This Cinnamon Applesauce Muffin recipe has a happy ending but the road to that ending was a bit rough. After making them a couple of times and feeling fairly confident that I had a solid recipe ready to post, my mom made them and after tasting them again, we both agreed they were still lacking!
Ugh. Unpublishing a post that has already been sent out is no fun. I constantly feel the push (internally) to post recipes here regularly, but there are times when I just have to tell myself to focus on quality rather than quantity and hold off. This tension is especially strong when I look at all the other amazing bloggers around me posting left and right, and that comparison trap lures me right in.
It always helps me to recognize that in most aspects of life, there are seasons. Some seasons are for focusing on building a business, some for growing it strong, and some for maintaining the momentum you’ve worked hard to build.
As the new school year has started, I feel pulled in quite a few directions… Keeping my home, pouring into friendships, homeschooling, mothering, and being a wife are my callings. My sacred callings.
Blogging, recipe development, and photography are the cherry on top. What a gift it is to be able to share my endeavors in the kitchen with such a supportive community. I always feel so thankful to have such a sweet and encouraging family of followers here!
What’s to Love about Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins…
So here’s to second (and even third) chances! I always strive to post my best work here, and these Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins are good to go! They are lighter, sweeter, and are more flavorful than the first round. I actually had to just scratch the first recipe framework and used the ratio of wet and dry ingredients that works so well in my Best Ever Pumpkin Muffins. Have you tried those yet? They are no doubt my most popular recipe!
They aren’t as sweet as cupcake as they are muffins, but there’s just enough sweetness to carry the flavors from the applesauce and cinnamon without falling flat. Here’s an interesting article I found on the difference between muffins and cupcakes, in case you are wondering.
I hope you enjoy, and always, thanks for reading.
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Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 18 muffins 1x
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups applesauce (sweetened)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line standard-size muffin tins with paper liners. Spray the liners with nonstick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together. Set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk eggs, oil, vanilla, applesauce, and sour cream until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Scoop the muffin batter into each muffin liner, filling 3/4 (or a bit more) full.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes in the muffin tin, and then remove the muffins to cool on a cooling rack.
- Once cooled, keep the muffins at room temperature in an airtight container. These will freeze well for up to three months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Muffin
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 7.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.1g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 0.7g
- Protein: 2.1g
- Cholesterol: 23mg
Aron Green says
Can this mix be used to make a Cinnamon Applesauce Loaf?
If so, how are the ingredient measures modified?
Julie says
I haven’t tested this muffin recipe in a loaf pan yet, but here is a very similar recipe that you may enjoy.
https://lovelylittlekitchen.com/glazed-apple-cinnamon-oatmeal-bread/
Gianni says
I did not have a muffin or cupcake tin for the recipe so I used a 9×9 dish. I made a few modifications, instead of sweetened applesauce, I used unsweetened. I added 2 tablespoon of honey and 2 teaspoon of agave to compensate for the additional sugar found in sweetened applesauce. Instead of 17 mins , I left it in a lot longer and checked in increments of 5 mins. I’d say it was about 40-50 mins before the middle was cooked. Excellent recipe!! It was gone in one day and was so moist , hearty , and full of flavor. Family loved it! Thank you 😊
★★★★★
Caitlin McCord says
That sounds delicious! I’ve made it twice now with homemade unsweetened spiced applesauce. I don’t add any extra sugar to compensate, in fact I reduce the sugar by about 50% and use pumpkin spice blend instead of just cinnamon.
Jeanette says
Do you have to replace the sugar you omitted? I would also like to cut the sugar.
Deb Kourofsky says
I use stevia for the white sugar. I added chopped walnuts, 1/2 tsp of nutmeg and1/4 teaspoon of cloves. I also substituted 3/4 cup whole wheat flour for the 3/4 cup white flour. I used my homemade unsweetened applesauce. I added a little extra light sour cream, about 1/3 cup. Stevia can cause dryness. They are delicious!!
★★★★★
Erin Baker says
These are in the oven! Kids are excited for a new muffin to try. Thank you
★★★★★
Christina Austin says
Great recipe! My family and I are big lovers of your pumpkin muffins (we make them all the time:) and knew we had to try this recipe. I made a double batch and they were delicious!!! I added one honey crisp apple finely chopped for a little texture. We will be making this recipe again and again.
★★★★★
Agnes says
If I use unsweetened applesauce, how much sugar do I need to add?
Julie says
Hello Agnes, my best guess would be 1/4 cup additional sugar. Hope you enjoy!
Agnes Millman says
My kids love these! I substitute Swerve for half the sugar and they turn out so moist and have the perfect apple cinnamon balance.
Thanks Julie!
