These quick, easy, moist, and flavorful applesauce muffins contain unsweetened natural applesauce, walnuts, rolled oats, cinnamon, and brown sugar. They are a great on-the-go satisfying breakfast or snack.
Make a batch today and freeze half for later in the week. If you like this recipe, try apple cookies, apple cinnamon bread, and applesauce cake.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Spices: ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. You can also add a pinch or two of ginger and ground cloves.
- Applesauce: preferably unsweetened. If using sweetened applesauce, reduce the brown sugar to 1/4 cup.
- Oatmeal: old-fashioned rolled oats
- Nuts: substitute pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, macadamia, or pistachio nuts for the walnuts.
How to make Applesauce Muffins
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Then, in a large bowl, beat the eggs and add the applesauce, vegetable oil, and brown sugar, stirring to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in several increments, stirring a few times. Then add the rolled oats and chopped walnuts and stir just until everything is incorporated.
Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling almost all the way up. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the muffin tin. Please find the full recipe, including recipe quantities, at the bottom of the post.
How to freeze these apple sauce muffins
First, let the muffins fully cool by removing them from the tin about 5 minutes after they come out of the oven. Place the muffins on a wire cooling rack, and do not wash the tin yet. Once the muffins have thoroughly cooled, place them back in the tin. Place the tin on a flat-level surface in the freezer. Once fully frozen, please put them in a heavy-duty freezer zipper bag, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Preparation Tips
- For accurate measuring, always scoop the flour into the measuring cup with a spoon. Then, level it off with a table knife, pushing the excess back into the flour canister.
- Use paper liners in your muffin tin so you don’t have to grease the pan. With liners, the muffins will never stick, the pan is easier to wash, and the muffins stay somewhat protected in their little package. I like the unbleached chlorine-free baking cups.
- Do not overmix the batter. Mix just until combined and no further. Overmixing the batter can cause overactive gluten, leading to tough and gummy muffins.
How to make a muffin light and fluffy
- Always bring any eggs, butter, and milk to room temperature.
- Increase the baking temperature (around 425 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first 5 minutes, then reduce to 350 for the remainder of the cooking time.
- For a higher rise, I like to use a combination of baking powder and baking soda.
- Do not overmix the batter. This can result in dense, chewy muffins that are not light and fluffy.
- White flour produces a lighter, fluffier muffin than whole grain or whole wheat flour. That is not to say that some whole wheat muffins are not absolutely delicious. It just depends on what you want the result to be from your muffin.
Storage and Reheat
Muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, pop them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
More Muffin Recipes
Applesauce Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ⅓ cups all natural unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add baking cups to a standard size 12-count muffin tin.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the applesauce, vegetable oil, and brown sugar, stirring to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in several increments, stirring a few times. Add the rolled oats and chopped walnuts and stir just until everything is incorporated.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling almost all the way up. Bake for 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 11-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the muffin tin to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- For accurate measuring, always scoop the flour into the measuring cup with a spoon. Then, level it off with a table knife, pushing the excess back into the flour canister.
- Use paper liners in your muffin tin so you don’t have to grease the pan. With liners, the muffins will never stick, the pan is easier to wash, and the muffins stay somewhat protected in their little package. I like the unbleached chlorine-free baking cups.
- Do not overmix the batter. Mix just until combined, no further. Overmixing the batter can cause overactive gluten, leading to tough, gummy muffins.
Nutrition
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Yeah Lifestyle
This looks like a perfect breakfast treat for the kids as I do have some applesauce frozen in the freezer so ready to make this muffin for them.
Edyineth Melgarejo
This recipe looks fantastic. I want to make them soon!
Marysa
These sound so delicious, and not dry like a lot of muffins. I’m sure my kids would enjoy these. Definitely would be convenient for breakfast.
Lavanda Michelle
Those look so delicious, I’d definitely love to make these soon. Thanks for sharing!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Lavanda! Enjoy!!
Rhian Westbury
I love the idea that you can freeze these and have a supply whenever you want them. The spices in these sound so yummy and great for getting close to Autumn
Talya Stone
Ooooh these were delicious. We had a little bit of a baking session over the summer holidays with the kids. Will add these to my rotation list! Great for back to school breakfast and snacks.
Sarah Stockley
Apple flavors in muffins go so well. I have made spiced apple muffins before but have never tried using apple sauce. These look so tasty
Natalie
I made a similar recipe using apple sauce earlier this year and my muffins were so moist and delicious! Will have to recreate this one!
Stephanie
These are such a perfect breakfast! Muffins are perfect for busy mornings since they don’t take long to eat. I like to make them ahead. My boys devour these applesauce muffins!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Stephanie! So glad to hear that the boys like them!
Thena
My kids flipped out over these muffins. Super moist!
Jared's Mum
These muffins are easy, moist, and yummy. I made them with my grandkids last weekend. I am going to make them again for Mother’s Day!
Chloe Arnold
okay these were DIVINE!!!! My whole family really enjoyed them and I will be making them again soon.
Clarice
Wow! This looks delicious. Very timely since the girls and I plan to practice baking every weekend. Will try this on Saturday. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Clarice! Enjoy!!
Brianne
Making my muffin light and fluffy was always a challenge but thanks to your tips. I will have to try them.
Michele
This sounds so good. I haven’t had an applesauce muffin in years. My mom used to make them when I was younger. Now I am gonna have to make them.
Eileen M Loya
Making these tomorrow. These muffins look really delicious and would be perfect with my cup of afternoon tea. Saved the recipe and will print a copy to add to my recipe book.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Eileen! Enjoy!!