Oat Applesauce Muffins

If you ask me, applesauce muffins are one of the best ways to use up that jar of applesauce sitting in your fridge.

These soft, spiced muffins make a great breakfast or afternoon snack that the whole family will enjoy. The applesauce keeps them moist while warm cinnamon and a touch of vanilla add just the right amount of flavor.

They come together quickly with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. A simple batter gets spooned into muffin cups and baked until golden.

These are the kind of muffins that make your kitchen smell amazing and disappear fast once they cool.

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What Kind of Applesauce Should I Use?

For these muffins, unsweetened applesauce is your best bet since it gives you more control over the sweetness level and won’t compete with the sugar already in the recipe. You can use either smooth or chunky applesauce depending on your preference – smooth will give you a more uniform texture, while chunky adds little bits of apple throughout. Store-bought applesauce works perfectly fine, but if you have homemade on hand, that’s even better since you know exactly what went into it. Just make sure whatever applesauce you choose is at room temperature before mixing it in, as this helps it blend more easily with the other wet ingredients.

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Options for Substitutions

These muffins are pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Quick cooking oats: You can use old-fashioned oats instead – just pulse them in a food processor a few times to break them down slightly. Regular rolled oats work too, but the texture will be a bit chewier.
• Whole wheat flour: All-purpose flour works perfectly if that’s what you have on hand. You can also try a mix of half whole wheat and half all-purpose for a lighter texture.
• Sugar: Brown sugar adds a nice caramel flavor, or you can use coconut sugar for a less refined option. Honey or maple syrup work too – just reduce the milk by 2-3 tablespoons to balance the extra liquid.
• Milk: Any milk works here – almond milk, oat milk, or buttermilk are all good swaps. If using buttermilk, reduce the baking powder to ½ teaspoon since buttermilk is more acidic.
• Unsalted butter: Vegetable oil or melted coconut oil work great as substitutes. Use the same amount and make sure coconut oil is melted but not hot.
• Applesauce: Mashed banana or pumpkin puree make tasty alternatives, though they’ll change the flavor profile. Stick with the same amount.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making applesauce muffins is overmixing the batter, which creates tough, dense muffins instead of light and fluffy ones – mix just until the dry ingredients are barely combined with the wet ingredients, even if the batter looks a bit lumpy.

Another common error is using hot melted butter, which can cook the other ingredients and create an uneven texture, so make sure your butter is melted but cooled to room temperature before adding it to the mix.

Don’t skip measuring your applesauce accurately either, as too much will make your muffins gummy while too little leaves them dry, and always fill your muffin cups only about 2/3 full to prevent overflow.

Finally, resist the urge to open the oven door during the first 15 minutes of baking, as this temperature drop can cause your muffins to collapse and become dense.

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What to Serve With Applesauce Muffins?

These applesauce muffins are perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack, and they pair beautifully with a hot cup of coffee or tea. I love serving them warm with a pat of butter that melts right into the tender crumb, or you can drizzle a little honey on top for extra sweetness. They also make a great addition to a brunch spread alongside fresh fruit, yogurt, or scrambled eggs. For a cozy fall morning, try them with a glass of cold milk or even some warm apple cider to really play up those warm spice flavors.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These applesauce muffins stay moist and tasty when stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I like to line the container with a paper towel to absorb any extra moisture. They’re perfect for grabbing on busy mornings or packing in lunch boxes.

Freeze: Muffins freeze really well for up to 3 months! Let them cool completely, then wrap each one individually in plastic wrap or store them in a freezer bag. This way you can pull out just what you need for breakfast or snacks throughout the week.

Warm Up: To enjoy frozen muffins, just thaw them at room temperature for about an hour, or pop them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. If you want them to taste fresh-baked again, wrap a thawed muffin in a damp paper towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 34-38 g
• Fat: 28-32 g
• Carbohydrates: 370-390 g

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups quick-cook oats
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tsp vanilla flavoring

Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Muffin Tin

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.

Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups quick-cook oats
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp table salt

In a large mixing bowl, add the quick-cook oats, whole wheat flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and table salt.

Use a spoon or a whisk to thoroughly mix these dry ingredients together until evenly distributed.

Step 3: Add the Wet Ingredients and Make the Batter

• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tsp vanilla flavoring

Pour the unsweetened applesauce, milk, melted and cooled unsalted butter, and vanilla flavoring into the bowl with the dry mixture.

Stir until everything is just combined and a thick batter forms—try not to overmix.

I like to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all the flour is incorporated.

Step 4: Portion and Bake the Muffins

• batter from Step 3

Divide the prepared batter from Step 3 evenly among the muffin liners in the prepared tin.

Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Oat Applesauce Muffins

Delicious Oat Applesauce Muffins recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 12 minutes mins

Cook Time 24 minutes mins

Total Time 36 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1900 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 cups quick-cook oats
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tsp vanilla flavoring

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the quick-cook oats, whole wheat flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and table salt. Use a spoon or a whisk to thoroughly mix these dry ingredients together until evenly distributed.
• Pour the unsweetened applesauce, milk, melted and cooled unsalted butter, and vanilla flavoring into the bowl with the dry mixture. Stir until everything is just combined and a thick batter forms—try not to overmix. I like to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all the flour is incorporated.
• Divide the prepared batter from Step 3 evenly among the muffin liners in the prepared tin. Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.