Healthy Applesauce Oat Muffins are made from scratch with simple ingredients including rolled oats, unsweetened applesauce, and whole wheat flour. They make the perfect healthy snack and they’re freezer-friendly, too!
Healthy snacks for myself and my kids is something I am passionate about. I keep my freezer stocked with healthy snacks including; Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energy Bites, Banana Bran Muffins, and Easy Homemade Fruit Pops.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m always on the look-out for healthy snack ideas for my kids. Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite healthy snack ideas. My kids particularly love muffins, and I like to make big batches and freeze them. They’re also great for adding to their lunches.
Some of my favorite healthy muffins include:
- Banana Bran Muffins
- Greek Yogurt Double Chocolate Muffins
- Healthy Banana Oat Muffins
- Skinny Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
The original recipe for these came from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe several years ago. I’ve probably made them a hundred times over the years– it’s such a fantastic recipe! The only tweaking I’ve done it to make more batter. I’ve found her original recipe only makes about 10 large muffins, so I’ve adjusted the ingredients to make a full dozen!
Holy cow are these Applesauce Oat muffins delicious, and the fact that they’re healthy makes me completely obsessed with them. And most importantly, my kids love them. Like LOOOVVEEE them. They make a great snack for the entire family.
How to Make Healthy Applesauce Muffins:
- Stir together oats, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter and sugar.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cranberries or raisins.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients, stir just until combined.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
Are Muffins Healthy?
Muffins are not usually considered to be healthy, but they can be healthy. It totally depends on the ingredients. As a general rule, homemade muffin are healthier than their store bought counterpart because they don’t contain the added ingredients and preservatives that are found in store bought muffins.
What makes these muffins healthy is that they’re nutrient dense. They are made with applesauce in place of oil or an extra egg, whole wheat flour in place of white flour, and whole grain rolled oats that contribute added fiber and protein.
Storing and Freezing Muffins:
Store muffins at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.
To freeze muffins, first allow them to cool completely. Then place them in a freezer safe resealable bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove them from the freezer and allow them to come to room temperature. You can also microwave one frozen muffin for about 20 seconds.
Check out these healthy snack ideas:
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Applesauce Oat Muffins
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 Tablespoons butter , melted (or coconut oil)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup raisins , or craisins, or chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter and sugar.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cranberries or raisins.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir just until combined (don't overmix!)
- Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Don't over-bake or the muffins will be dry. Remove them to a cooling rack. Cool completely before freezing in a ziplock freezer bag.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
I originally shared this recipe December 2015. Updated July 2019.
Mel says
This recipe is a good base recipe. But as someone else commented, it was incredibly bland. I made it per the directions to test it first. Then I immediately made a second batch with the following changes:
Added one small diced, red delicious apple
Added 1/4 cup brown sugar
Added an extra tsp of cinnamon
Added 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
Added chopped walnuts to taste
The second time turned out with a better, cohesive flavor, still subtle enough to be a muffin but not too sweet to be a cupcake. The moisture was still there and I didn’t have an issue with them being greasy from the butter.
Lauren Allen says
Thanks for sharing your experience. Keep in mind though (for anyone wanting these to be a “healthier” muffin, that these adaptations would add an additional 65+ grams of sugar (from the brown sugar and apple) and additional fat from the nuts.
Katherine says
Perfect recipe as is. I wanted a breakfast muffin without a cup of sugar. This was great, my kids loved it.
Ashley says
Just made these! I used gluten free quick oats and gluten free flour. The inside was soft and a tad sticky despite it being baked for 25 minutes. I’m guessing it’s because I used quick oats and not rolled oats. I added some dark chocolate chunks for a little bit of dimension and it was delicious. I’m so happy that I came across this recipe. I’m sure my toddlers will love it as well!
Millie Buryta says
Tried these muffins and they were delicious
Instead of white sugar, I used coconut sugar and almond milk. Just a couple of substitutions.
Marg says
My kids’ favorite muffins.
Cathe says
I used brown sugar instead of white and walnuts instead of raisins. They are hearty, not too sweet and the apple flavor shines!
Joanne says
I’m baking these muffins now. I’m sure they will be delicious. I like a little chocolate so I made them with 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
B says
I’ve made these once with chocolate chips and once with cranberries and sliced almonds. Both were delicious. May try flavored applesauce next time!
Yvonne says
Excellent muffins! I replaced apple sauce and butter with pumpkin puree and grapeseed oil respectively. I also added apple slices and blueberries. Healthy and tasty! Thank you for the recipe, Lauren!
Lynn smith says
Great healthy recipe. I added golden raisins and nuts to give it a little more body.