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!

The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the 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 recipe card at the bottom of this post.

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 Crumble Tea Cake on plate with slice coming out

Vegan Apple Cake

Vegan Apple Bread
Close up of a slice of apple coffee cake on its side amongst other slices.

Apple Coffee Cake (vegan)
Several mini apple tarts dusted with powdered sugar on a rustic gray plate.

Mini Apple Tarts (vegan)

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4.95 from 72 reviews

Easy Vegan Apple Muffins

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Author: Anthea
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.
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Ingredients

Dry ingredients

Wet ingredients

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 and mix until well combined. Add all the wet ingredients (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 spoon and level your flour, fluff up the flour in its container, use a spoon to add flour to a measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. Using a measuring cup to scoop flour out of a container will pack in too much flour and result in dry and dense muffins. Alternatively, use the grams measurements.
    For gluten-free muffins, substitute the plain flour with 1 1/2 cups (150g) almond meal and 1 cup (160g) gluten-free all-purpose flour. Alternatively, these muffins work well with King Arthur’s gluten-free measure for measure flour. The batter will be thick and I recommend baking them for 24-28 minutes.
  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 Information
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!

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