Yvette Masullo says
I also used unsweetened apple sauce but I did not adjust the sugar and it was fine. If worried about more sweetness consider adding raisins.
★★★★★
Deirdre Marsden says
Good recipe but way too much sugar!!
Wendy says
Thank you for this recipe! Your pumpkin muffins are a staple in our kitchen. I had a bit of applesauce and a bit of sour cream lingering in my refrigerator when I came across this recipe. Perfection!
★★★★★
Sheila says
Can I leave out the sour cream or is it really needed?
Julie says
Hi Sheila, the sour cream is needed in this recipe.
Renee Shmuel says
what can I use instead of sour cream?, trying to make this as a Parve recipe per jewish food laws, so no milk or dairy in it
Gale says
Plain yogurt can be a great substitute for sour cream.
Cat says
What kind of oil is needed?
Julie says
I usually use avocado oil (find it at Costco) or just vegetable oil.
Rebecca says
Can I substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream to add a little protein?
Julie says
Yes, that will work just fine.
Deanna says
These came out perfect!! Love them!! Thank you
★★★★★
Julie says
Wonderful, Deanna! Thanks for letting me know how they turned out!
Tara says
Just made these yesterday, they are delicious!! Even my husband loved them and he’s pretty picky when it comes to baked goods. I added extra cinnamon and some nutmeg and used sour cream. Definitely this recipe is a keeper 🙂
★★★★★
Julie says
Thanks so much, Tara! So glad you all liked them. I like that you made them your own!
KeBrew says
Can you use coconut oil with this recipe? That’s usually what I have on hand :). Thanks!
Julie says
I think coconut oil will be just fine. Definitely use what you have! Happy baking!
Ann Hearn says
In the age of corona virus and stay-at-home orders in Los Angeles, I tried to use things in my pantry and had great success! Here are the changes I made:
1. I used 1 cup of cake flour (because that’s what I had left in the box) + 3/4 cup all purpose flour MINUS 2 Tablespoons and I added back 2 Tablespoons Flax meal.
2. I substituted 1/4 cup honey for the white sugar, and used the smallest eggs in my fridge (to make up for extra liquid of the honey) plus used a little bit less oil, maybe a tablespoon less than the 1/2 cup called for.
3. I only had unsweetened applesauce, but it was great nevertheless, maybe because I like less sweet things. It still tasted sweet enough to me.
4. I used plain skyr (Icelandic Yogurt) because I didn’t have any sour cream. I think the honey + skyr was enough acid to work ok with the baking soda, although my muffins were light but maybe denser than the original? Maybe I need to play with the amount of baking soda to get maximum levening.
I added about 1/3 cup ground/finely chopped pecans.
Thank you so much for such an inspiring recipe!
★★★★★
Julie says
Hi Ann, so glad you were able to make them work with what you had! Very resourceful baking! And thank you for taking them time to write it all out so other readers can benefit as well. Wishing you peace, comfort and happy baking.
Grace says
What about making the recipe on a sheet pan (1inch), with streusel topping?
Julie says
Not sure how big your sheet pan is, but you could definitely try! A streusel topping would be delicious. Not sure how long they would take to bake, but you could just check the center with a toothpick to see if it comes out cleanly. Let me know how it goes if you try them.
Ange says
Turned out perfect, I used unsweetened applesauce and canna oil. Always had troubles with dry muffins before this recipe. Hubby says they’re lovely, he’s my QA 🙂
★★★★★
Ulla Saroldi-Gonzalez says
Just tried this recipe and they are delicious! The whole family loved them. I added a small diced apple and chopped walnuts because I like a little crunch 🙂
Thank you 😊
Jam says
This was great! I added 2 teaspoons of vanilla and some frozen blueberries and it was amazing!!!!!
★★★★★
Julie says
Thank you so much!
Jerrell says
I made these today and they are delicious! Perfect for breakfast for my girls. I used Silk vanilla almondmilk
yogurt instead of sour cream (because my kids are dairy free) and coconut oil and they came out perfectly. So glad I found your blog today!
★★★★★
Maryanne Edmundson says
These are A-mazing! I did add a handful each of chopped walnuts and raisins..on, so gooood!
Julie says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Maryanne! Thank you for letting me know how they turned out!
Lucas says
This recipe turned out soo good. The family said it was one of the best things I’ve baked. I used unsweetened applesauce and a little less granulated sugar. It was the perfect amount of sweetness. I can’t wait to make these again and share them with all the people I haven’t seen in a while!
★★★★★
Julie says
Thank you so much for the great review, Lucas. So happy you can share them too!
Nancy says
I made these with gluten free flour, added chopped walnuts, and some nutmeg. They are wonderful!
