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Home Recipes Gluten Free Muffins

Fluffy Gluten Free Apple Muffins {Dairy-Free Too!}

Published: Jun 21, 2022 by Sandi Gaertner · 6 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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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 muffin because not only does it taste amazing, but they make a great grab-and-go breakfast!

Baked gluten free apple muffins in a muffin tin.
Jump to:
  • Why This Recipe is Great:
  • Ingredient Notes:
  • Tips For Sucess:
  • Substitutions:
  • Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:
  • Recipe FAQ:
  • Reader Review:
  • More Delicious Gluten Free Baked Goods:
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

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! Just grab it, and we can hit the road. I love that 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.

You won’t have a crumb leftover when you make these because they will be devoured!

If you wonder which gluten free flour blend to use for gluten free muffins, I tested four easy-to-find gluten-free flour blends to find out.

A gluten free apple muffin on a white plate.

Why This Recipe is Great:

  • These gluten free apple muffins do not taste gluten free. They are light and fluffy and have the perfect texture you want in a muffin.
  • You can make this gluten free apple muffins recipe in about 35 minutes with minimal meal prep!
  • As is, this easy recipe is gluten free and dairy-free.
  • Every morsel of this healthy apple muffin recipe is filled with sweet apples and cinnamon. This truly is a great recipe!
  • My recipe uses real ingredients that are easy to find in any grocery store. You can find fresh apples year round, but during apple season, find them at your local farmer's market for extra fresh flavor.
  • These moist muffins make a great grab-and-go breakfast or put in a lunchbox for an afternoon snack.

I just made these this afternoon - they’re so good! They might be my family’s new favorite !"

Michelle P., Facebook

If you are an apple fanatic like me, you will want to check out my delicious gluten free apple recipes!

Top Pick
King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour 3 lbs
King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour 3 lbs

This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)

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Ingredient Notes:

Photos of the gluten free apple muffins ingredients.
  • 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.
  • DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend - My homemade gluten free flour blend works really well in this recipe. My blend is also gum-free.
  • Xanthan Gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda - Use aluminum-free baking powder.
  • Salt - Use sea salt or kosher salt.
  • Coconut Oil - You can also use canola oil or butter if you are not dairy-free
  • Non-Dairy Milk - I used almond milk but other dairy-free kinds of milk will work. I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
  • Eggs - Use size large eggs.
  • Vanilla Extract - Use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation vanilla.
  • Apples - So many different types of fresh apples are available; it can be hard to know which ones taste the best in baked goods. Here are the varieties that I typically use Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady. I often will use a combination of apples.

If you love apples as much as we do, check out this delicious Gluten Free French Apple Cakes recipe.

Tips For Sucess:

For best results, do NOT overmix your muffin batter. Mix it until it is just barely mixed. Do not use a standing mixer or food processor in this recipe; your muffins will turn out dense.

Need help with your muffins? I have a great gluten free muffin troubleshooting guide, and here are my favorite tools for making muffins.

Substitutions:

  • 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
  • Make a brown sugar crumb topping. If you want a streusel topping, use the topping recipe from my Gluten Free Coffee Cake recipe!

Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:

Apple muffin dry ingredients in a bowl.

Step 1: It is important to measure your gluten free flour correctly. I recommend using the Spoon Method. Use a spoon to fill the measuring cup with flour. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.

Add your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and use a whisk to blend the flour mixture together.

Apple muffin wet ingredients in a bowl.

Step 2: Chop your apple into small pieces. In a medium bowl, add the wet ingredient and diced apples. Diced apples are best because they blend into every bite. Mix well.

🔑 Sandi says: I like to leave my peels on the apples, but you can peel the apples if you prefer.

Pouring the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix gently.

A close up of the gluten free apple muffin batter in a bowl.

NOTE: This is what your apple muffin batter will look like. If your batter is thick, add more milk. Some gluten free flour blends are starchy and require more liquid than others.

Apple muffin batter in a muffin tin ready to bake.

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.

Step 4: Put muffin liners into a muffin tin and fill each about ¾ full with the muffin batter. I really prefer to use parchment paper muffin liners because the muffins don't stick to the paper. Optional: top with coarse sugar.

Step 5: Bake at 350º F for 30 minutes. 

To see if the gluten free cinnamon apple muffins 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 need to be baked longer. The muffin tops will have a pale golden brown color.

Step 6: Carefully remove the muffins from the oven to a cooling rack.

gluten free apple muffins on a cooling rack next to an apple

Recipe FAQ:

Do you have to peel the apples?

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 great about this apple muffin recipe. You can personalize it to meet your tastes.

How do you store gluten free apple muffins?

These muffins will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.

Can I freeze these muffins?

Yes, you can freeze these apple cinnamon muffins. The best way to freeze them is to wrap them in plastic or a freezer bag individually.

Once they are all packaged separately, then put them all in a larger airtight container. This will keep them fresher and prevent freezer burn. You can place them on the counter to thaw 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, look at this article I wrote Gluten Free Pantry Essentials and Equipment Recommendations.

A gluten free apple muffin cut in half on a plate.

Reader Review:

They turned out great! Awesome recipe!

Whitney L., Pinterest User

More Delicious Gluten Free Baked Goods:

  • These Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes make a great birthday or bake sale treat.
  • 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

Sandi Gaertner
Light and fluffy gluten free apple cinnamon muffins. There is also a dairy-free option for this muffin recipe.
5 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Gluten Free Muffins Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 14
Calories 175 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups gluten free flour blend * see note
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum-free
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea 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. Set the oven rack to the middle position. Note if you want dome tops, see the Notes below for specific directions.
  • 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

  1. I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend (gum-free) in this recipe. That doesn't mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours.
  2. If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
  3. 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 be baked longer.
  4. The secret to light and fluffy muffins is to barely mix the batter. If you overmix the batter, your muffins will be denser.
  5. If you want your muffins to have a domed style top, bake at 425º F for the first 5-8 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350º.
  6. These muffins will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 3gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 115mgPotassium: 68mgFiber: 2gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 200IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @FearlessDining or tag #FearlessDining!

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.

This post was updated from an older January 2020 post with more detailed instructions.

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If you love the recipes you find on my blog, I would love for you to sign up for my newsletter (and get my free gluten free lemon dessert e-cookbook!)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Misti St Pierre

    January 19, 2023 at 9:03 am

    5 stars
    These muffins were delicious! I doubled the recipe and made the muffins huge. They were so moist and delicious. I even forgot to add the vanilla and they were still flavourful. Lol

    I'm loving your recipes. I made carrot cake cupcakes today.

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      January 19, 2023 at 12:26 pm

      I am so glad you loved them. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know!

      Reply
  2. wilhelmina

    October 05, 2020 at 2:50 pm

    5 stars
    Loved these muffins! They are really light and full of yummy apple goodness! Perfect for Fall breakfast.

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      October 05, 2020 at 10:14 pm

      I am so glad you loved them Wilhelmina 🙂

      Reply
      • Carmen Sammut

        July 05, 2021 at 4:16 am

        5 stars
        Muffins came really nice and fluffy. Can I use something else instead of non dairy milk

      • Sandi Gaertner

        July 05, 2021 at 8:18 am

        Hi Carmen, I am so glad you liked them. You can easily use regular milk if you are not dairy-free.

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Welcome to my blog! I am so glad you are here. I am a cookbook author and recipe developer. My recipes are easy to make, and I test each recipe multiple times, so you can be confident that my recipes work. If you are looking for family-pleasing gluten free recipes that taste like the real deal, you have come to the right place!

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