Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

by Amy on 12 March 2013

Whole Wheat Apple Muffinsmuffins are one of my favorite foods these days. i love that they make for a quick, portable breakfast, an easy snack, or even (if served with a bit of ice cream or yogurt), a delicious dessert. while my favorite types of muffins are admittedly ones overflowing with chocolate or nutella, i try my best to eat slightly healthier than that most days. and these whole wheat apple muffins are absolutely scrumptious, with far less “guilt” than the dessert-type muffins I normally go for.

the recipe comes from vegetarian blogger (real-life friend) lesley eats – i’ve had a lot of success with her recipes, so i was confident that these would turn out deliciously. and you know what? they did! these muffins are wonderfully light, with a slightly sweet cinnamon-apple flavor, and a delightful bit of texture + heft from the apples + oats. oh, + the brown sugar topping? it bakes up wonderfully sweet + crunchy – soooo addictive. i’ve been eating at least 1 muffin a day since I baked them, which means I’m already down to my last few muffins. looks like it’s time to make another batch!

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

Whole Wheat Apple Oat Muffins

makes about 14 muffins, adapted from King Arthur Flour, as seen on Lesley Eats

ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed, divided into two 1/4 cups
1 large egg
1 cup (8 ounces) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large apples, peeled, cored, + chopped into small cubes (about 2 to 2 1/2 heaping cups), preferably Honeycrisps, Fujis or Galas – I used Galas.

directions

preheat the oven to 450°F. grease + flour the cups of a muffin tin (or use muffin cup liners) + set aside.

mix together the flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice + cinnamon, + set aside. in a separate bowl, cream the butter + sugars until fluffy. add the egg + mix well. add the milk + vanilla + mix again. then add the dry ingredients, mix + fold in the apple chunks with a spatula (by hand).

divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling to the top of the cup, sprinkling the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar on top (about 1 teaspoon per muffin). bake for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 400°F, + bake for an additional 5 – 7 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the tin, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

print this recipe print this recipe
EmailTwitterFacebookStumbleUponGoogle BookmarksShare

{ 54 comments… read them below or add one }

1 danielle March 12, 2013 at 7:15 am

I keep seeing recipes for apple muffins – I think its a sign. I love your healthier version.

2 amy March 12, 2013 at 8:02 am

i think it’s a sign, too – you’ll have to try making them for you + the kiddos!

3 Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar March 12, 2013 at 9:47 am

These look lovely!

4 Adri March 12, 2013 at 10:05 am

Those sound great!

5 Lesley Eats March 12, 2013 at 10:40 am

I need to steal your photos; your muffins and your pictures turned out beautifully! Which apples did you use? Right after you tweeted, I was at Trader Joe’s and saw Honeycrisp apples, which was a real surprise! It is well past Honeycrisp season.

So glad you liked these. I think they make a perfect breakfast. :) Which means I need to make some, too!

6 amy March 12, 2013 at 10:45 am

I use Gala apples (+ I just updated the recipe with your recommended apples + what I used – I meant to do that + forgot, so thanks for the reminder). Thank you SO much for sharing this awesome recipe – it’s truly been one of my favorite muffin recipes so far.

7 Tracey March 12, 2013 at 10:47 am

I love the giant dome on these muffins, they look awesome! I’m usually all about chocolate in my muffins too but apple-cinnamon is a great combo and definitely a little more guilt-free :)

8 Nik@ABrownTable March 12, 2013 at 11:09 am

I love the muffins, especially the delicious huge apple chunks. I think I should make a batch to eat the warm with a little bit of butter.

9 amy March 12, 2013 at 11:16 am

I’ve been serving mine slightly warmed up with a bit of butter, too – it’s a wonderful combination!

10 Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl March 12, 2013 at 11:44 am

These look so good–and I love that they’re healthy, too. YUM!

11 Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious March 12, 2013 at 12:04 pm

I love muffins! They’re so perfect for breakfast on the go, and I love freezing the leftovers. Definitely need to give this whole wheat version a try – it’s been a while since I made muffins!

12 Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry March 12, 2013 at 1:07 pm

If I could, I would eat muffins everyday for breakfast but usually they aren’t so healthy. That is why I am loving this recipe! And the chunks of apple in the batter, yum!

13 Monet March 12, 2013 at 6:02 pm

How did you know I had a pile of apples that needed baking? These look so good…what perfectly domed tops! And like you, I could eat a muffin every single day. I adore them! Thank you for sharing, sweet friend!

14 amy March 12, 2013 at 6:35 pm

well, isn’t that a lucky little coincidence. =) happy baking, friend!

15 Amy (Savory Moments) March 12, 2013 at 6:52 pm

I love apples + oats in bakes goods. These muffins look super yummy!

16 angela@spinachtiger March 12, 2013 at 7:16 pm

I love the chunks of apples in these. I love muffins too, Amy.

17 kristen @ notsodomesticated March 12, 2013 at 8:00 pm

Yum!! My mom used to make apple muffins that I loved, and this recipe looks somewhat similar … but a bit healthier! 😉

18 ashley - baker by nature March 12, 2013 at 9:20 pm

I’m pretty sure I’d have ZERO self control around these muffins!