Thank you!
★★★★★
Marjene says
Made these today with my home canned applesauce (no sugar added) they were great!! My husband says definitely a keeper!
★★★★★
Frances says
Yum! I love anything baked with cinnamon and they smell so wonderful.
★★★★★
Kayla says
Made these today and they are so good! Only thing I added was a cinnamon sugar sprinkle on top for looks!
Wicked recipe 😀
★★★★★
Julie says
Thanks Kayla!
Jamie says
Wow, these muffins really hit the spot! I was looking for a recipe to use up a can of applesauce I had in the pantry and I came across this one. I’m so glad I did, I thought they were delicious! My children loved them as well. This recipe will be bookmarked for sure. Thank you!
Montine Alstrom says
Can you freeze these?
Julie says
Yes you definitely can freeze them. Sometimes the tops just get a little sticky as they thaw, but we don’t mind.
Ash says
So easy and so delicious!
★★★★★
Ruth Campbell says
Someone mentioned that they thought the muffins were too sweet……I only ever have unsweetened applesauce in the house so that’s what I used. The recipe turned out perfectly and is definitely a keeper.
Barbara Miller says
Made these this morning, absolutely delicious, used homemade applesauce, cut sugar a tad. This is a keeper and one of the best applesauce muffins to date. Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
★★★★★
Debbie Escamilla says
These are wonderful! The next batch I make will be mini muffins for Cub Scout camp. What is the best way to freeze them so I can bake them early in the week?
★★★★★
Mike says
I tried these. I made a mistake and used baking powder instead of baking soda. The muffins were very dense, hockey puck dense. Is there a trick, other than following the instructions better, that would make them fluffier?
BTW, I’m a rookie.
Barbara says
Absolutely delicious, made exactly as is, as I always do with a new recipe. Wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks for sharing this recipe…..
★★★★★
Sally says
These bake up beautifully. I added the cinnamon sugar to the tops like one person did. I wonder if you could put small chunks of apple in them as well. I love to experiment. These however look so good they way they are. My whole kitchen smells wonderful. I had to have something quick to bake for breakfast without butter; as I was out. They were perfect and wonderful! Thank you for the recipe.
★★★★★
Alison Wiebe says
I’ve been making these muffins once a week since I found this recipe. My son can’t get enough of them! I always use unsweetened applesauce and sometimes the applesauce is flavoured. Note: if you use blueberry applesauce, you will get grey muffins. They taste great but don’t look quite as appetizing. Although, they did have kind of a Halloween-ish vibe, which works at this time of year!
★★★★★
Rachel says
Happened to be out of white sugar, so I made this with 1 c of light brown sugar instead and 1/4 c of oil and it turned out great. I forgot to check the recipe before I added the oil and was worried I had messed it up. Gotta go. My daughter literally JUST demanded another one while I was writing this. I’m trying your pumpkin muffins next. Thank you!
Jennifer Brasher says
These muffins are delicious! I had some homemade applesauce that I used for this recipe and these are a keeper! Thanks for an awesome recipe!
★★★★★
Julie says
They are the best with homemade applesauce, thanks for letting me know how they turned out for you!
Liz says
I use homemade unsweetened applesauce. They are fantastic
Shawna W says
I made some substitutions that turned out GREAT;
1) I didn’t have sour cream, so I set equal amount of heavy cream out with fresh lemon juice to make buttermilk.
2) I cut the white sugar altogether- plenty sweet still!
3) I used homemade unsweetened apple sauce
Finally, I sprinkled flaxseed meal on top before putting them in!
★★★★★
Julia says
These turned out amazing! My enthusiastic little baker (my 2 1/2 year old daughter) helped me make them using homemade apple sauce from our the last of our fall harvest. The texture and flavour are perfect. What started as a way to use up applesauce is now a favourite recipe!
★★★★★
Jme says
I did a half a batch exactly how you have your recipe and they are amazing. For the second half I added mini cinnamon chips and half a packet of plain instant oatmeal and pinch of nutmeg. I’ll use this recipe again for sure. Thanks to you and your Mom!
★★★★★
Jodi Mahr says
Absolutely delicious! Raves all around, definitely doing this one again and again! ❤️
★★★★★
Katie Wilson says
These are so good, just made them for the grandkids. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!! I added mini chocolate chips!
★★★★★
Amanda says
I loved this recipe. I used oat flour and stevia instead of white sugar. So good!
★★★★★
Francisca says
Hola, hice un puré de manzanas con las de mi árbol y quedó muy dulce y está totalmente natural, sin endulzante de ningún tipo. Para hacer la receta habrá que bajar la cantidad de azúcar o solo omito lo de endulzar el puré?
Gracias!!