Applesauce Vegan Muffins
Dark, moist, and scattered with raisins and fresh apple bits, these Applesauce Vegan Muffins are perfect for breakfast or a snack. So scrumptious and easy to make, no one will ever guess they are actually healthy. Make ahead of time and freeze for quick breakfasts on the go!
These pleasantly plump healthy vegan muffins are loaded with fresh apples, cinnamon, and raisins and have absolutely zero dairy or oil. This recipe is so good, that it was even published on the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies website.
I have lots of other vegan muffin recipes like Sweet Potato Vegan Muffins and Chocolate Zucchini Dairy-Free Muffins so be sure to check those out as well. They are all completely oil-free and made with wholesome ingredients. There’s even a gluten-free option listed with my Banana Oat Plant-Based Muffins.
Reasons you will love these muffins
- Healthy and Wholesome: Made with plant-based ingredients, these muffins are a nutritious option that’s free from dairy and eggs, perfect for anyone following a vegan or clean-eating lifestyle.
- Easy to Make: This simple recipe comes together quickly, making these muffins an ideal choice for a hassle-free breakfast, snack, or dessert that’s both satisfying and delicious.
- Moist and Tender Texture: The applesauce keeps these muffins incredibly moist and tender, creating a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s hard to resist.
Ingredients you will need
- Flour & rising agents- Whole wheat flour provides a nutritious, fiber-rich base for healthy vegan muffins, while baking powder and baking soda work together to create a light, fluffy texture. A pinch of salt enhances the flavors, ensuring your muffins are both delicious and wholesome.
- Applesauce- Adding natural sweetness and moisture while reducing the need for added fats or oils. Applesauce helps to keep the muffins tender and moist. If you can’t find it in your local grocery store, try making your own applesauce with our recipe.
- Plant Milk- To keep this recipe dairy-free, we use almond milk, and other options include soy milk, oat milk, and others. We have a great guide on how to make your own cashew milk that is super simple.
- Vinegar- Adding vinegar to vegan muffins helps activate the baking soda, creating a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide bubbles. This reaction helps the muffins rise and results in a light, fluffy texture.
- Sweetener- My preference is brown sugar, but other options could include date sugar, maple sugar, or pure cane sugar.
Tips & suggestions
- Gluten-Free- These muffins are not gluten-free, but this link to the Minimalist Baker will help adjust it for those who want to give it a try.
- Sweetener- This applesauce recipe calls for brown sugar, and many people are avoiding refined sugars. For those who use only natural sweeteners, homemade date paste or date sugar can be used in this recipe.
How to make applesauce muffins
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F. Then wash your apples and core and dice them. They can be peeled if desired, but I like to leave the peels on because they add lots of fiber and get pretty soft during the baking process.
I like leaving on the peelings because of the added insoluble fiber and other nutrients that help to make these muffins a great healthy option. Once your apples are cored and diced, set them to the side.
STEP #2: In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and sugar (if using).
STEP #3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients including homemade unsweetened applesauce, almond milk, vanilla, vinegar, and date paste (if using as a sweetener substitute). If you are feeling creative, try making your own almond milk in about 10 minutes.
A number of people have messaged me over the years saying they aren’t able to find unsweetened applesauce in their area. The good news is that homemade applesauce is really easy to make in your own kitchen if you want to give it a try, and the only ingredients are apples, water, and lemon juice.
STEP #4: Pour the well-blended wet mixture into a large bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to make a nice thick muffin batter.
Add the diced apples, raisins, and crushed walnuts and mix well.
STEP #5: Spoon or scoop the batter into a silicone muffin baking non-stick pan or paper muffin cups. I recommend the silicon pan because these muffins tend to stick to paper cups after baking.
When I am making muffins, pancakes, or waffles, I like to use a trigger ice cream scoop to portion out the batter. It makes much less of a mess and each scoopful tends to be the exact amount of batter needed.
STEP #6: Place the muffin pans in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. If you’re using a silicone nonstick pan, you’ll want to place it on a baking sheet for support.
Test for doneness by pushing a toothpick into the center of one of the muffins. When it comes out clean, the muffins are ready.
Remove from oven, allow to cool, and serve.
*Originally published April 2016.
Frequently Asked Questions
You really can use any type of apple preferred for this muffin recipe, but I like to recommend that a sweet variety is used. There are many great options like fuji, gala, Golden Delicious, and others. However, if you like more tart muffins, Granny Smith is a good one to use.
