Use applesauce to add moisture, flavor, and subtle sweetness to a simple muffin. These Simple Applesauce Muffins are topped with an oatmeal crumb for the perfect snack or breakfast. They are incredibly moist and perfectly sweet!
Ingredients You’ll Need
All of these simple ingredients can easily be found at your local grocery store if you don’t already have them.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Applesauce – You can use homemade applesauce or one from the store! I prefer to use unsweetened applesauce for a muffin that is not super sweet. You can also use it in applesauce cake or chocolate brownies with applesauce!
- Eggs and oil – Use one egg and a neutral vegetable oil for these muffins. Feel free to use a flax egg to make these muffins vegan.
- Brown sugar – Add just a bit of brown sugar to these muffins to sweeten them.
- Ground cinnamon – Cinnamon compliments the applesauce perfectly. You can also use ground nutmeg and cloves for extra flavor.
- Salt and baking soda – Make sure to use salt to bring out the flavor of the apple sauce.
- Vanilla extract – Feel free to double the vanilla extract for this recipe or add a splash of maple extract into the batter as well.
- All-purpose flour – If you want to make these applesauce muffins gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten free flour substitute that is a replacement for all purpose flour.
- Crumb topping – Mix rolled oats, brown sugar, oil, and cinnamon together to make a simple crumb topping. Then, spoon it over the muffins just before baking!
The Game Plan
These muffins are so easy to make, they’re great for getting the kids involved in the kitchen to help you.
- Prepare the batter. Prepare homemade applesauce or open a jar from the store. Mix apple sauce, oil, room temperature egg, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Fold four, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in the wet ingredients with a spatula.
- Prepare the crumb topping. To prepare the crumb topping, mix rolled oats with brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix until the sugar and cinnamon are evenly distributed through the oats. Pour in oil and mix again. The brown sugar and oats should clump together slightly.
- Bake until golden brown. Line a muffin tin with liners or grease thoroughly with cooking spray. Evenly distribute batter into muffin pan. Sprinkle a bit of the crumb topping onto each applesauce muffin. Place in the oven and bake until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool before serving.
5S Philosophy 👩🏻🍳
- Salt – Nearly every baking recipe calls for salt and this one is no exception! It helps bring out the fruity flavor and rounds out the sweetness.
- Seasoning – Cinnamon is a natural companion with apples but you can also use other warm spices or even a blend like apple pie spice or pumpkin spice.
- Sauces – The sauce in this one is right in the name — applesauce! Not only does it flavor the muffins, but it also gives them their tender texture.
- Swaps – Switch up the extract to a different flavor like almond for a nuanced flavor profile. And while we love the streusel-style topping, you can also top these with a frosting or a powdered sugar glaze. You can also add in nuts or dried fruit.
- Senses – You’re going to love how your kitchen smells when you bake these! And sinking your teeth into the moist muffins is a total treat.
Storage
Store these muffins at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple of days. I like to cut them in half and reheat them in the air fryer. Then, I spread peanut butter or almond butter on top! My son loves them with a hefty dollop of butter and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Refrigerator
To keep these even longer, store them in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezer
These applesauce muffins freeze very well. Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them all together or one at a time either at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Muffins with Applesauce FAQs
Adding applesauce to muffins adds moisture, tenderness, and natural sweetness to the baked goods.
Yes, applesauce can be used as a substitute for eggs or oil in baking for moisture and richness, but eggs play multiple roles in baking, including providing structure, moisture, leavening, and richness to baked goods so this recipe also uses one egg and as well vegetable oil as a fat.
More Muffin Recipes
Muffins are a great grab and go breakfast. Here are a few of our favorites that we know you’ll love too.
Applesauce Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
Muffins:
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 egg
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup brown sugar , packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Crumb Topping:
- ½ cup rolled oats (aka quick cooking oats)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, stir together the 1 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 egg , ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Whisk or sift together the 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt. Slowly, add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients with a spatula.
- In a separate bowl, prepare the crumb topping. Mix the ½ cup rolled oats (aka quick cooking oats), 2 tablespoons brown sugar and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, then stir in the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
- Equally divide the muffin batter into the 12 muffin tins and top each muffin with the prepared crumb topping.
- Bake the muffins for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how you liked them in the comments or star ratings!
Nutrition
Connie says, Muffins are delicious. Great recipe! Added 1/3 cup chopped walnuts the second time I made it!
Muffins are delicious. Great recipe! Added 1/3 cup chopped walnuts the second time I made it!
it was excellent [did not have oil so I used one one half cup of melted margarine also added 1/2 cup of mini choc chips also margarine in topping
These muffins looks so delicious and easy to bake. Can’t wait to try it out.
These muffins came out perfectly! They had just the right sweetness and were super moist. Definitely worth making a batch!
OMG! These were amazing! That apple cinnamon flavor with that crumb topping was delicious. My family devoured them in minutes. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
I love the addition of applesauce in these muffins! It is perfect!
Beautiful muffins. The texture looks amazing. I have to give them a try asap. I’m going to bake them this weekend. Thanks for the recipe.
I just need to make a big batch of these – these muffins are just too good. Yum!