These vegan apple muffins are soft, fluffy, moist and loaded with chunks of fresh apple. Perfect for breakfast or dessert.
These vegan apple muffins were pretty much guaranteed the moment I made a vegan apple cake.
That cake was so good, I knew the recipe would have other uses.
So of course I adapted it for muffins. And these vegan apple muffins are amazing!
Brown sugar sweetened, cinnamon spiced and packed with whole apple pieces. Truly divine.
They’re perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast, snack or dessert.
Ingredients To Make These Muffins:
Ingredient Notes
- Granny Smith apples – are the perfect apples to use in these muffins. They are deliciously sweet with a hint of tart and bake up really well.
- Canola oil – can be switched for vegetable oil.
- Vegan buttermilk – we use our recipe for homemade vegan buttermilk, which is a mix of lemon juice (or vinegar) with soy milk and it curdles into buttermilk. Soy milk works the best for vegan buttermilk but you can use another non-dairy milk like almond milk, or another plant milk, even if it doesn’t curdle.
- Applesauce – is used in a small quantity to add extra moisture without weighing the muffins down. You can use sweetened or unsweetened applesauce, whatever you have on hand.
How To Make Vegan Apple Muffins
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
- Sift all purpose flour into a mixing bowl. Add light brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix together.
- Prepare the vegan buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice to a measuring jug and then adding soy milk up to the ¾ cup line (180ml). Let it curdle into buttermilk.
- Add vegan buttermilk, canola oil, vanilla extract and applesauce to the mixing bowl and mix into a thick batter. Don’t overmix.
- Add peeled and chopped apples and fold them in.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin partitions of your muffin tray. Add a few extra pieces of peeled and chopped apple directly to the tops of the muffins.
- Place into the oven and bake at 350°F for 22-25 minutes.
- Let the muffins cool in the tray for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Baker’s Tips
Cut the apples up fairly small. If the pieces are too big they will be too bulky for these muffins.
The batter is thick. A thick batter works great for muffins in general. But it’s also important here because if your batter is too thin then your apple pieces will be more inclined to sink to the bottom of the muffins.
Measure the flour correctly. Since the batter is already thick, if you use too much flour, you won’t even be able to mix it. So make sure you measure your flour correctly. Ideally weigh it out on a food scale, but if you don’t have a food scale, then use the ‘spoon and level’ method. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level off the top with a knife.
Don’t overmix the batter. Mix the batter until just mixed and then stop mixing. Don’t worry if there are tiny lumps.
Make Them Gluten-Free
If you’d like to make these vegan apple muffins gluten-free you can use a gluten-free all purpose flour blend.
Storing and Freezing
Keep them covered in an airtight container at room temperature where they will stay good for around 3-4 days. Or store them in the fridge in a covered container for up to 7 days. Give them a quick 15-seconds in the microwave to heat them up before enjoying.
They are also freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight and bring them up to room temperature on the countertop or heat them up for 15-seconds in the microwave.
More Vegan Muffins
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Vegan Banana Muffins
- Vegan Zucchini Muffins
- Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- Vegan Chocolate Muffins
- Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Apple Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour (250g)
- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar (200g)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¾ cup Vegan Buttermilk (180ml) 1 Tablespoon lemon juice + soy milk up to the ¾ cup (180ml) line
- ¼ cup Canola Oil (60ml) or Vegetable Oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tablespoons Applesauce
- 1 cup Chopped Apple (125g) Peeled, plus more to add directly to the tops of the muffins before baking.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a muffin tray with non-stick spray.
- Sift all purpose flour into a mixing bowl. Add light brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix together.
- Prepare the vegan buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a measuring jug and then adding soy milk up to the ¾ cup line (180ml). Let it curdle into buttermilk.
- Add vegan buttermilk, canola oil, vanilla extract and applesauce to the mixing bowl and mix into a thick batter. Don't overmix.
- Add peeled and chopped apples and fold them in.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin partitions of your muffin tray. Add a few extra pieces of peeled and chopped apple directly to the tops of the muffins before baking.
- Place into the oven and bake at 350°F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the tray for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Measure the flour correctly. This is a thick batter, so if you use too much flour, you won’t even be able to mix it. So make sure you measure your flour correctly. Ideally weigh it out on a food scale, but if you don’t have a food scale, then use the ‘spoon and level’ method. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level off the top with a knife. Don’t scoop it and don’t pack it into the cup.
