• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Me
  • All Recipes
  • Shop
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

Rainbow Nourishments logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • About Me
  • Shop
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » All Desserts » Muffins and cupcakes

    Published: Oct 3, 2021 · Modified: Nov 13, 2022 by Anthea

    Easy Vegan Apple Muffins

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    1K Shares
    JUMP TO RECIPE
    4.91 from 33 votes

    Easy vegan apple muffins which use only 7 key ingredients and one bowl! These muffins are fluffy, moist and just like those from your local bakery.

    This muffin recipe is adapted from my popular, tried and tested apple bread and apple cake with a pecan crumble.

    Vegan apple muffins with chunks of red apple and raw granulated sugar baked into the top of each muffin.

    What to expect from these muffins

    These vegan apple cinnamon muffins are:

    • Easy, no fuss and use common pantry ingredients
    • Have a simple crunchy topping (chopped apple and granulated raw sugar)
    • Look and taste like they're from a bakery
    • Can be made gluten-free!
    • Perfect as a morning or afternoon snack. They can also be frozen to enjoy weeks later!
    Flatlaye of apple muffins showing golden muffins tops, especially red apple chunks and granulated sugar.

    Ingredients you'll need

    These muffins use only common pantry ingredients including:

    Flatlay of ingredients for apple muffins.

    Notes about the ingredients

    Plain or all-purpose flour. However, wholemeal and spelt flour also works well in these vegan apple muffins.

    Brown, coconut, or cane sugar for sweetness and moisture. I used half coconut sugar (for flavor) and half regular sugar (for sweetness). Using all coconut sugar results in less sweet muffins.

    Light-tasting vegetable oil, such as sunflower, avocado or a mild olive. I prefer using oil instead of vegan butter or solid coconut oil because it allows the muffins to stay tender for longer and moist at room temperature. In contrast, butter and coconut oil are solid at room temperature so can make cakes feel more 'dry'.

    Apple, either roughly chopped or finely chopped. I used sweet apple varieties (Royal Gala and Fuji) which added some natural sweetness. However, if you prefer more 'sour' apples, you can still use Granny Smith apples or other varieties!

    Baking powder. I included 3 teaspoons of baking powder to create really FLUFFY baked goods. But it isn't too much where you can taste it after baking.

    Apple cider vinegar (optional but recommended). This reacts with the dairy-free milk to form vegan buttermilk which gives the muffins a fluffier texture! You can substitute this with lemon juice.

    Even though these are eggless apple muffins, you don't need any store-bought egg replacers!

    A complete list of ingredients, quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    How to make vegan apple muffins

    I always prefer one-bowl recipes and these apple muffins are no exception!

    So, simply add all the dry ingredients to a bowl and mix until there are no big lumps. Watch out for lumps of baking powder!

    Then add all the wet ingredients (except the apple) to the bowl and stir until just BEFORE it's combined. There should be some pockets of liquid or dry ingredients. This helps prevent us from overmixing the batter :).

    Add the chopped apple and fold the mixture until combined. The muffin batter should be quite thick - the apple leaks juice while baking so the batter needs to be a little more thick than usual.

    Four image collage showing how to make apple muffin batter in glass bowl.

    Baking the apple muffins

    One of my baking 'hacks' is using an ice cream scoop to divide muffin or cupcake batter. It's easier, neater and allows each muffin to be roughly the same size.

    For a yummy and pretty touch, I'd recommend sprinkling some extra chopped apple and raw demerara sugar on top. The apple adds a little color to those brown muffins and the sugar adds some crunch.

    If you'd like jumbo cafe-style muffins, this recipe will make 8-10 muffins. For average-size muffins, this recipe will make 12.

    Four image collage showing how to make apple muffin batter in glass bowl.

    Customizing these muffins

    Can I tweak this recipe to make healthy vegan apple muffins?

    Yes, you can use whole wheat flour or spelt flour instead of plain and coconut sugar instead of regular sugar. I've also listed a gluten-free option in the notes of the gray recipe box.

    Can I make these muffins oil free?

    Some of my readers have substituted the oil with applesauce and said it worked well (I haven't tried it myself).

    What else can I add to these muffins?

    Instead of topping the muffins with apple and sugar, you can top them with an oat crumble, such as the one in my apple berry oat crumble muffins recipe.

    You can also add berries, white chocolate chips, pecans or walnuts to the muffin batter!

    For another Fall muffin, see my pumpkin muffins or for a Summery muffin, check out my blueberry muffins.

    Flatlay of dozen muffins in tray.
    Close up of one apple muffin with bite taken out showing fluffy texture and apple chunks.

    More cozy vegan apple recipes

    • Vegan Apple Berry Crumble Muffins
    • Vegan Apple Bread
    • Classic Vegan Apple Pie
    • Apple Custard Cinnamon Rolls (vegan)

    Follow Rainbow Nourishments on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of our latest recipes!

    Print Recipe
    4.91 from 33 votes

    Easy Vegan Apple Muffins

    Easy vegan apple muffins made with only 7 key ingredients and one bowl! They are fluffy, moist and just like those from your local bakery.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time35 mins
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Servings: 12
    Author: Anthea

    Ingredients

    Dry ingredients

    • 2 ⅓ cups (290g) all-purpose plain flour, (note 1 for gluten free)
    • ¾ cup (145g) packed brown sugar, coconut sugar or granulated sugar
    • 3 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • Pinch of salt

    Wet ingredients

    • 1 (~180g) medium-sized apple, chopped roughly or finely
    • 1 cup (250g) dairy-free milk
    • ½ cup (125g) neutral flavored oil
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, optional
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

    Topping (optional)

    • ½ (~90g) medium-sized apple, chopped roughly or finely
    • 2 tablespoons raw demerara sugar

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a muffin/cupcake tray with liners. (note 2)
    • Add all the dry ingredients to a medium or large bowl. Mix until there are no lumps. Add all of the wet ingredients to the bowl (except the apple) and mix until just before it's combined. Add the chopped apple and fold until the apple is evenly dispersed.
    • Use an ice cream scoop or a large spoon to divide the batter into your muffin tin.
    • Optional: Scatter the remaining chopped apple and granulated coarse sugar on top.
    • Bake the muffins in the oven for 20-25 minutes OR until a skewer can be inserted into the middle and there is no wet batter on it, though some crumbs are fine (note 3).
    • Cool the muffins in their tray for 10 minutes then allow them to cool on a wire rack.
    • Enjoy the muffins warm or at room temperature! The muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. The crunchy raw sugar topping will soften after 1 day.

    Notes

    1. To make gluten-free muffins, substitute the plain flour with 1 ½ cups (150g) almond meal and 1 cup (160g) gluten-free all-purpose flour
    2. This recipe will make 12 standard muffins or around 8-10 larger cafe-sized muffins.
    3. For cafe-sized muffins, bake them for at least 25-35 minutes (depending on the size of your muffins) or until a toothpick comes out clean.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    1K Shares

    Reader Interactions

      Leave a Comment and Rating! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Harli says

      March 20, 2023 at 5:18 am

      If 290g of all purpose plain flour is 2 1/3 cups, then how is 250g of dairy free milk 1 cup?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        March 20, 2023 at 9:14 am

        Flour has a different density to milk so a cup of both ingredients will weigh differently. If you look at https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/ingredient-weight-chart, you'll see that 1 cup of flour weighs differently from 1 cup of every other baking ingredient.

        Reply
    2. Gaby says

      March 14, 2023 at 10:00 pm

      I made these today. My very first vegan recipe and I am very impressed. The only problem I had is that the muffins were very crumbly and fell apart once I started to eat one. I wonder whether it's because I used gluten free spelt flour and therefore needed a binding agent? I also didn't add the apple cider vinegar as I didn't have any at home. Could this also have been the issue? In terms of binding agents for gluten free flours, I've read one could use flaxseed meal with water..would this be a good idea for this recipe? Thanks so much for your help and advice.

