These muffins strike the ideal balance: soft, tender, lightly sweet, and full of real apple without being heavy. The cinnamon adds warmth, while the mix of grated and diced apple gives both moisture and the texture you’d expect from a bakery muffin. They’re quick to make, require no special equipment, and stay moist for days – perfect for breakfast or a coffee break. I keep coming back to this recipe because it works reliably with whatever apples I already have and fits easily into a busy week.
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Vegan Apple Muffins
When I was in my early twenties, muffins were a scary food for me. I studied fashion design at university, and was constantly surrounded by stylish, and mostly, very thin people. I was a healthy weight, but I am tall and constantly felt like I was enormous. I distinctly remember a friend who ordered a muffin with her coffee at the cafeteria, and was immediately met with glances from the others. One of our friends immediately said to her “you know that’s basically cake, right?”. I think she told them playfully where to stick it haha but the moment stuck with me. This poor girl was just trying to enjoy her breakfast. It wasn’t anybody’s fault, it was our age, fashion culture in the early 2010s… we all spent so much time and energy thinking about our appearance and comparing ourselves.
I spent the rest of my twenties, on and off diets, avoiding “bad” foods like muffins. Once, I didn’t eat anything but apples for three days – it was ridiculous. Unsurprisingly, I always ended up back at the same weight (or a little heavier) anyway.
Now at the ripe old age of 34, I try not to get sucked back in to diet culture. It’s a waste of precious energy. I focus on mostly healthy recipes, but I still love dessert and am not tempted to ‘healthify’ everything.
That said, muffins are interesting, because they fall into a functional-food category for me. They’re so convenient as a snack for my toddler, or as breakfast for a morning commute. So when I think of muffins, I want a nutritious option but it should still be something ‘craveable’ to look forward to. I’ve made lots of varieties now, like my Zucchini Muffins with hidden veggies, Banana Oatmeal Muffins and even a more indulgent Pumpkin-Chocolate Muffin. It took a few rounds of testing, but I think I’ve hit the right balance with this Vegan Apple Muffin recipe! The natural sweetness and moisture from the apples helped a lot. It’s not a bakery-style cake muffin, but it’s not spartan either.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Better-for-you but still a treat – these Vegan Apple Muffins sit between a bakery treat and a healthy breakfast bake – sweet enough to enjoy, without feeling like a cupcake
- Meal-prep friendly – these muffins don’t dry out quickly, they’ll keep well for the workweek and you can also freeze them.
- Easy – Straightforward method with everyday ingredients
- Naturally sweet and moist – The combination of both grated apple and little apple pieces give these muffins a soft, moist texture.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The full ingredient measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom. But for your convenience, here’s a shopping list of everything you’ll need:
- Milk (any will work, I prefer soy for protein)
- Ground flaxseed
- Neutral oil
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Light brown sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Apples (I recommend Granny Smith as the tart flavor works well in baking but any will do)
- Rolled oats (just a sprinkle for topping)
- Turbinado or demerara sugar (optional, for topping)
Instructions
Here’s how to make Vegan Apple Muffins. You’ll find all the exact times, temperatures, and measurements in the recipe card below.
Step One: Whisk the oat milk and flaxseed meal together, then mix in the oil and vanilla.
Step Two: Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl.
Step Three: Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture until almost combined, then add the grated and finely diced apples and fold again.
Step Four: Divide the batter into lined muffin cups and top with oats, turbinado sugar, and a few extra diced apples.
Step Five: Bake until golden, then allow to cool in the pan briefly before transferring to a rack to finish cooling.
Substitutions & Variations
- Milk: Any unsweetened milk works here. I use soy as I like the added protein.
- Oil: Melted coconut oil or melted vegan butter can replace the neutral oil if that’s what you have on hand.
- Flour: I have not tested it for this recipe, but typically I find a1:1 gluten-free baking blend works well for a gluten-free version; the texture stays surprisingly close to the original.
- Sugar: Light brown sugar gives the best flavor, but coconut sugar or regular granulated sugar also work with only small changes in color.
- Add-ins: You can add in a small handfull of chopped walnuts or pecans makes if you’d like.
- Topping: If you don’t have turbinado sugar, just sprinkle a little brown sugar on top – it still gives that golden crust moment.
Storage
These keep really well, which is why I like making a full batch for the wek and freezing any extras.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, the texture actually stays soft without needing to reheat. For longer storage, freeze them in a resealable bag for up to a month. When you want one, just let it thaw on the counter or pop it in the microwave for 10–15 seconds.
Expert Tips
Grate your apples last so they don’t release extra juice – it keeps the batter thick and the crumb soft.
FAQ
Yes – any unsweetened milk works the same.
Totally optional. Peeling gives a smoother crumb, while leaving the skin on adds a more rustic texture. Both work.
I haven’t tested it, but typically I find a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend should work with very similar texture.
You can reduce the brown sugar slightly and the muffins will still bake properly, just with a little less moisture.
I prefer Granny Smith apples for their tang, but a mix also works well: one tart apple like Granny Smith for flavour contrast and one sweet apple such as Honeycrisp, Gala or Pink Lady for moisture and natural sweetness. Peel for a smoother crumb or leave the skin on for a more rustic texture.
I hope these Vegan Apple Muffins make your week a little easier and tastier. If you give them a try, I’d love to hear what you thought in the comments section. And if you share a pic on Instagram, feel free to tag me @glowdiaries___ so I can see how they came out!
Vegan Apple Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat milk 250 ml
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- ½ cup neutral oil (such as canola, vegetable, or light olive) / 120 ml
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ⅛ cups all-purpose flour 265 g
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar 130 g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 medium apples about 9 oz / 270 g, half grated and half finely diced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 3 tablespoons rolled oats 25 g
- 2 tablespoons turbinado or demerara sugar 25 g
- 2 tablespoons extra finely diced apple reserved from above
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 365 °F (185 °C fan / 200 °C conventional). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together oat milk and flaxseed. Let sit 3–5 minutes to thicken slightly, then whisk in the oil and vanilla until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Grate half the apples and finely dice the rest (reserve about 2 tablespoons diced apple for topping). Toss the remaining apple with 1 tablespoon flour.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet and fold gently until almost combined. Add the prepared apple and fold again just until evenly mixed.
- Spoon batter into the liners, filling each about three-quarters full. Sprinkle oats and turbinado sugar over the top, then add a few pieces of the reserved diced apple and press them lightly into the surface.
- Bake 24–26 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Best apples: Use one tart variety (Granny Smith) and one sweet variety (Honeycrisp, Gala, or Pink Lady) for balanced flavor and texture.
- Grated apple adds moisture; diced apple adds small bursts of fruit.
- If apples are very juicy, add 1 tablespoon (8 g) extra flour.
- Peel for a smoother crumb or leave unpeeled for a more rustic look.
- Serve slightly warm for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack with coffee.
- Store airtight for up to 3 days at room temperature or freeze for up to 1 month.
Ron says
made a batch of this for my kids and they love it so far!! love how fluffy and moist it turned out