Gluten Free Apple Muffins stacked on top of each other on a plate

I took the kids to a U-pick vegetable farm last week thinking we’d come home with a few zucchini and tomatoes, maybe some peaches too. Somehow, though, we ended up hauling home a trunk full the aforementioned peaches and tomatoes, plus sweet corn, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, and more yellow beans than you can shake a stick at. I literally had to drag Gwen away from the bean poles screaming!

Our little adventure got me very excited for apple picking season which is just around the corner. Although I’m never ready to say so long to summer, the thought of making Apple Chips, Apple Crisp, Apple Dip and Gluten Free Apple Muffins with abandon sounds way more delicious than an eggplant and yellow bean stir fry.

(Ie the only thing I can think of to use up those two random-to-us ingredients!)

These sweet and pillowy apple cinnamon muffins are packed with the flavors of fall and could not be more tender, perfectly sweet, and totally delicious. Bake up then keep on hand for easy breakfasts, snacks, and every moment in between!

gluten free Apple Muffins in a muffin tin

Gluten Free Apple Muffins

Both shredded fresh apple and applesauce in the batter keep these gluten free apple muffins soft and tender, while a hefty dose of cinnamon makes them taste decidedly fall. I can’t tell you how fabulous my kitchen smelled while these babies were baking up – it was torture waiting for them to cool down!

I love how these apple muffins calls for zero speciality ingredients outside of a gluten free baking blend, which I’ll go into more detail on below. Just regular, everyday ingredients are needed to make these fall-flavored muffins.

hand holding a gluten free apple cinnamon muffin with a bite taken out

Best Apples for Baking

Personally I love baking with Granny Smith apples as their tartness balances out the sweetness of the muffins. Granny Smith apples also hold up well to baking and retain a little bit of texture, versus turning into mush or disappearing into the muffin. Truly though, any fresh apple you have on hand will work! I also love making these gluten free muffins with Honeycrisp apples.

Best Gluten Free Baking Blend to Use

For this recipe you’ll need a “1:1” or “measure for measure” gluten free baking flour blend, which means it contains a binder such as xanthan gum. I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour or Bob’s Red Mill GF 1:1 Baking Flour (light blue bag). I have not tested this recipe using a single gluten free flour such as almond flour, rice flour, coconut flour, etc. (Though if you have almond flour that needs to be used up, I highly recommend these or these muffins!)

Storage Tips

Gluten Free Apple Muffins get softer and more tender as they sit on the counter, and can do so for 2-3 days. If you’d like to extend their life a little longer, stash them in the fridge. They can also be frozen! Just thaw the muffins overnight in the fridge or for a few hours on the counter.

Ok, who is ready to bake?!

Bite taken out of a tender, gluten free Apple Muffin

How to Make this Recipe

Start by mixing vegetable oil, sugar, and no sugar-added applesauce the bowl of an electric mixer, or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, then beat until smooth and pale in color, about 1 minute. Next add eggs and vanilla then mix until just combined.

eggs sugar and vanilla being beaten in a stand mixer bowl

In a separate bowl, whisk together gluten free 1:1 baking flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, then the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches. Last step is to fold in fresh apples that have been peeled then shredded on the large side of a box grater.

ingredients for gluten free apple muffins being mixed together

Scoop the batter into a lined muffin tin then bake for 24-26 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Your kitchen will smell DIVINE! Once the muffins cool, unwrap then devour. I hope you love these cinnamon-spiced gluten free apple muffins – enjoy!

Gluten Free Apple Muffins stacked on top of each other

More Gluten Free Muffins You’ll Love

Gluten Free Apple Muffins

5/5 (8 REVIEWS)

Description

Gluten free Apple Muffins are packed with the flavors of fall! Full of shredded apple and cinnamon, these muffins are a delicious snack or breakfast recipe.

Ingredients

makes 12 muffins

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup no-sugar added applesauce
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1-1/2 cups gluten free 1:1 baking flour blend
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup shredded apples from ~1-2 peeled apples

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees then line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and set aside.
  2. Add oil, sugar, and applesauce to the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, then beat until pale and smooth, 1 minute. Add eggs then mix until just combined. Add vanilla then mix until just combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt then add to the wet ingredient in two batches, mixing until just combined before adding the second batch. Add apples then fold into the batter with a spatula.
  4. Scoop 1/4 cup batter into each muffin tin liner then bake for 24-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool in muffin tin for 10 minutes before transferring muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or on the counter for 3-4 days.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

photo collage of gluten free apple muffins