Applesauce Muffins Recipe
A simple, moist, and delicious batch of cinnamon-spiced applesauce muffins — perfect for breakfast, snacks or brunch. Easy to make and naturally sweetened for a cozy homemade treat.
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1 cup 200 g granulated sugar — or ¾ cup (150 g) for a less sweet muffin
- 2 teaspoons 8 g baking powder
- ½ teaspoon 3 g baking soda
- ½ teaspoon 3 g fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger optional
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup 240 g unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup 113 g unsalted butter, melted — or ⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup 60 ml milk or dairy alternative — optional, only if batter is quite thick
- Optional mix-ins choose one or combine:
- ½ cup 60 g chopped walnuts or pecans
- ½ cup 75 g raisins or dried cranberries (soaked 10 minutes in warm water and drained)
- ½ cup 90 g dark chocolate chips
- Zest of 1 orange optional but brightens the flavor
- Optional topping:
- Cinnamon-sugar 2 tbsp sugar + ½ tsp cinnamon
- or Streusel: ¼ cup 50 g brown sugar + 3 tbsp (23 g) flour + 2 tbsp (28 g) cold butter, cut into crumbs
Instructions
Preheat and prepare:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Place a rack in the centre. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, or grease lightly with butter or nonstick spray. If using topping, prepare it now (cinnamon-sugar or streusel).
Mix dry ingredients:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger (if using). This ensures even distribution of leavening and spices.
Mix wet ingredients:
- In a separate bowl, whisk the applesauce, melted butter (or oil), eggs, and vanilla until smooth. If the melted butter has cooled and started to solidify, gently warm it before mixing so the batter stays smooth.
Combine wet and dry, gently:
- Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture. Pour in the wet ingredients. Fold with a rubber spatula until just combined — a few streaks of flour are fine. Over mixing can lead to dense muffins.
Adjust consistency & add mix-ins:
- If the batter is too thick to scoop easily, fold in up to 2 tablespoons (≈ 30 ml) milk to loosen slightly. Then gently fold in any optional mix-ins (nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, zest).
Fill muffin cups & add topping:
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cups (about ¾ full). If using, sprinkle cinnamon-sugar or streusel on top of each muffin.
Bake:
- Bake for 18–22 minutes at 350°F (180°C). Begin checking at 16 minutes — insert a toothpick or cake tester into the centre of a muffin. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but not raw batter.
Cool:
- Remove the pan from the oven. Let the muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Measuring tip: For best texture, spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it (or weigh for accuracy). Don’t pack it down — over-measured flour makes dense muffins.
- Don’t over mix: The batter should be stirred only until no dry flour patches remain. Over mixing activates gluten and can lead to tough, heavy muffins.
- Ingredient swaps: Use unsweetened applesauce for control over sweetness. If using sweetened applesauce, reduce sugar by about ¼ cup.
- For a lighter, dairy-free version, use oil instead of butter and a plant-based milk.