients for this recipe are easily found on Thrive Market! Click here to get 25% off your first order and a free gift.
How To Make Healthy Apple Muffins:
Making healthy apple muffins is VERY simple.
- Pulse your oats in a blender until they are a flour like consistency. (I used Bob’s Red Mill !) You can also use their oat flour! Add your remaining dry ingredients to the blender.
- In a separate bowl, stir together your wet ingredients Combine your wet + dry ingredients in a blender. Fold in chopped apples. Do not blend apples.
- Pour the batter into lined muffin tins + bake!
I love baking with Bob’s Red Mill products because it’s a brand I trust. My pantry is always overflowing with their products, but their oats and oat flours are my favorite.
By now I’m sure you’ve seen me use their oats in these Healthy Lemon Chia Baked Oatmeal Cups and their oat flour in this Healthy Zucchini Bread. (We also love using their whole wheat flour in our Healthy Banana Muffins or their regular flour in the Italian Cream Pie)
Oats are a great wholesome source of good carbs and they go in practically anything! I love them for breakfast in the morning, ground up into a flour for the base of these apple muffins, as a topping on breads… the list goes on and on!
If I was you, I’d make these Healthy Apple Muffins STAT!
You can even double the batch and freeze half of them for the school year.
They’re perfect for defrosting in the microwave, slathering with peanut butter and heading out the door with (or enjoying in the afternoon with a cup of coffee… or pumpkin spice latte!)
What kind of apples are best for baking?
ANY apple will work for baking, but different apples have different tastes.
If you prefer sweeter apples, Cortland or Fuji are a good choice. For a more tart applesauce Braeburn, McIntosh are a better choice.
This post lists all of the different apples and flavors they bring to a dish.
There’s really no ‘wrong’ apple to use – when you bake apples them they become softer, sweeter + sooo delicious!
Substitutions for healthy apple muffin recipes:
You can easily substitute many ingredients in this skinny apple muffin recipe. Here are some suggestions for you.
Oats – You can not substitute steel cut oats for this recipe, it won’t work! You could substitute quick cook oats if needed.
Honey– you can swap honey for maple syrup
Milk – you can use any type of milk in the recipe – nondairy, or dairy will work.
Oil – You can use olive oil or avocado oil.
Gluten free– Make sure to use certified gluten free oats.
Egg free– I have not tried making these muffins egg free. I think subbing flax eggs would work, but I’m not sure.
How to store apple muffins:
Storing: I store these muffin in the fridge for up to a week to maintain freshness. You can leave them out of the fridge on the counter, but they will not last as long.
Freezing: You can freeze these muffins. Put them in an airtight container or ziploc bag. To defrost, leave out the night before in the fridge and they will thaw out. Or – just pop in the microwave for 1-2 minutes!
Healthy Apple Muffins FAQ
ANY apple will work for apple muffins, but different apples have different tastes. If you prefer sweeter apples, Cortland or Fuji are a good choice. For a more tart applesauce Braeburn, McIntosh are a better choice.
The healthiest muffin to eat is one that is loaded with whole grains, fresh fruit and low in sugar! These apple muffins are delicious and good for you!
Other healthy muffin recipes:
Healthy muffins are the best! Here are some of our favorite recipes:
- Healthy Carrot Muffins
- Homemade Blueberry Muffins
- Zucchini Bread Muffins
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
- Healthy Banana Protein Muffins
- Healthy Lemon Chia Seed Muffins
- Healthy Cranberry Orange Muffins
Healthy Apple Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup honey
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted+ cooled
- ⅓ cup almond milk
- 1.5 cup apples peeled + chopped (Approx 2 large apples)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and prepared greased or lined muffin tin
- In a blender pulse oats until they are flour like consistency. Add in baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Pulse to combine
- In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, honey, melted coconut oil and milk.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients in blender. Fold in chopped apple pieces* Do not blend the apples!
- Pour batter into greased/lined muffin tin, filling ¾ the way
- Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Video
Notes
- Oats – You can not substitute steel cut oats for this recipe, it won’t work! You could substitute quick cook oats if needed.
- Honey– you can swap honey for maple syrup
- Milk – you can use any type of milk in the recipe – nondairy, or dairy will work.
- Oil – You can use olive oil or avocado oil.
- Gluten free– Make sure to use certified gluten free oats
- Egg free– I have not tried making these muffins egg free. I think subbing flax eggs would work, but I’m not sure.