19 CCU March 12, 2013 at 9:22 pm

I would love these for breakfast 😀

Cheers
CCU

20 val March 12, 2013 at 9:43 pm

I love a muffin I don’t have to feel guilty about. This means I can eat 3? =) Great recipe.

21 amy March 12, 2013 at 9:55 pm

I won’t tell anyone if you eat 3 of ’em in one sitting! =)

22 luv what you do March 12, 2013 at 10:01 pm

I love muffins and these look incredible! The crumble on top looks perfect!

23 Purabi Naha March 13, 2013 at 2:24 am

Oh, this is LOVELY! This looks like something I must try. The recipe is great and I loved the picture!!

24 Gourmantine March 13, 2013 at 4:19 am

When it comes to muffins, I always go for the ones loaded with blueberries and only recently discovered how lovely they are with apples. These would make a splendid breakfast (and snack)!

25 amy March 13, 2013 at 5:10 am

Ooh, I love blueberry muffins, too. I can’t wait til local blueberries are in season here in Nashville this summer – I will be making TONS of blueberry muffins then! =)

26 Kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts March 13, 2013 at 5:48 am

Amy,
Your photos look yummy!
I’ve been on a soaked oatmeal kick for close to a year now, and I just don’t see it stopping any time soon. Too many variations to explore. Like apple!
Thanks!

27 amy March 13, 2013 at 6:58 am

I don’t think i’ve ever heard of soaked oatmeal, but you have me intrigued! Off to google it now… =)

28 Jennie @themessybakerblog March 13, 2013 at 7:19 am

I love that you don’t slack on the apple chunks in this muffin. They look wonderful and hearty. Yum!

29 Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking March 13, 2013 at 9:57 am

These look so good, Amy! I love the big chunks of apples in these adorable muffins. Great recipe!

30 Jessica@AKitchenAddiction March 13, 2013 at 12:50 pm

I love a good, hearty muffin! These look perfect stuffed with all of those apple chunks!

31 Kristi @ My San Francisco Kitchen March 13, 2013 at 12:58 pm

These look delicious! Perfect for breakfast or on-the-go :)

32 natalie@thesweetslife March 13, 2013 at 2:55 pm

love the giant apple chunks in there!

33 dixya @ food, pleasure, and health March 13, 2013 at 3:22 pm

can i have some for breakfast!!!

34 Rosie @ Blueberry Kitchen March 13, 2013 at 4:25 pm

Such perfect looking muffins! They sound delicious too!

35 Meghan March 13, 2013 at 8:33 pm

These are calling my name! Love all those apple chunks in there!

36 Blond Duck March 13, 2013 at 9:44 pm

Those look so good!

37 Kiran @ KiranTarun.com March 13, 2013 at 10:29 pm

Yummy muffins! Love that the apples are studded all through!

ps: Hope you are feeling well. xoxo

38 amy March 14, 2013 at 9:03 am

I’m feeling great, thanks so much, Kiran! Just getting more excited every day for our little lady to arrive … in less than 3 months!

39 Natalie March 14, 2013 at 9:10 am

These look so good ! I am in love with apple muffin’s and I like that you made this whole wheat version.

40 Bernadette @ Now Stir It Up March 14, 2013 at 11:28 am

I love muffins. They are the perfect grab and go breakfast. I love that you have big chunks of apple in there. Looks good!

41 Kelsey @ K&K Test Kitchen March 14, 2013 at 8:07 pm

Ah you’ve taken me back to my childhood twice this week! First the Chop Suey (which we called Goulash) and now these muffins. My mom always made a mini-version of some muffins that seem very similar to yours. She called them “Little People Apple Muffins,” but lost the recipe years ago. I’m going to try this version!

42 amy March 14, 2013 at 9:48 pm

Awww, “Little People Apple Muffins” is the cutest name ever! You’ll have to let me know how these compare to your mom’s!

43 Anna (Hidden Ponies) March 14, 2013 at 10:50 pm

This looks like a perfect way to start the day! Love the apple chunks in there.

44 Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef March 15, 2013 at 6:46 pm

mmmm, i love muffins and these look wonderful!!

45 wendy (the weekend gourmet) March 15, 2013 at 7:00 pm

Love the big chunks of apples in here!

46 Beth March 17, 2013 at 2:21 pm

This recipe is definitely a keeper. Muffins are always my favorites, and I love the idea of slightly healthier muffins. Can’t wait to try them!

47 Marina March 18, 2013 at 3:17 am

I love muffins, but I never tried apple muffins before. Well, it’s time to change that!

48 Kiran @ KiranTarun.com March 18, 2013 at 10:45 am

Can’t wait for the little lady to arrive. Eeeps!

49 amy March 18, 2013 at 3:12 pm

Me, too! =) !!!!

50 Blond Duck March 18, 2013 at 9:31 pm

Happy Monday!

leave a comment

Previous post:

Next post: