Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins – Eat Lean

These healthy apple cinnamon muffins are moist, fluffy, and healthier with whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, and zero butter or refined sugar. Loaded with delicious apple chunks and warm spices for the perfect fall muffin!

It’s officially apple season, which means fall baking has begun! These healthy apple cinnamon muffins are really the one not more muffins you must bake this season and they are like this. damn delicious Perfectly fluffy, loaded with fresh apple chunks and warm spices, they’re the perfect cozy treat for your family this weekend. The best part about these healthy apple muffins is that they can be made in just 30 minutes and are made healthier with whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, and zero butter or refined sugar!

These Healthy Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes are a real must-have this fall and I can guarantee your kids will love them too! Just ask my 3 year old 😉 Feel free to add delicious toppings like chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, fresh berries or even dried fruit. So many fun ways to make these healthy apple muffins your way!

Ingredients you will need

• Wholemeal pastry flour – I love baking with wholemeal pastry flour as it has all the nutritional benefits of wholemeal while giving these muffins a light and fluffy texture. I recommend using this, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can use white whole wheat flour, regular all-purpose flour, or even 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
• Bicarbonate of sodium – acts as a leavening agent to help these muffins rise, you can also use baking powder
• apple – I used a Honeycrisp apple because of its sweet/tart combination, but feel free to use whatever variety of apple you like! Braeburn, Granny Smith, Cortland, Pink Lady and Golden Delicious are also good choices. You will peel and grate the apple with a cheese grater
• eggs – adds protein and gives these muffins their structure and height
• maple syrup – sweeten these muffins without using refined sugar, but you can also use honey, coconut sugar, regular sugar or brown sugar
• coconut oil – for extra moisture and fluffiness! Feel free to replace it with vegetable oil, canola oil, or even butter if you prefer
• greek yogurt – This helps reduce the amount of oil we have to use and helps keep the muffins moist. You can also use applesauce, banana puree or pumpkin puree
• milk – I used almond milk, but any kind of milk will work in this recipe
• Cinnamon + vanilla – warm flavor boost!

What apples should I use for baking?

I personally prefer Honeycrisp apples when baking because of their sweet/tart combination (I always have them in the fridge too!) and they also hold up really well without going mushy. Feel free to use whatever variety you like, as there are many apples that are great for baking! Braeburn, Granny Smith, Cortland, Pink Lady and Golden Delicious are good choices.

Try to avoid using McIntosh, Gala, Fuji or Red Delicious apples as they can turn white when baked, but save them for when you want to make applesauce or cider!

How to make apple cinnamon muffins

• Peel and grate the apple. Peel the apple (or you can leave the skin on!) and grate it with a box grater. This will give you a perfectly cut apple!
• Mix the ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the wholemeal pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, then set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, milk, melted coconut oil, and vanilla until the mixture is combined.
• Make the dough. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined, being careful not to over mix the batter, then add the grated apple. Generously coat a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray (or use paper liners) and divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups, making sure to fill each cup almost completely.
• BAKE! Bake the muffins in a 350 degree F oven for 18 to 22 minutes (mine came out perfect at 20 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Preparation and storage

To save: You can keep these muffins stored in a closed, airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil on the counter at room temperature for up to a day, but be sure to refrigerate after that to keep them longer. These muffins will last up to a week in the fridge in a sealed container.

To freeze: These cupcakes also freeze great! You can wrap the muffins individually in plastic wrap or store them all together in freezer-safe bags. When ready to eat, simply microwave them for 30-40 seconds or simply thaw them at room temperature. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months!

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