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Yes. I highly suggest making a double batch and keeping some on hand for surprise guests or for a quick breakfast on your way out the door.
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Applesauce Vegan Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or other granular sugar
- 1.5 cups apple sauce (or 15 oz)
- 1/2 cup plant milk almond, cashew, etc
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup apples diced
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup crushed walnuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then wash your apples and core and dice them. They can be peeled if desired, but I like to leave the peels on because they add lots of fiber and get pretty soft during the baking process. Once your apples are cored and diced, set them to the side.
- In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and sugar.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients including applesauce, almond milk, vanilla, vinegar, and date paste (if using). Making your own is really easy if you want to give it a try using the recipe above.
- Pour the well-blended wet mixture into a large bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to make a nice thick muffin batter.
- Add the diced apples, raisins, and crushed walnuts and mix well.
- Spoon or scoop the batter into a nonstick muffin pan. I don't recommend paper muffin cups because they stick to the paper.
- When I am making muffins, pancakes, or waffles, I like to use a trigger icecream scoop to portion out the batter. It makes much less of a mess and each scoopful tends to be the exact amount of batter needed.
- Place the muffin pans in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. If you’re using a silicone nonstick pan, you’ll want to place it on a baking sheet for support.
- Test for doneness by pushing a toothpick into the center of one of the muffins. When it comes out clean, the muffins are ready.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool, and serve.
Video
Notes
- Storage- muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Freezing- Since these muffins freeze well, I highly suggest making a double batch and keeping some on hand for surprise guests or for a quick breakfast on your way out the door.
- Gluten-Free- These muffins are not gluten-free, but this link to the Minimalist Baker will help adjust it for those who want to give it a try.
- Sweetener- This applesauce recipe calls for brown sugar, and many people are avoiding refined sugars. For those who use only natural sweeteners, date sugar or maple sugar can be used in this recipe.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
Can I use half gluten free flour and half oat flour…
Hi Lorraine,
That’s something I’m not sure about, as I don’t really do any gluten-free baking personally. Using gluten-free oat flour for the whole recipe would definitely work though if you want to give that a try. Good luck!
I made these using date syrup since I didn’t have date paste. I also added 2Tbs of flax seed. They came out very well. I sprayed just a bit of olive oil in the muffin pan so they wouldn’t stick as I didn’t have anything else.
The texture was amazing and they had a lot of flavor.
That’s great to hear! So glad that you enjoyed the recipe, and thank you for letting me know. 🙂
Can you use coconut flour?
I haven’t really baked with coconut flour but my understanding is that, for every cup of grain flour, you only need 1/4-1/3 cup of coconut flour. Each recipe can be a bit different, so I would suggest making small changes as you see what the consistency of the batter is going to be.
Delicious,
I need to buy a silicone muffin pan,had a heck of a time removing them from paper liner. Will make more when I get a new muffin pan.
Using parchment paper muffin cup liners works well.
Great idea!
I just made the muffins, and I like them. You’re right, they are very sticky on the papers. Would adding more cinnamon to the recipe affect it negatively?
Nancy, I’m glad that you liked the muffins! Adding more cinnamon to the recipe would be just fine. I’m a cinnamon-lover too.
I’ve been alternating making the sweet potato & apple muffins and making them in double batches when I make them…they’re so convenient to keep in the freezer so I can grab them on my way out the door in the mornings to eat while I drive!!! BOTH ARE SOOO GOODDDD & FILLING!!!!
I just made these. The flavor is delicious, but I must have done something wrong, they never cooked in the middle. I will try again later.
Ovens vary greatly, so I would suggest cooking a little longer next time. Muffins can be tested for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle. When the toothpick comes out clean, they are ready. Happy baking!
I made the applesauce muffins yesterday but baked it in a cake pan, it’s delicious . This is one I’ll be making a lot! Thank you for another great recipe!
These are delicious. Thank you for great recipe.
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed them!
I just made these muffins, needed to add half a cup of almond milk to get the batter to a good consistency. Very tasty!
These are delicious! I used whole wheat pastry flour and the muffins were so light and moist.
Can I use almond flour?
I have not used almond flour but think it would work just fine.
I have Whole Wheat Pastry flour and organic spelt flour….will either of those work in place of whole wheat flour?????
Yes, the spelt will work just as well as the whole wheat. I might even use 1/2 spelt and 1/2 pastry flour. The muffins should turn out great!
10/10 great muffin and easy to make thanks for sharing.?
We made these this morning and they were wonderful!!!! Thank you so much for a healthy, tasty recipe.