Given how much we love my Banana Oatmeal Muffins, I wanted to try an apple version—perfect for fall!—and I’m so happy to share it today. This recipe has just a handful of ingredients and a base of oatmeal, which makes it have similar nutrition to a bowl of oatmeal…but it’s much more fun to eat! Plus, it’s also less messy for our darling little ones! You can serve these healthy muffins for kids warm, at room temperature, or cold. They are great on their own or with butter, cream cheese, jam, apple butter, or nut butter. And they store well in the fridge or freezer, so you can make them ahead, too! (You may also like Banana Yogurt Muffins, Donut Muffins, Baked Donuts, and Apple Cinnamon Muffins.)
Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at the easy process involved in making this Apple Oatmeal Muffin recipe so you know what you have on hand.
Rolled oats: The base of these muffins is rolled oatmeal, so they have fiber, and B vitamins; and are a great source of long lasting energy from complex carbohydrates. Applesauce: You can use store bought or homemade applesauce in this recipe. You can even make a quick Apple Puree. Milk: I bake with whole milk since that’s what I keep in my kitchen, but you can use any type of milk you like, including nondairy milk. Maple syrup (or honey for kids over age 1): A little sweetener helps to ensure that the muffins are flavorful enough to be yummy. Eggs: Large eggs are what I use in my kitchen, so if you use a different size, you may need to adjust the volume. Vanilla extract and cinnamon: Adding both of these add nice flavor to the muffins. Baking soda: Be sure to use fresh, active baking soda as it is key to ensuring that the muffins bake through and rise properly.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a preview of how to make these Apple Oatmeal Muffins so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of this post for the full information, including the amounts and the timing.
How to Store
These Apple Oatmeal Muffins can store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Or in the freezer in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
Best Tips for Success
Serve cold or slightly warmed. Dice into smaller pieces for younger kids. Dairy-free: Use plain unsweetened nondairy milk. Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free rolled oats. Egg-free: Use a store-bought egg replacer like the kind from Bob’s Red Mill or Just Eggs. (Flax or chia eggs can be used, but the texture may be more like baked oatmeal than a muffin.) Use honey instead of maple syrup if desired. (Do not use honey for kids under age 1.) For mini muffins, bake for 12-14 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out cleanly. To make these by hand without a blender or food processor, use oat flour and mix the ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
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Easy Baked Apple Donuts
title: “Easy Apple Oatmeal Muffins” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-16” author: “Sheila Scott”
I’m having a hard time deciding what my favorite thing is about these muffins. I’m torn between the chunks of sweet apple, the perfectly moist and gently spiced muffin batter which gets a texture boost thanks to the addition of oatmeal, or the crumbly oat streusel topping. I have another muffin recipe on the site that calls for apples that I adore (my morning glory muffins, which are loaded with grated apples, carrots, zucchini, pecans, and coconut), but in the fall when apples are abundant I want to focus on their flavor even more. Enter these apple oatmeal muffins. My family devoured these and while I normally have leftover muffins that I stick in the freezer to have on hand for busy mornings, these almost never last longer than a day in our house. If you love muffins for breakfast, be sure to also check out our Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, The Best Double Chocolate Muffins, and Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Why this recipe works
It uses fresh, real apples for the apple flavor. The wholesome, hearty texture of the oatmeal gives them a satisfying chew factor. The muffin batter comes together with just a bowl, whisk, and spoon, requiring minimal effort. Even beginning bakers and kids can make these! Applesauce replaces some of the oil, resulting in a lighter muffin with more apple flavor.
Recipe Ingredients
Apples: Use your favorite baking apple here! Many varieties work, but some of our favorites are Envy, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Jazz, and Honeycrisp. Oatmeal: You can use old-fashioned oats, quick oats, or even instant oats for these muffins. The old-fashioned ones will have a chewier, heartier texture. The quick cooking oats and instant oats are rolled thinner to cook quicker, but they still work. This article has a great explanation of the differences. Applesauce: I used applesauce in these easy apple muffins, even though the recipe doesn’t rely on the applesauce for most of the apple flavor. Apple muffins with applesauce are a little healthier than other muffins because the applesauce takes the place of some of the oil that would otherwise be required for moist, tender muffins. Apple juice/cider or milk: Most apple oatmeal muffin recipes call for milk as the liquid, but I decided that as long as I had plenty of apple cider in the fridge for apple cider donuts, pumpkin juice, and a creamy apple cider chicken skillet, I might as well use it in the muffins to see if I could get even more sweet apple flavor. It was one of those duh moments and I’m so glad I made the switch. But you can just use milk if you don’t have any apple cider or apple juice on hand.
How to Make Apple Oatmeal Muffins
Recipe Tips
You can use paper muffin liners or baking spray on the pan. Personally I like muffins made directly in the pan best, but either way works. Don’t overmix the muffin batter. You will get lighter, fluffier, more tender muffins by just mixing everything together but not stirring too hard. It’s why you should always mix muffins by hand with a spoon rather than using a hand mixer. You could even concentrate the apple cider by reducing a larger amount in a small saucepan for a bit, just like I do when making apple cider donuts. But unlike apple cider donuts which are a sweet, once-a-year treat that we enjoy on weekends, apple oatmeal muffins are something that I will whip up in 10 minutes in the morning on a school day while my girls are still waking up and have them ready for breakfast, so I like keeping things easy here. Try adding some chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter or streusel topping for extra crunch!
More Apple Recipes
Apple Pie Ice Cream Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts and Poppy Seed Dressing Homemade Apple Fritters Secret-Ingredient Baked Apples Apple Crisp Crockpot Apple Butter
This post was originally published in September, 2018. The photos and content were updated in September, 2021.
Apple Hand Pies
Glazed Apple Fritter Yeast Bread
Apple Cider Donuts
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