These apple cinnamon muffins are soft and moist with a sweet cinnamon finish. They are easy to make and loaded with tender chunks of apples!

An apple cinnamon muffin in a piece of burlap with two cinnamon sticks, red apples and muffin pan in the background.

Why this recipe is so great:

  • Ready in under 30 minutes – This recipe is super quick and easy to make. The most time-consuming part is peeling and chopping the apples.
  • Easy substitutes – The ingredients in this recipe can be easily substituted with whatever you have on hand, so you don’t have to make a special trip to the grocery store. See the full list of swaps and substitutions below.
  • Superb taste and texture – The texture is super soft and fluffy. It’s full of apple flavor with a sweet cinnamon-sugar kick.

If you love baking with apples, try my Cinnamon Apple Bread, Fresh Apple Cake, and Easy Apple Crisp.

Or if muffins are your jam, try these Moist Pumpkin Muffins, Blueberry Streusel Muffins, and reader-favorite Chocolate Chip Muffins.

A muffin pan of apple cinnamon muffins on a burlap mat with apples apples and cinnamon sticks

Ingredients you’ll need:

An image of labelled ingredients needed to make apple muffins.
  • All-purpose flour: Provides structure to the muffins.
  • Baking powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the muffins rise.
  • Ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg: Pairs well with the apples, adding warmth and flavor like in my Baked Rice Pudding and Old-Fashioned Donuts.
  • Salt: Enhances flavor and balances sweetness.
  • Vegetable oil or any neutral-tasting oil: Adds moisture and tenderness to the muffins, as well as these Strawberry Muffins and Morning Glory Muffins.
  • Granulated sugar: Sweetens the muffins and aids in browning.
  • Eggs: Bind the ingredients and provide structure.
  • Milk of any kind: Adds moisture and richness to the batter.
  • Vanilla extract: Enhances flavor with a subtle sweetness.
  • Apples: Provide moisture, sweetness, and texture, making the muffins flavorful and tender.

How to make apple cinnamon muffins:

(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)

A picture collage of how to make apple cinnamon muffins
  1. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, milk, eggs, and vanilla.
  3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together. Fold in the apples.
  4. Divide the batter into a paper-lined muffin pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
An apple muffin with a big bite taken out to show the inside texture with a cinnamon stick, apples, and muffin pan in the background.

Recipe FAQs:

What type of apple is best for muffins?

A sweet variety that holds its shape when baked is best. Some of my favorite sweet baking apples are Royal Gala, Ambrosia, Honey Crisp, and Golden Delicious.

How to store apple cinnamon muffins:

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Please note that the cinnamon sugar will lose its crispiness after a day from all the moisture in the muffin. You can reheat in a toaster oven or conventional oven at 350F for 10 minutes to warm and crisp up the muffins.

How to freeze apple cinnamon muffins:

Once the muffins are completely cooled, wrap securely in foil or saran wrap and place in freezer bags. Label and date, and store in the freezer for up to a month. Let thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for an hour. Then reheat in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes to freshen up the muffin and crisp up the edges.

If you’ve tried this Apple Cinnamon Muffin Recipe or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

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Apple Cinnamon Muffins

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 19 reviews
  • Author: Lily Ernst
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 20 min
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 12
  • Category: breakfast, snack
  • Method: bake
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

These apple cinnamon muffins are soft and moist with a sweet cinnamon finish. They easy to make and loaded with tender chunks of apples!

Ingredients

Muffin

  • 2 & 1/2 cups (310g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 cup (200g)  granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup (188ml) milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 & 1/2 cups apples (peeled, cored, and chopped)

Cinnamon-sugar

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl; whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl; whisk together the oil, one cup of sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and gently stir using a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in the chopped apples.
  5. Divide the batter into the 12 muffin cups. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon-sugar. Generously sprinkle on top of each muffin.
  6. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Please note that the cinnamon-sugar will lose its crispiness after a day from all the moisture in the muffin. You can reheat in a toaster oven or conventional oven at 350F for 10 minutes to warm and crisp up the muffins.

Substitutions:

  • AP flour – You can swap half of the AP flour with whole wheat pastry flour for a healthier alternative. You can also use self-raising flour, just omit the baking powder and salt. To make these muffins gluten-free, use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 baking flour blend.
  • Baking powder – If you don’t have baking powder, use 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar instead.
  • Vegetable oil – You can use the same amount of melted unsalted butter, avocado oil or any type of yellow oil like canola or safflower.
  • Eggs – The two eggs can be substituted with a 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce or 1/2 cup of mashed bananas.
  • Milk – You can use any kind of dairy or non-dairy milk.
  • Vegan option – Swap the eggs for applesauce and use non-dairy milk to make these muffins vegan.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 muffin
  • Calories: 275
  • Sugar: 21.1 g
  • Sodium: 117.2 mg
  • Fat: 10.2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 42.3 g
  • Protein: 4.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 31.3 mg