Dana Bacon
I loved this recipe! Normally I find recipes online and alter them a little, but these were perfect. I added some chopped pecans on top, but they would be delicious without them too. Perfect breakfast slathered with peanut butter. Thanks for the recipe! I am excited to try your other recipes! 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple
Oooh I love the addition of pecans, Dana!! I’m totally trying that next time I make these 🙂
Taryn
Made these last night. Used quaker rolled oats because that’s what I had on hand. They turned out good taste wise but the texture is very crumbly. Any idea why this would happen? Yours in the picture look more muffin like than mine.
The Clean Eating Couple
Hi Taryn – Did you pulse the oats until they were a flour like consistency? That is key to getting the batter right!
Daniela
I made these this morning and they were absolutely delicious. I don’t have a very big sweet tooth but they satisfied the one I have.
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you liked them, Daniela! They’re just the perfect amount of sweetness!
Marie
Hi! That sounds great. Do you have to use almond milk or could you use regular milk?
The Clean Eating Couple
Hi Marie – there’s a note about substitutions in the post. You can use nondairy or dairy milk. Either will work!
ratika
hi! does it matter what kind of apples? I have a mix of green apples and gala apples. thanks!
The Clean Eating Couple
Nope! Any apples will work – there are notes in the post talking about the different types of apples.
Summer
These are awesome!! One of the best I have found! I used apples and pears and both were great. I also used oat milk due to a nut allergy and it seemed to work just as well. Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple
I’m so glad you liked them Summer! They’re the perfect fall treat!
Kaitlyn
These are great! I made them for my husband to have in the mornings. If I wanted to add sugar or sweetness, how much would you reccommend adding?
The Clean Eating Couple
Hi Kaitlyn – I created these muffins without sugar because I think they’re sweet enough without added sugar! You could try adding more honey or 1/4 cup of sugar – but it’s not something I’ve tested and I don’t know how it would affect the outcome!
Katie
I made these muffins with GF oats and they were amazing! Overall hit by everyone! I will definitely be making these apple muffins again 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you liked them Katie!! Makes me so happy to hear!
Julie
Delicious and a big hit with the kids. One had with peanut butter and one with almond butter and they both wanted more! Love that these are delish but also healthy! Bravo.
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you and your kids liked them!! They are delicious on their own or with any type of nut butter!
Kayla
These are delicious! Perfect fall treat 🍁
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you like them, thanks Kayla!
Wendy
Moist and delicious! Easy to meal prep for the week
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you like them, Wendy! Thanks!
Kady Torres
I loved these muffins! They are quick, easy and above everything else – pretty good for you. I admit I did serve mine with a little scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream + coconut whipped cream but these are also amazing on their own!
I am Vegan so I subbed out the egg with apple sauce and used Steel Cut Oats from TJs, but I loved these and have made them several times 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you like them, Kady. I LOVE that you served them with ice cream – i bet that is delicious. Have you tried my ? It’s also delish with a scoop of ice cream, and vegan!
Jenn
These are so easy to make and delicious!
The Clean Eating Couple
Thank you!! They’re one of my favorite muffins!
Joy Kirkreit
These are super delicious and easy to make! 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple
Glad you liked them, Joy!
Charisa R Sloan
I haven’t made these yet but would like to try, however, I am not big on chunks of fruit in my food. I don’t eat pie just for that reason. Is there a way to substitute the apples for unsweetened applesauce?
The Clean Eating Couple
Hi! I can’t be sure how this would work without trying it. I don’t think you would need 1.5 cups of applesauce, maybe only 1 cup? I’d recommend you check out this Healthy Banana Muffins recipe and sub in applesauce for the banana. Applesauce and mashed bananas can be used interchangeably, but applesauce and chopped apples aren’t the same so I’m not confident on how it will turn out! Sorry!
Bernadine
Absolutely would recommend this recipe! Delicious and flavourful. Next time I might add raisins and nuts.
The Clean Eating Couple
Thanks, Bernadine! So glad you liked them. That would be delicious!
Carlos Gómez
What is the size for the cups you are using on this recipe?
The Clean Eating Couple
Hi Carlos – I’m not sure what you’re asking. These are made in a standard muffin tin.
Indigo
HI Im thinking of making these but do not have any coconut oil. You mentioned in substitutions about using olive oil, which I have, but will it give off an olive-like flavour or not? Thank you x
The Clean Eating Couple
Hi Indigo – If you use a light olive oil it should’t affect the flavor. Vegetable oil will also work!
Patricia
Hi! Have made these twice and have liked them. But both times they seem not compact enough (they fall apart very easily). Any thoughts on how I may improve that? Thanks so much!
