These gluten free apple muffins are super moist, have the perfect amount of cinnamon spice, and are entirely scrumptious! Nothing beats a freshly baked apple cinnamon muffin because not only does it taste amazing, but your house will smell heavenly!
You aren’t going to have a crumb leftover when you make these because they are going to be devoured.
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Mornings can be hectic in the Fearless Dining household, so I wanted to create a recipe that was easy to eat on the go. Gluten free cinnamon apple muffins are the perfect fit for us because you don’t need any utensils at all! Just grab it, and we can hit the road. I love these are also dairy-free!
These gluten free muffins are incredible for breakfast, but they are excellent for many other things too. Brunch, dessert, or a snack are a few ideas. They are great for road trips, baby showers, or just when you want something a little sweet.
If you love apples as much as we do, check out this delicious Gluten Free French Apple Cakes recipe.
Why these gluten free apple muffins are so good:
These gluten free apple muffins do not taste gluten free. They are light and fluffy and they are full of juicy apple chunks. You can make them in about 35 minutes!
Every morsel of this healthy apple muffin recipe is filled with sweet apples and cinnamon. The flavors are a perfect match! If you are an apple fanatic like me, you will want to check out all of my delicious gluten free apple recipes!
Ingredient notes:
- Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- Xanthan gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Coconut oil - You can also use vegan butter to keep these apple muffins dairy-free.
- Non-dairy milk - I used almond milk but other dairy-free kinds of milk will work but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
Fun Swaps:
- Add nuts like walnuts, almonds, or even macadamia nuts
- Sprinkle shredded coconut on top before baking.
- Mix-in raisins or raisins
- White or dark chocolate chips
Recipe step by step directions:
Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a bowl and use a whisk to blend them together.
Step 2: Chop your apple into thin slices and add to the wet ingredients. Mix well.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix gently.
TIP: If you like your muffins light and fluffy, do NOT overmix your muffin batter. Mix it until it is just barely mixed.
This is what your apple muffin batter will look like.
Step 4: Put muffin liners into a muffin tin and fill each about ¾ full with the muffin batter. Optional: top with coarse sugar.
Step 5: Bake at 350º F for 30 minutes. To see if they are done baking, insert a toothpick into the center of the muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the muffins needs to bake longer.
What kinds of apples are best for baking?
There are so many different types of apples available; it can be hard to know which ones will taste the best. Here are varieties that I typically use:
- Fuji - They are firm, juicy, and have a sweet flavor that goes wonderfully in baked goods.
- Granny Smith - These apples have more of a tart flavor and a slight sweetness. They are crisp and very popular to use in pies and other recipes.
- Pink Lady - If you have never tried a Pink Lady apple, you are missing out! They are similar to Granny Smith in the fact that they are tart, but they have a kick of sweetness too!
- Golden Delicious - If you are a fan of really sweet apples, then these are exactly what you need. They are perfect for baking!
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
One of my favorite muffin baking tips is if you want your muffins to have a domed style top, bake at 425º F for the first 5 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350º F.
No, you can leave the peels on the apples for added fiber. Plus, leaving them on will save you a little bit of time prepping too. That is what is great about this apple muffin recipe, you can personalize it to meet your tastes.
These muffins will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Yes, you can freeze these apple cinnamon muffins. The best way to freeze them is to individually wrap them in plastic wrap or place them in a freezer bag.
Once they are all packaged separately, then put them all in a larger airtight container. This will keep them fresher and prevent freezer burn. To thaw, you can just place them on the counter until they are ready to eat.
Many people who don’t understand gluten free eating, don’t realize that we can still eat amazing baked goods. To get started, take a look at this article I wrote Gluten Free Pantry Essentials and Equipment Recommendations.
Reader Review:
They turned out great!
Whitney L., Pinterest User
Looking for more delicious baked goods?
- These Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes make a great birthday or bake sale treat.
- If you love lemon, these Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are absolutely delicious.
- Everyone loves this sweet Gluten Free Banana Muffins recipe. Just grab some over-ripe bananas!
- My Gluten Free Honey Cake recipe has been getting rave reviews!
Recipe
Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup butter or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup thinly sliced apples
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, add the wet ingredients and mix well. Add the apple slices.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. (See Notes below)
- Place liners into the muffin tin and fill each cup about ¾ full of muffin batter.
- Bake for 25 minutes until done. Check at the 20 minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the top of a muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins are ready.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend in this recipe. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the muffins need to bake longer.
- The secret to light and fluffy muffins is to just barely mix the batter. If you overmix the batter, your muffins will be denser.
- If you want your muffins to have a domed style top, bake at 425º F for the first 5 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350º.
- These muffins will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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wilhelmina
Loved these muffins! They are really light and full of yummy apple goodness! Perfect for Fall breakfast.
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you loved them Wilhelmina 🙂
Carmen Sammut
Muffins came really nice and fluffy. Can I use something else instead of non dairy milk
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Carmen, I am so glad you liked them. You can easily use regular milk if you are not dairy-free.