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
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Recipe
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
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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.
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So I veganised this recipe and they came out SO delicious! I subbed regular butter for vegan butter, milk with sweetened almond milk, and a large egg for a large flax egg (semi-heaping tablespoon of ground flax) and we already ate half the batch! Thank you so much!
I’m so happy to hear that, thanks for sharing you substitutions to make these vegan!
These are delicious! I was looking for a healthy snack/muffin to make for my friend who just had a baby. She wanted something quick but healthy to eat while she is nursing her daughter. I brought these to her yesterday and she loved them! (and her hubby did, too 🙂 I loaded up her batch with craisins, walnuts, mini chocolate chips, and some pecans and extra cinnamon on top. I made a batch just with chocolate chips for her husband. I love to bake and I am pretty picky about muffin recipes. These are SO good!!! I love how easy they were to mix up, how moist they are, and also how versatile I can be with add-ins. Thank you for a great recipe! I can’t wait to try your other muffin recipes, too.
Thanks so much for sharing Deb! I agree, I love how versatile these are and I love the mix-ins you added. So happy the new mom loved them!
Fun and easy recipe! they smell amazing and taste just as great! thanks for making life so simple!
So happy you’ve enjoyed them! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Delicious. I used canola oil, dark brown sugar and doubled the cinnamon. Surprised how light they are with whole wheat and oatmeal. This is a keeper.
Just read some more of the reviews. Will try next time with blueberries. Sounds great.
Thanks for sharing Tony!
Delicious muffins! I add nuts instead of raisins since I like the extra crunch. This will be my third time making them.
The best muffins
I substituted: apple sauce without sugar for regular apple sauce. Sugar for honey. Milk for organic coconut milk… PERFECTION. Soft. Firm. Delicious.
I love the way these muffins taste! The applesauce adds a nice sweetness to the muffins, and since there’s no oil, there’s no residue either on the muffin bottoms. Perfect for a healthy, filling bite!
You’re right, these are delicious. They are now my standard goto for snacks, and I always make a triple batch before going caravanning. It doesn’t take long for a pair of oldies to get through them ?
However I think Mel and you have made a minor mixup in the instructions. The rolled oats (not oatmeal) should be with the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients (milk eggs etc) should be whisked not stirred and the dry ingredients should be stirred rather than wisked.
Made them for breakfast they were delicious! I used almond milk instead of whole milk and used brown Splenda sugar instead of regular sugar!
Lauren!
So glad to have found your site! These muffins are so delicious. They are gone as quickly as I make them! We triple the recipe now! I’m always on your site at dinner time too. Thanks for all the great recipes and beautiful easy to use site. ?
Thank you so much Erin! I’m so happy you found me and have tried some recipes you’ve liked! I always make a huge batch of these too–we love them! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment 🙂