- Vegan buttermilk – we use our recipe for homemade vegan buttermilk, which is a mix of lemon juice (or vinegar) with soy milk and it curdles into buttermilk. Soy milk works the best for vegan buttermilk but you can use another non-dairy milk like almond milk, or another plant milk, even if it doesn’t curdle.
- Granny Smith apples – are the perfect apples to use in these muffins. They are deliciously sweet with a hint of tart and bake up really well.
- Cut the apples up fairly small. If the pieces are too big they will be too bulky for these muffins.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix the batter until just mixed and then stop mixing. Don’t worry if there are tiny lumps.
- Gluten free: If you’d like to make these muffins gluten-free you can use a gluten-free all purpose flour blend.
- Storing: Keep them covered in an airtight container at room temperature where they will stay good for around 3-4 days. Or store them in the fridge in a covered container for up to 7 days. Give them a quick 15-seconds in the microwave to heat them up before enjoying.
- Freezing: They are also freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight and bring them up to room temperature on the countertop or heat them for 15-seconds in the microwave.
Nutrition
*This recipe was first published in January 2019. It has been updated with new photos and extra tips.
Great muffins! So easy to make and super tasty! I like how moist they are despite the relatively small amount of oil used compared to other recipes. I also used a bit less sugar than written but found them more than sweet enough. I will definitely add this recipe to my regular rotation!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe Anna! Thanks for sharing and for your great review!
Can I grate the apple instead of chipping it?
We haven’t tested the recipe with grated apples. I assume it would work, you just won’t get the nice bites of apple in the muffin.
Hi, can the amount of sugar be halved, and more flour be added to replace it? Would that work? Thanks
Delicious and easy to make muffins. We’re loving your posts Alison. I’ve found your recipes to be reliable and tasty. You’re definitely one of my go to bloggers for cooking inspiration 😋
Thank you so much Kate! Really appreciate it and so happy you’re enjoying the recipes.
Hello, I’d like to incorporate almond flour inside the batter how much would you recommend? Thanks a lot for your work.
Hi Anne, you could try replacing some of the all purpose with almond flour but I would start slow, so replace 1/4 cup and see how it turns out. I have not tested this at all, so it would be a total experiment. It’s probably best to try the recipe as written first so you can get a better sense of it, before you make changes.
First time making these and they are super! So easy to make and very tasty. Definitely a favourite🥰
Awesome! Thanks Anne.
Not being one for much baking, I was hesitant at first but with such clear guidance, and even with gluten free all purpose flour, these muffins are delicious!
Awesome! Thanks Anna.
These look really good! Can you substitute the buttermilk for anything else?
You can use a different non-dairy milk mixed with lemon juice, but the lemon juice is essential.
Curious if you’ve tried this recipe without oil? If so, what are your recommendations for a substitute?
I haven’t tried an oil free version but you could try using applesauce instead of the oil.
This is the first recipe of yours that I’ve tried! Loved the light fluffy texture of these muffins. I think I chopped the apple a bit too small, and there was a slight baking soda after taste, but if i slightly reduce the soda, will I lose the lovely texture?? Followed the recipe exactly, and Love, Love, Love that you give weight measurements. Do you use a 15ml Tablespoon? Off to search for recipe 2!
Hi Adele, we are actually busy re-testing this recipe right now as we are going to be doing new photos. I haven’t noticed any baking soda aftertaste, it’s only 1 teaspoon so there really should not be. I would worry that reducing the baking soda would affect the rise. And yes we do use a 15ml tablespoon. Thanks for your comment and review!
Yum!!! Followed recipe almost exactly except used half wheat flour and half white and used cashew milk instead of soy. So good!
Sometimes I’ve been disappointed by egg-free recipes and at first reading of this recipe, I wasn’t sure the leavening agent would be enough to compensate for the missing egg, but everything worked so well! The flavor is great (I used a Granny Smith apple, and coconut oil for the vegetable oil). The texture is just what you would expect from a regular muffin, and it had a good rise in the oven. So good, and my husband and neighbors were enthusiastic about them. For sure, this recipe will find its way to our family get-together in a few weeks. Thank you!
Wonderful! Thanks so much for the great review Janis!