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These healthy Applesauce Muffins are delicious, freezer friendly, and the perfect filling snack or breakfast. They're made with whole grain oats, unsweetened applesauce, and whole wheat flour.
Looking for more muffin recipes? Try these Cranberry Orange Muffins, Carrot Muffins, Blueberry Muffins, or Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins.
Why I love this recipe:
- Healthy – These applesauce muffins are less than 150 calories each and made with whole grains and low sugar, so you can feel good about feeding them to your family.
- Freezer Friendly – I love to make a big batch of these and put them in the freezer. We use them for school lunches, snacks at the pool or anytime.
- Delicious – They have the same delicious taste and perfect texture of bakery muffins, so no one can tell they're “healthier”.
Ingredients Needed:
How to make Applesauce Muffins:
Make Batter: In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter and sugar.
Add Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and cranberries or raisins. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients then pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir just until combined.
Bake: Spoon batter evenly into the muffin cups then 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.
Enjoy or Freeze: Remove to a cooling rack then cool oatmeal applesauce muffins completely before freezing.
Storage and Freezing Instructions:
To Store: Keep at room temperature, in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: Allow to cool completely then place in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
More Healthy Snacks:
- Protein Bars
- Granola Bites
- Banana Oat Muffins
- No Bake Granola Bars
- Applesauce
- Easy Healthy Granola
- Charcuterie Board
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie
- Instant Pot Yogurt
- Chocolate Overnight Oats
Applesauce Muffins
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 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.
- Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter and sugar.
- Dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and cranberries or raisins or chocolate chips.
- Combine: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir just until combined.
- Bake: Divide batter evenly between 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 to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Original recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.
I originally shared this recipe December 2015. Updated July 2019 and January 2024.
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!
I’ve made these once with chocolate chips and once with cranberries and sliced almonds. Both were delicious. May try flavored applesauce next time!
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.
I used brown sugar instead of white and walnuts instead of raisins. They are hearty, not too sweet and the apple flavor shines!
My kids’ favorite muffins.
Tried these muffins and they were delicious
Instead of white sugar, I used coconut sugar and almond milk. Just a couple of substitutions.
Hi,
Can I use brown rice flour (GF) instead of whole wheat flour?
Would almond milk and coconut sugar work too? In place of regular milk and white sugar.
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!
Perfect recipe as is. I wanted a breakfast muffin without a cup of sugar. This was great, my kids loved it.
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.
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.