These moist apple muffins with oil are soft and fluffy, with tender pieces of apple inside and a crisp cinnamon-sugar topping.
These apple muffins with oil are some of the best muffins I have ever made. I first baked them for my son's birthday, and although there were several other cakes on the table, I was the one who kept going back for another muffin.
They are soft and moist, with small pieces of apple inside and a thin apple slice and cinnamon sugar on top. Using oil instead of butter helps them stay moist for longer. They are wonderful on the day they are baked but still soft and delicious two or three days later.
The recipe makes 12 easy apple cinnamon muffins and is particularly useful in autumn when there are always apples waiting to be used. For a larger cake with similar flavors, try this Cinnamon Swirl Cake or this Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cake.
Featured comment from Sia: These were probably the most amazing muffins I've made. So moist and tasty. I didn't slice apples on top but rather just mixed all the chopped apples in the mix.
Ingredients: 12 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 23 minutes | Servings: 12 | Difficulty: Easy
Recipe ingredients
Apples: Tart cooking or baking apples are ideal, but you can use any apples you have. Peel them if the skin is thick or if you are using older garden apples. You will need about 2 medium or 3 small apples.
Oil: Use a neutral-tasting oil, such as canola or vegetable oil. Oil keeps the muffins moist for longer than butter.
Brown sugar: I prefer brown sugar for the batter because it adds flavor and helps the muffins stay moist. You can replace it with granulated sugar if necessary.
Cinnamon sugar: A mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon is sprinkled over the muffins before baking. It forms a lightly crisp topping.
- Check out these Cinnamon Donut Muffins with Apples too; they are amazing!
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make apple cinnamon muffins?
Prepare the apples and the cinnamon topping
- Step #1: Weigh the apples before peeling them. Peel, halve, and core them. Cut 12 thin slices for the tops of the muffins and toss them with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Cut the remaining apples into small cubes and toss them with the remaining lemon juice.
- Step #2: Mix the granulated sugar with half of the cinnamon in a small bowl and set it aside.
Make the batter:
- Step #3: Mix the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, salt, and remaining cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- Step #4: Whisk the eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Step #5: Add the dry ingredients and fold them in just until combined.
- Step #6: Fold in the chopped apples. Don't overmix the batter.
Fill and bake:
- Step #7: Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups. Place one apple slice on each muffin and press it lightly into the batter. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
- Step #8: Bake for 20-23 minutes or until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted into the batter comes out clean. Avoid testing directly through a piece of apple, as that will make the toothpick look wet.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
Tips
Use a kitchen scale if possible. Baking is more reliable when the flour, sugar, and apples are weighed.
Don't overmix the batter. Fold in the flour only until you can no longer see any dry patches.
Weigh the apples before peeling and coring them. A small difference will not matter, but adding far too much apple can make the muffins heavy and wet.
Bake the muffins as soon as the batter is mixed. Make sure the oven is fully preheated before you begin.
The eggs and milk should be at room temperature. This helps them combine more easily with the oil.
Storage
Keep the apple muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Allow them to cool completely before storing them, or condensation will make the tops damp.
Freeze the muffins in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost them at room temperature
Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Oil
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
Ingredients
- 9 oz apples about 2 cups, Note 2
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice divided
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons cinnamon divided
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil neutral-tasting oil, for instance canola
- ⅔ cup full-fat milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C or 320°F/160°C fan. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Apples:
- Prepare the apples: Weigh the apples before peeling them. Peel, halve, and core them. Cut 12 thin slices for the tops and toss them with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Cut the remaining apples into small cubes and toss them with the remaining lemon juice.9 oz apples + 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
Topping:
- Make the cinnamon sugar: Mix the granulated sugar with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.2 tablespoons granulated sugar + 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Batter:
- Mix the dry ingredients: Combine the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, salt, and remaining 2 teaspoons of cinnamon in a medium bowl.2 cups all-purpose flour + 3 teaspoons baking powder + ¾ cup brown sugar + 1 pinch of salt + 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Mix the wet ingredients: Whisk the eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl.2 eggs + ½ cup vegetable oil + ⅔ cup full-fat milk + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Make the batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold just until combined. Fold in the chopped apples. Don't overmix.
