Gluten Free Apple Muffins are packed with the flavors of fall! Full of shredded apple and cinnamon, they're a delicious snack or breakfast.
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.
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
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.
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?!
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.
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.
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!
More Gluten Free Baked Goods You’ll Love
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins
- Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Banana Bread
- Green Smoothie Muffins
- Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
- Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
- Gluten Free Biscuits
- Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
- Gluten Free Strawberry Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1-1/2 cups gluten free baking flour blend WITH binder, see notes
- 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
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees then line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and set aside.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Notes
- I like King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour for this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I’m a gonna make these, but I need to add me some Walnuts.
That sounds fabulous, Joyce! I hope you love them!
These muffins are amazing! We’ve made them probably 5 times in the last few months. They are so moist and yummy and don’t feel grainy at all. I do like to reduce the sugar just a tad so they are a little less sweet but my whole family loves them. I’m bringing them to an event tomorrow and I’m sure they will be devoured.
These turned out so good! My kids and I loved them. They’re a nice alternative to pumpkin for the fall.
Yes!! So often apples get pushed to the sidelines for pumpkin. I’m so glad you enjoyed!
This gluten free apple muffins is everything that I needed. The recipe is very easy to make.
It looks delicious
I just made these as a GF option at a church women’s breakfast event— delish!
I’m so glad they were a hit, Mary Kris!
Do you have that stat for this recipe? I love these muffins but need to know the calories and carb numbers. Thanks
Hi Cindy! I don’t include nutritional information with my recipes because I don’t fully trust the apps that are currently available to calculate them. I’d absolutely hate to steer anybody wrong, especially if they’re eating with medical issues in mind (diabetes, etc).
Not a baker or cook…but trying to help mom go GFDF – low/no sugar. Any substitute for the sugar? All your recipes look great – maybe I’ll be inspired to up my game :)
December 23, 2020. I just made these and they came out great and are delicious!
December 22: i just made these and they came out great and are delicious! Thank you!
Is the flour the sane amount if using regular flour? Thank you!
Yes, it should be! :)
These sound amazing! I do not have unsweetened applesauce – I have regular. What do you suggest? Thx
Oh that should be fine! Maybe just decrease the amount of sugar by a big pinch!
These look so delicious! What did you use to shred the apples?
Cheese grater! :)