The Clean Eating Couple
Hi Patricia – They’re definitely a more crumbly muffin. Did you substitute any ingredients? Maybe try adding a bit more oil. (1/2 teaspoon) and see if that helps. I’m not sure why that would happen!
Patricia
Thanks! Did not substitute. Will try this improvement. They are very tasty! Thanks many!!!
Dana
I want to make this recipe for my kids. In the recipe, it says that it makes 18 muffins. I live in Canada and the standard size of muffin tin is 12 and not 18. Would this recipe work for the muffin tin with 12 muffins? Do I need to change bake time? Thanks.
The Clean Eating Couple
Dana – Use a regular muffin tin, make a batch, take them out, and put 6 in for a second batch. The batch with 6 may cook in 1-2 minutes quicker 🙂
Kristin Kolat
I made a batch of these on Sunday and they were delicious! Relatively quick to make and came out lightweight, moist and delicious! Perfect for breakfast, snack or dessert. Even my picky father (whom I gave some to) called me to tell me how good they were! I love that he could enjoy them despite being a diabetic given the low sugar/carb content in these!
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you liked the, Kristin! Thank you so much!
Sarah
Hi, is there a sub for applesauce? I don’t have any on hand and don’t have enough apples to make some applesauce. Thanks, Sarah
The Clean Eating Couple
I’m sorry but we haven’t tried making this recipe without the applesauce. Bananas might work but they will definitely affect the flavor.
Sami
So yummy and so naturally sweet! I had a lot of fun making these with my Mother in Law last weekend. Added peanut butter on top for a fueled breakfast muffin, and cinnamon sugar for a dessert muffin.
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you enjoyed them! Thank you so much, Sami!
Natalie
I love the idea of these since I can’t have dairy right now, but they turned out very dry for me. Wondering what I can do to add some more moisture,
The Clean Eating Couple
I’m sorry to hear that, Natalie. Did you make any substitutions? If anything, from feedback I’ve gotten these muffins are more moist than dry!
Stephanie
Delicious, quick and easy! Both of my toddlers loved them!
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you all liked them, Stephanie!
Amber
So glad I found this recipe. Used dairy milk and all other ingredients as written (I’m notorious for altering recipes!). I used Macintosh apples because that’s what I have leftover from making applesauce. Even though they are a softer apple, I think they did well in this. They are pretty sweet. I love that there is no flour or processed sugar. Even the coconut oil added a nice touch.
I will note that beginning to end was 1 hour for me. Maybe I take too long prepping? But, even then, it was an easy recipe and 26 muffins were done in 20 minutes! Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple
Glad you liked them, Amber! Prep time should take about 15 minutes, and they bake for another 15-20!
Meg
Best fall muffins I ever had!!! Can’t even believe it’s healthy!
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you liked them, Meg! Thank you so much!
Carleigh
These are SO good! And so easy to make! They keep well in the fridge and are great for breakfast.
The Clean Eating Couple
Thank you so much, Carleigh! I am so glad you like them! They also freeze well if you ever want to double a batch!
Amy
Loved these! Perfect treat for fall!
The Clean Eating Couple
Thanks, Amy! Glad you liked them!
Robynne
Healthy, wholesome and easy to make!
The Clean Eating Couple
Thank you Robynne! So glad you liked it!
Faye
I’m looking forward to trying these tomorrow. I have oat flour on hand and would like to use that up. Would I do a cup to cup msmt for the oats? Any idea of how the texture would be affected if I did thick grated apples instead of chunks? I imagine I’d have to squeeze off some of the extra juices? And last question – can I use a ready made apple pie spice in place of all the listed spices? And how much? Thank you in advance.
The Clean Eating Couple
I’m sorry, Faye – but I don’t have the answers to these questions. The recipe has only been tested as written/with the substitutions we noted. From research I just did: 1 cup whole rolled oats yields about 3/4 cup flour. So maybe try 1.5 cups flour? I can’t give advice on grated apples as I don’t know how that would affect the texture but squeezing out the juice seems smart. I haven’t tried apple pie spice in these but maybe 2 teaspoons would work? I’m sorry but without trying it I can’t guarantee it will work!
Hayley
These muffins are so delicious! I’ve made them twice now and they’re even better the second time! It seems like a lot at first to have to blend the oats but it’s not hard and doesn’t take a long time. I love that they are healthy! My boyfriend loves them, he will eat about 5 in one sitting! Lol I highly recommend these!
The Clean Eating Couple
Thanks, Hayley! So happy you both like them 🙂
Carleigh
These keep you fuller so much longer than regular muffins!
The Clean Eating Couple
That’s so awesome to hear, thank you!