      Reply
      • Gaby says

        March 14, 2023 at 10:04 pm

        PS: I should have added that I used spelt flour because I could not almond meal. I wanted to make the recipe nut free too 🙂

        Reply
      • Anthea says

        March 25, 2023 at 4:41 pm

        Hi Gaby, that's cool that it was your first vegan recipe! I haven't heard of gluten-free spelt flour before but gluten-free vegan baking always needs a binder, whether it's xantham gum (which is usually in gf all-purpose flour), flaxseeds, psyllium husk or something similar. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    3. Chris says

      February 14, 2023 at 10:01 pm

      5 stars
      Made these with my grandchildren 1 of whom is dairy intolerant. Easy to follow recipe and the girls loved making them. Delicious.

      Reply
    4. Breanna says

      November 05, 2022 at 10:52 am

      5 stars
      These muffins were so delicious, fluffy and soft. I wouldn't change anything at all. Thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 05, 2022 at 11:00 am

        That's amazing Breanna, thanks so much for your feedback, I really appreciate it 🙂

        Reply
    5. Kate says

      November 02, 2022 at 12:53 pm

      4 stars
      Easy to put together. A lityle heavy on the baking powder which leaves an after taste.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 05, 2022 at 10:57 am

        Glad you found these easy to prepare. That's interesting about the baking powder - I notice that only happens if the flour or sugar was under-measured. It actually contains less baking powder than self-rising flour so it shouldn't be too much.

        Reply
    6. Andrea says

      November 02, 2022 at 12:45 pm

      5 stars
      This is a great tasting, very flavourful apple spice muffin! Moist and delicious!! I made the recipe as written and used coconut sugar and whole wheat flour/ half oat flour. I will probably not use as much sugar next time just for my taste, otherwise fantastic recipe! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 05, 2022 at 10:59 am

        Oh that's wonderful to hear and I'm glad it worked with half oat flour too! That's totally understandable with the sugar - I get that everyone is different tastes :). Thanks so much for your feedback Andrea!

        Reply
    7. Becca says

      October 27, 2022 at 4:23 am

      5 stars
      Made as mini muffins, baked for 15 min. Didn’t brown up quite the same but were great for the kids!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 05, 2022 at 10:57 am

        Ooh mini muffins sound amazing! That's interesting about the browning but I'm glad the kids enjoyed them. Thanks for your comment!

        Reply
    8. Claire says

      October 23, 2022 at 6:57 pm

      Hi. Had a question, a see that this recipe is roetty much equel to the apple bread. Expect the muffins have less sugar and a tad less flour. Is this because the bread version is more like a sweet cake and the muffins just a less sweet version of the bread?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        October 23, 2022 at 7:23 pm

        Hi Claire, the recipes are slightly different for a few reasons. The apple muffins have less flour and sugar so the batter can comfortably fit in 12 muffin cups without overflowing. Also, the apple bread recipe has more flour because the grated apple can make the bread overly moist, compared to the chopped apple in this recipe. I hope that helps.

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    About Anthea

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Vegan Cinnamon Babka
    • Vegan Banana Bread
    • Easy Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake
    • Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes
    • Buttery Vegan Brioche
    • Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

    Seasonal Recipes

    • Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes
    • Vegan Blueberry Muffins
    • Vegan Carrot Muffins
    • Vegan Gnocchi Bake with Bolognese Sauce
    • One-Pot Easy Vegan Ramen (with miso sesame soup)
    • Easy Thai Red Curry Potato Lentil Soup

    Get my cookbook

    Cover of Incredible Plant Based Desserts

    About Anthea

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Vegan Cinnamon Babka
    • Vegan Banana Bread
    • Easy Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake
    • Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes
    • Buttery Vegan Brioche
    • Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

    Seasonal Recipes

    • Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes
    • Vegan Blueberry Muffins
    • Vegan Carrot Muffins
    • Vegan Gnocchi Bake with Bolognese Sauce
    • One-Pot Easy Vegan Ramen (with miso sesame soup)
    • Easy Thai Red Curry Potato Lentil Soup

    Get my cookbook

    Cover of Incredible Plant Based Desserts

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Featured in

    Banner with 10 logos where Rainbow Nourishments has been featured.

    More

    About
    Work with Me
    Contact

    Shop

    Get my cookbook

    Follow Me

    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    COPYRIGHT © 2023 · RAINBOW NOURISHMENTS · PRIVACY POLICY ·  ACCESSIBILITY POLICY