Vegan Gluten-free Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Vegan Gluten-free Apple Cinnamon Muffins- made with whole grain flour and naturally sweetened, these moist and nutritious muffins are the perfect treat to bake on a chilly fall weekend!

This post was created in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill

Who needs potpourri when you can whip up a delicious batch of apple cinnamon muffins? The intoxicating scent lingers for what seems like days in your kitchen.

Plus, with the current shortage of pumpkin puree, I figured it was a good time to highlight the beauty of apples. Specifically in muffins topped with Bob’s Red Mill Maple Sea Salt Granola. Insert heart eyes here.

Ingredients + Possible Substitutions

When I reached out to those of you that follow me on Instagram, I asked if you would prefer a vegan and gluten-free muffin or just gluten-free and the majority voted for both so that’s the version you’ll see here. Here’s what you need to make them!

• Ground Flax Seed- To keep these muffins vegan, we’re using ground flax seed combined with water to create a “flax egg”. This will add moisture and help bind the muffins. If you’re not vegan and want to use a real egg I would recommend replacing the flax egg with one egg. I haven’t tested them that way but my suspicion is that it would work well.
• Oat Flour- Using oat flour gives these muffins a boost of fiber, protein and heart healthy antioxidants. Possible substitutions would be brown rice or white rice flour, or wheat flour if you’re not gluten-free.
• Almond Flour- This is one I know I will get a lot of questions on how to substitute but unfortunately I don’t recommend it. Almond flour is unique in its ability to add moisture and fat while offsetting the dense texture of the whole grain oat flour. In order to leave it out you would have to adjust the fat and liquid in the recipe while also incorporating some kind of starch to lighten up the texture. That would make it a completely different recipe that would require several trials to get just right!
• Ground Cinnamon and Salt- Two teaspoons cinnamon is just the right amount for my personal preference but feel free to add more or less if you prefer. The recipe also includes 1/4 teaspoon of salt to offset the sweetness from the sugar.
• Baking Powder and Soda- These are our leavening agents which help the muffins rise and brown properly. Yes you need both for maximum lift since flax eggs don’t do that as well as real eggs.
• Apple Cider Vinegar- Another key ingredient for lift and a lighter texture, lactic acid reacts with the leavening agents to incorporate air into the batter. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you could also use lemon juice or white vinegar.
• Dairy-free Milk- While you could technically use any kind of non-dairy milk you like, I recommend one with a sufficient amount of protein for best results, such as soy, pea or oat milk. The protein in the milk reacts with the vinegar to create lactic acid which is what activates the leavening agents to produce air.
• Vanilla Extract- Everything is better with vanilla. I use two teaspoons for maximum flavor enhancement.
• Pure Maple Syrup- Maple syrup adds a natural sweetness that pairs perfectly with the apples and cinnamon. While you could technically use honey or agave nectar in its place, I recommend sticking with maple syrup for the most consistent results.
• Applesauce- I’ve only tested these with unsweetened applesauce so keep in mind that sweetened applesauce might makes these overly sweet. If your applesauce has cinnamon added you will also want to adjust for that in the recipe.
• Granny Smith Apple- Green apples are my favorite for baking because of the tartness they add. However, you are welcome to use any kind of apple you like!
• Bob’s Red Mill Maple Sea Salt Granola- Topping your muffins with granola might seem a little extra but you guys, it is SO WORTH IT. The maple flavor and crunchy texture of this granola on top of a moist muffin with fresh apples baked in is like heaven on earth. Plus you can feel good knowing that it’s certified gluten-free and made with wholesome ingredients!

How to Make Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Although the ingredient list might seem lengthy, these muffins are easy to whip up!

1. Create your “flax egg” by combining ground flax with water. Set aside to thicken.
2. Whisk together dry ingredients: oat flour, almond flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and soda.
3. Combine wet ingredients: non-dairy milk, apple cider vinegar, applesauce, vanilla, and maple syrup.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet. Stir in diced apple, flax egg, and melted oil.
5. Scoop batter into greased muffin pan. Top with maple granola, bake for about 25 minutes, allow to cool, then serve!

Want More Vegan and Gluten-free Muffins?

• Vegan Pumpkin Blender Muffins
• Vegan Double Chocolate Banana Blender Muffins
• Vegan Spinach Blender Muffins
• Vegan Banana Oatmeal Blender Muffins
• Vegan Lemon Zucchini Muffins
• Vegan Gluten-free Lemon Blueberry Muffins
• Healthy Vegan and Gluten-free Pumpkin Muffins
• Vegan Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Gluten-free Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Made with whole grain flour and naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup, these moist and nutritious muffins are the perfect treat to bake on a chilly fall weekend!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Servings: 10 muffins

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
• 1/3 cup non-dairy milk, see notes
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup unsweetend applesauce
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons drippy almond butter, or melted coconut oil
• 1½ cups oat flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 granny smith apple, diced into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Maple Sea Salt Granola, for topping

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F then lightly grease a muffin tin for 10 muffins.
• In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon ground flax with 3 tablespoons water. Set aside to thicken.
• In a large bowl, combine the milk, apple cider vinegar, applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla, and almond butter (if using coconut oil, add to bowl when you add dry ingredients). Whisk until smooth.
• In a separate large bowl, whisk together oat flour, almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the diced apple and stir to coat.
• Next add the dry ingredients and the flax egg to the bowl with the wet, folding together as you combine. If you're using coconut oil instead of almond butter, add it now. You want to make sure there isn't any flour left that needs to be incorporated but also fold just until everything is combined, being careful not to overstir.
• Scoop the batter into the greased muffin so that each is about 3/4 of the way full. Arrange extra diced apple on top of each one then sprinkle with granola. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden on the edges and firm on top. Allow to cool completely before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Calories: 184kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 124mg, Potassium: 239mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 41IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 89mg, Iron: 1mg

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!

 This post was created in partnership with a brand that I have used and loved for years, Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions and text are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make it possible for me to bring you quality content. For more delicious recipes and a coupon for $1.00 off any product, please visit Bob’sRedMill.com.