Sara
These were good but too crumbly for me.
The Clean Eating Couple
Thanks for your feedback, Sarah!
Heather Valois
Do you think it would be ok to swap 1/2 the oil w Apple sauce?
The Clean Eating Couple
I’m not sure because I’ve never tried this, Heather. Sorry but I can’t be sure without testing.
Ashley
I love these muffins; not only are they good but macro friendly! I’ve made them a few times and they are great for morning snack.
The Clean Eating Couple
Thanks, Ashley! So happy you like the muffins!
Alicia
Perfect snack for my mid-day craving! The peanut butter on top sealed the deal for me! Easy to make and my daughter approved too!
The Clean Eating Couple
So happy you both liked them!
Jessica
These are great! I made them with vegetable oil instead of coconut and dairy milk instead of almond since that’s what I had, but still fairly healthy and delicious. Even my fiance who isn’t into health food really enjoyed them!
The Clean Eating Couple
Thanks, Jessica! So glad you like them!
Chrissy
I just made these and my son and I think they are wonderful! He said “There is no way these are healthy- they are too good!”
The Clean Eating Couple
Love hearing that, Chrissy!
Noodles
I just made these to cure my muffin craving (diets stink!). LOVE them! My only complaint would be that they tend to stick to the paper liners. But that could be that I didn’t let them cool all the way before enjoying.
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you liked them! We recommend using silicone muffin liners to avoid sticking. These are a moist muffin so they might stick a bit
Camille
If I already have oat flour, how much do I use?
The Clean Eating Couple
I’m not sure because I haven’t tried it but I just searched on google and found that 2 cups of whole oats will usually lead to 1.5 cups oat flour. Hope this helps!
Lisa Hernandez
Thanks you answer my question. So you can just disregard! Thank you!!
Kim Adda
Hello! I just made these but I didn’t have a blender so I used whole rolled oats. It worked fine! I also made them lower calorie by replacing honey with sweetener and I added fat-free Skyr yogurt and blueberries as well to the mix. I left out the spices since my partner hates the “american” apple cinnamon flavour (silly man). I used low fat butter spread instead of coconut oil so my fat was only 180 calories total. I made them in a mini muffin tin and it made about 30 muffins. I calculated the calories and I get 46 calories per muffin, I am not sure how you are getting 97 for a full size muffin using coconut oil and honey and I am guessing 2% milk?
These are really good and I do plan of freezing them! Great for a snack when on a calorie deficit diet.
Kim Adda
Also I see people are complaining they stick, I used a 1 calorie sunflower oil spray and they were absolutely fine. No muffin papers!
The Clean Eating Couple
Hi Kim – you used completely different ingredients than I did so your nutrition facts are going to be totally different from mine. You also made mini muffins instead of regular muffins so that is why there is a difference in this. Without knowing the exact ingredients I can’t compare the nutrition facts! Glad you liked them
Jennifer
This is An INCREDIBLE RECIPE
I JUST MADE IT AND MY 15 months old ate 3 mini ones !
I should’ve made a double batch
Next time I’ll add an extra apple and I used maple syrup instead of honey
just AMAZINNNNG
grateful to have this recipe thank you for sharing
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you liked it, Jennifer!
Jennifer
I have a quick question it’s very fluffy and crumbly so when my baby eats it goes everywhere do you think substituting the oats will help it not be as crumbly and messy for me to clean after hahaha
I make these every week ❤️
The Clean Eating Couple
I’m sorry but I can’t offer substitutions on flour.I’m not sure what you could substitute the oats with/how it would affect the muffins. If you try it let me know!
Amy
Made these today with just cinnamon and vegetable oil instead of coconut and they are super yummy !! Will make again!
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you liked them, Amy!
Elizabeth
I am obsessed with this recipe! I have made them with added walnuts, raisins, and blueberries. Also substituted ripe banana for the apples. Quick, easy, delicious and healthy!
The Clean Eating Couple
So glad you liked them, Elizabeth! Thank you!
Dayna Gallagher
These were SO GOOD! I’ve made a lot of gluten free muffins and I’ve got to say these are in my top 3. So tender! I did use pre-ground oat flour (1 1/2 cup), because I never get good results in the blender despite having a high-powered one. I used pumpkin spice for the spices and subbed out 1/4 cup of the oat flour for buckwheat flour because I like the nutty flavor.
For me, this made 12 big muffins and took about 26 minutes to bake.
The Clean Eating Couple
So happy you liked them, Dayna! Thank you!
Lisa Hernandez
I’m going to make these now but I already have some oat flour. Do I still use 2 cups or is it less?