Apple Cinnamon Muffins

(6)

These muffins taste like they came straight from a bakery, but with a healthy twist! Nutty almond and coconut flours replace all-purpose flour, which helps lower carbs. A bit of brown sugar and apple sauce add a touch of sweetness. Make these ahead for an easy grab-and-go breakfast for the week.

an image of the Low-Carb Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Credit:

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower

Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr
Servings:
10

These Apple Cinnamon Muffins pair perfectly with a warm cup of tea on a cold day. Granny Smith apple chunks give a pop of tartness, and leaving the skin on adds fiber. Throw in some warm cinnamon, apple pie spice and applesauce, and you get the perfect fall flavor combo. Low-carb and gluten-free almond and coconut flours bring a subtle nuttiness, while dark brown sugar adds a hint of toffee flavor. These muffins are just the right balance of sweet and tart and come out of the oven with a beautiful crisp exterior and moist interior. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how to ensure a moist, tender muffin.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

  • One way to ensure moist, tender muffins is to not overmix the batter. You’re just folding the batter until the ingredients are combined.
  • Use a ¼-cup measure to scoop the batter for the muffin tins. This makes it easier to evenly portion out the batter and prevent overfilling (and a subsequent mess in your oven).
  • You can use a loaf pan instead of muffin tins. Once baked, slice the loaf, toast it and enjoy with butter. If you want to add a cinnamon swirl, add half the batter to the loaf pan and sprinkle it with brown sugar streusel. Cover it with the remaining batter and swirl it with a butter knife. Bake the loaf until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
  • For some extra crunch and flavor, you can add nuts, chocolate chips or your favorite add-ins to the batter or on top.

Nutrition Notes

  • Apples might seem like an unassuming fruit, but they’re loaded with antioxidants shown to protect your heart and brain. Leave the skin on for the greatest benefits—and to get all the gut-loving fiber that apples have to offer.
  • Almond flour is simply finely ground blanched almonds. The blanching removes the almond skin. Because it’s made from only almonds, this flour is higher in heart-healthy fats, fiber and protein than whole-wheat flour. And it’s gluten-free.
an image of the ingredients to make the Low-Carb Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • cups almond flour

  • ¼ cup coconut flour

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • ½ teaspoon apple pie spice

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 1 large Granny Smith apple, unpeeled and chopped (about cups)

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar

  • ¼ cup whole milk, at room temperature

  • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or avocado

  • teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously coat 10 cups of a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

  2. Combine 1½ cups almond flour, ¼ cup coconut flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon apple pie spice, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl; whisk until no lumps remain. Stir in chopped apple. In a medium bowl, whisk 2 eggs, ¼ cup each brown sugar, milk and applesauce, 3 tablespoons oil and 1½ teaspoons vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture; fold until combined.

    an image of the apples and dry ingredients being stirred together

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower

  3. Divide the batter among the 10 prepared muffin cups (about ¼ cup each). Bake until lightly browned around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and remove from the pan to cool completely.

    an image of the batter divided into muffin tins

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What’s the best way to store Apple Cinnamon Muffins?

    After baking, let the muffins cool, put them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months, which is always nice, especially if you have breakfast guests. Defrost the muffins overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

  • What are the best apples for these muffins?

    We recommend using a firm, tart apple, such as a Granny Smith, because it adds the perfect balance of tartness to complement the sugar, cinnamon and other ingredients. Other excellent options include Pink Lady, Fuji or Honeycrisp apples.

EatingWell.com, December 2024

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

198 Calories
14g Fat
15g Carbs
6g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 10
Serving Size 1 muffin
Calories 198
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 9g
Added Sugars 4g 8%
Protein 6g 11%
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 38mg 13%
Vitamin A 27µg
Vitamin C 1mg 2%
Vitamin D 0µg
Vitamin E 5mg 35%
Folate 14µg
Vitamin K 4µg
Sodium 255mg 11%
Calcium 161mg 12%
Iron 1mg 6%
Magnesium 52mg 12%
Potassium 205mg 4%
Zinc 1mg 7%
Vitamin B12 0µg
Omega 3 0g

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Additional reporting by
Carrie Myers, M.S.
Carrie Myers
Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic.
and
Linda Frahm
Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications.

Related Articles