Easy Apple Oatmeal Muffins
Fall & apple-picking season is upon us! We just got back from our annual apple-picking adventure, so naturally, I was on the hunt for scrumptious apple recipes to experiment with. I typically search for simple nutritious recipes that don’t require a lot of time or instructions to create. With our crazy busy schedules who has time to spend all day in the kitchen?
After making these delectable little treats; I can assure you these bouncy muffins are satisfying & incredibly easy to whip up. Soft & moist on the inside with a chewy top, packed with seasonal flavor.
What ingredients do I need?
You need 11 simple ingredients for these easy apple cinnamon oatmeal muffins. Each play an important role within our recipe:
- Milk: Milk softens the oats & keeps the centers moist. You can use dairy or non-dairy options here. I chose to use unsweetened almond milk.
- Eggs: Eggs provide a protein boost & bind the ingredients together. If needed, you can replace the eggs with 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana.
- Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup sweetens & adds a hint of caramel flavor to our baked oatmeal cups. If needed, honey is a wonderful substitute.
- Unsweetened Applesauce: Applesauce adds flavor & takes the place of butter or oil. It’s a great healthy replacement for numerous baked goods.
- Oats: Old-fashioned whole rolled oats make up the entire base of this recipe; providing texture & structure. Quick oats will work, but the centers of the oatmeal muffins won’t be as moist.
- Baking Powder: Adding baking powder will prevent our muffins from tasting dense.
- Cinnamon & Nutmeg: Can you eat an apple baked good without these spices?! If don’t have these in the house, feel free to use apple pie spice instead.
- Vanilla Extract: Pairs well with the warm cinnamon & nutty oats.
- Apples: Any apple variety will do! From Granny Smith, Gala, Honeycrisp, Stayman, Pink Ladies, Jonagold, etc. Grab your favorite apple variety, peel it, & chop it into bite-size pieces. No need to pre-cook the apples before adding them to the oat mixture.
- Salt: Salt is optional & depends on preference. I like to omit salt when I can, but feel free to add it if you’d like!
Why does my batter appear watery?
Not to worry. This batter is a little liquidy. After mixing, if your batter appears extremely watery, add up to ¼ cup additional oats to even out your mixture.
When you’re dividing the batter between the muffin cups, make sure you have both liquid AND oats/apples in each. Spoon batter all the way to the top of each. This recipe yields 12-14 apple cinnamon muffins.
Can I bake these ahead of time?
Absolutely! Feel free to prep these at the beginning of the week, then refrigerate them for a quick breakfast or snack. Simply bake, let the muffins cool, & store in an airtight container.
Please note: Don’t make the oatmeal batter ahead of time. The oats will soak up all the liquid! Be sure to whisk ingredients together, then bake right away.
Storage Tips: Leftover muffins can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or refrigerated for about a week.
To Reheat: If refrigerated, place muffins in the microwave for only a few seconds to warm up or bake at 350°F for 5-6 minutes. They also freeze & thaw wonderfully too!
To Freeze: Individually wrap & freeze your oatmeal muffins for up to two months. Defrost overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for several hours before enjoying.
What flavors & add-ins can I use?
- Nuts: Nuts are completely optional, but if you enjoy nuts as I do; chopped walnuts & pecans go perfectly with this recipe. I only had ¼ cup of chopped walnuts in the house, so I decided to throw in some sliced almonds. Worked fine in a pinch!
- Pumpkin: You can swap the applesauce for ⅔ cup of pumpkin puree & reduce the milk to 1 ⅓ to make up for extra pumpkin.
- Blueberry: Leave out the nutmeg, reduce cinnamon to 1 teaspoon, & swap apples for fresh or frozen blueberries. No need to thaw.
- Banana: Swap the applesauce for mashed banana.
- Chocolate Chip: Swap apples for chocolate chips. If desired, leave out the nutmeg.
- Peanut Butter / Nut Butter: Reduce applesauce to 1/3 cup & add 1/2 cup nut butter. Leave out apples & nutmeg, if desired.
