Name: Fluffy Vegan Apple Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1.5 cups all purpose flour; 1.5 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp baking soda; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp ground ginger; ¼ tsp ground allspice; 1 pinch ground cloves; ½ tsp kosher salt (I use Morton's); 1 cup unsweetened applesauce; ¼ cup apple butter; ¼ cup plant based milk (room temp); ½ cup melted refined coconut oil; 2 tsp white rice vinegar; ¼ cup light brown sugar (lightly packed ); ¼ cup cane sugar; ½ tsp vanilla; ½ cup all purpose flour; 1 tbsp cane sugar; 2 tsp light brown sugar (lightly packed ); 1 tbsp softened vegan butter (I used Earth Balance sticks ); 1 pinch salt

These Fluffy Vegan Apple Muffins are about as cozy as it gets! The muffin batter is made with a mix of applesauce, apple butter and warming spices like cinnamon, ginger and cloves and lemme tell ya, it smells incredible when these muffins are baking in the oven!

Cuddle up with a warm drink and a couple of these cinnamony apple muffins, and enjoy the sweet taste of Fall 🍂

You all seemed to like my pumpkin muffins last year so today we’re making another vegan Fall recipe: perfectly moist apple muffins with streusel crumb topping.

In the autumn months, I love baking cozy treats and these muffins are great because they’re quick, easy and versatile. Serve them at breakfast time with some almond butter or as an afternoon pick me up with a warm cup of coffee.

The dairy-free batter gets a sprinkle of spices like cinnamon, ginger and cloves to bring out the natural sweetness of the apples and the buttery streusel topping takes them over the top!

Add this recipe to your weekly meal prep – and maybe make an extra batch for the freezer! They’re a great treat to have on hand during back to school season.

Ingredients to Make Vegan Apple Streusel Muffins

You’ll only need a few pantry staples and some plant-based milk to make this tasty apple muffins recipe!

Applesauce – I opt for unsweetened and unflavored. Applesauce not only makes these muffins taste appley and delicious, but it also replaces the eggs that would commonly be used to bind in a non-vegan muffin recipe.
Apple Butter – adds tons of apple flavor and gives this muffins a bit of depth. I used this one from Eden’s.
Warming Spices – these muffins are super cozy and autumnal thanks to a sprinkle of cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves.
All Purpose Flour – regular all purpose flour works best for this recipe.
Baking Powder + Baking Soda – the combo creates light and fluffy muffins!
Refined Coconut Oil – Make sure it’s refined and not virgin. Refined coconut oil adds moisture and richness without imparting any coconut flavor. This one is great.
Light Brown Sugar + Cane Sugar – this duo brings out the sweetness of the apples and adds some extra moisture.
Plant- Based Milk – You’ll want to make sure it’s unsweetened and not cold from the fridge. I like to set it out on the counter to come to room temperature or warm it gently in the microwave.
Apple Cider Vinegar -might seem strange but you can’t taste it! ACV helps to activate the baking soda for the perfect texture!
Kosher Salt – a pinch of salt helps to balance out the sweetness and makes these muffins tastes rich and buttery. This is the kosher salt I use for my recipes.
Vegan Butter – for the streusel topping (optional)

apple muffins in a muffin tin — Makes 12 smaller muffins like this or 6 jumbo muffins 🍎

How to Make Vegan Apple Streusel Muffins

Making vegan apple muffins is pretty easy and it doesn’t take long at all!!

Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees.

Then line a 12 muffin tin with liners and set aside.

Make the streusel topping by combining flour, brown sugar, cane sugar and softened vegan butter in a bowl. Use clean hands to work the butter into the dry ingredients until a rough, shaggy dough is formed. Cover and set in the fridge until ready to use.

Next mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a large mixing bowl.. Whisk to combine and then set aside.

In another large mixing bowl, combine the cane sugar, brown sugar, applesauce, apple butter, coconut oil and vinegar. Mix very well for one full minute.

Then add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until no more flour is visible.

Spray the muffin liners with cooking spray if desired and then evenly distribute the muffin batter between each cup.

Top with the streusel topping and bake at 425 for 5 minutes. Then, leaving the muffins in the oven, reduce the heat to 375 and bake for 15 more minutes.

For Jumbo Sized Muffins: spoon the batter into just 6 of the muffin cups, alternating between each one so there’s good air circulation around the muffins. Bake at 425 for 5 minutes then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for 18-20 minutes.

For larger muffins, distribute the batter between 6 of the holes instead of 12 and bake for 3-5 minutes longer.

Tips for Baking Perfect Muffins

Fluff up the flour and then spoon it into the measuring cup. Pile it in until a large dome is created on top, then level off the flour with the back of a butter knife. This will lead to an accurate measurement aka perfectly fluffy muffins!
Make sure the milk is at room temperature. If it’s too cold, the coconut oil with harden and clump up in the batter, leaving you with greasy pockets in the final product.
Mix the wet ingredients really well but don’t over mix the dry ingredients or they muffins will be tough.

RECIPE FAQs

How to Store Vegan Muffins

Allow any leftover muffins to cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container or bag. Store at room temperature for two days or in the fridge for up to five days. To reheat the muffins, gently warm in the microwave in 10 second intervals.

How to Freeze Muffins

Allow any leftover muffins to cool completely and then wrap tightly in parchment paper and cover with foil. Place the wrapped muffins in an airtight bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. To reheat the muffins, gently warm in the microwave in 10 second intervals.

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