- Fill the tin: Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Place one apple slice on each muffin and press it lightly into the batter. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
Bake:
- Bake for 20-23 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the batter comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
Notes
- Measurements: I recommend using a digital kitchen scale in baking; it ensures the best results. This recipe is developed using the metric system.
- Apples: 9 oz/ 250 g is about 2 medium or 3 small apples, depending on size. Remember to cut 12 apple slices for the tops before chopping the remaining apples into cubes.
Rick Filler says
Flour measurement is wrong.
Recipe has too much oil
Adina says
No, it hasn't.
Paula says
Loved this recipe. Thank you for including both metric and imperial for measurement. I used coconut oil and half sour cream/whole milk. A delicious hit with my family. Do you have an apple butter recipe in your repertoire?
Adina says
I am so happy to hear it, Diana, these are our favorite apple muffins. I don't have an apple butter recipe on the blog, just rhubarb, plum, or cherry.
Cupcake Mama Sia says
These were probably the most amazing muffins I've made. So moist and tasty. I didn't slices of apples on top but rather just mixed all the chopped apples in the mix. I also baked them for 5 minutes at 220 Celcius and then a further 10 minutes at 180 Celcius (depending on the size of your muffin tin, of course). This gave them a perfect rise.
Adina says
I am so happy to read this .Thank you for the feedback.
Claire says
Easy and delicious! We used a mix of pear, strawberry and apple and it turned out perfectly. Mr 6 is delighted with his work.
Adina says
So glad to hear it. I miss the time when my kids were eager to bake with me. Now they're teenies...
Paula says
Hello! These look delicious and I'm eager to try them, but I don't have any full fat milk available right now. Is it absolutely necessary or can I substitute it with skim milk? Thanks in advance!
Adina says
Skim milk is ok, but not completely fat-free.
Courtney says
Can you freeze these?
Adina says
Hi Courtney. Yes, you can.
jennifer oechsler says
Save your apples save your flour ,oil, these weren t good at all
Adina says
Hundreds of other readers seem to think differently. Something obviously went wrong.
Cupcake Mama Sia says
Agree. Best and tastiest muffins I have ever made!
Cathy says
Followed the recipe but the muffins didn’t rise to my liking.
Tasty though.
renata says
thank you very much for the tasty recipe, just made them in the morning and they are already gone. by the way, l've got 17 muffins out of the batter.
renata
Anna says
Easy, fuss free recipe. I love that it uses only oil and milk - healthier, and they are ingredients I will always have on hand for last minute muffins! I added 70g of chopped nuts (had almonds in the larder this time, but I'm sure walnuts would be even tastier), used 4 apples (about 400g) and cut the brown sugar to 120g. What a lovely homely treat. My family loved them. Thank you Adina!
Adina says
Hi Anna. Thank you for the comment and the rating. I am glad you like the muffins, and adding almonds or walnuts sounds great.
Maria says
Brilliant, tasty, easy recipe. Added more cinnamon to the batter to increase anti inflammatory properties.
The crispy, caramelised cinnamon topping was outstanding
Batter was quite liquid but this didn’t influence the outcome.
Will add it to the baby weaning dishes minus the crispy caramel topping
Culinette says
Hi Adina. I made these and they are incredible. Very very good! I would love your permission to put the recipe on my foodblog and give you credit. I made my own pics from the ones I baked. But I can't find your e-mail anywhere on this website. Please can I share this on my Dutch blog?
Adina says
Hi. I am glad you liked the muffins. As long as you have your own pictures and maybe rephrase the recipe a bit, it's ok to put it on your blog. Just change it so that it's not duplicate content, Google doesn't like that.
Culinette says
@Adina, Thank you very much. I will do as you say. Thanks again!
Penny says
8.8 oz of flour is not 2 cups
Adina says
8.8 oz (not fluid oz) are 250 g, which are 2 cups flour. I recommend to use a scale to measure the ingredients, it's the best way to ensure that a baking recipe works.
grace says
love those hunks of apple in there!
Anca says
These do look amazing. I understand why you had a few, I would have done the same.
PS. Don't miss my latest bake, I'm sure you'll find it hilarious, considering you are going on holidays in a similar way as I do. 🙂