Paleo Apple Muffins
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Busy mornings call for quick breakfasts like these paleo apple muffins. They’re packed with filling almond flour, subtly sweet, and full of cinnamon and apple flavor. They’re easy to make, they freeze well, and kids love them too!
I should start by saying you don’t need to follow a paleo diet to enjoy these apple cinnamon muffins. They’re what I make whenever I need a grab-and-go breakfast or snack for busy days, and they never last long on the counter.
They’re hearty enough to wrap up a couple and toss into a backpack or purse, which makes them perfect for mornings on the run. Whether I’m heading out the door or just want something easy to reach for later, these muffins are always a good idea.
Key ingredients
This paleo muffin recipe is full of delicious ingredients, and you’re likely to have most of them in your kitchen.
- Applesauce: Applesauce is basically a 1:1 substitute for oil, and it adds natural sweetness. You can use store-bought applesauce, or try making your own. I typically use bananas to sweeten paleo muffins but applesauce is a delicious swap.
- Apple: You can use any variety of apples. Just keep in mind some apples like Macintosh will be softer when baked, while others like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp will be firmer.
- Coconut oil: I use coconut oil but you can also use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
- Almond flour: Almond flour (or almond meal) makes a great gluten-free and grain-free alternative to wheat-based flours. For the best results, look for a fine-ground almond flour.
What to serve with paleo apple muffins
Pair these paleo apple cinnamon muffins with a green breakfast smoothie to keep you fuelled all morning long. These muffins also make a tasty addition to a brunch spread, and they taste great with a coconut turmeric latte or cup of tea.
Storage and freezing
Store: These muffins will keep well for 3-4 days in a sealed bag on your counter. You can put them into your fridge for an extra day or two.
Freeze: This is an excellent freezer recipe. Place them in a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw them on your counter or in the microwave.
Paleo Apple Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- ¼ cup honey (or maple syrup)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon EACH: ground ginger, cloves, and allspice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 apple (cored and diced small)
- ½ cup EACH: chopped walnuts and paleo chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the apple sauce, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla and whisk again. Add the spices, sea salt, almond flour, and baking soda and whisk thoroughly. Stir in the diced apple, walnuts, and chocolate chips.4 large eggs, 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce, ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon EACH: ground ginger, cloves, and allspice, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 ½ cups almond flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 apple, ½ cup EACH: chopped walnuts and paleo chocolate chips
- Add the spices, sea salt, almond flour, and baking soda and whisk thoroughly. Stir in the diced apple, walnuts, and chocolate chips.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin liners, filling them to the very top. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing them from the pan and letting them cool completely on a cooling rack – see notes.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
I love this muffin recipe! They are wonderful without the honey and less applesauce. I add chai and flax seeds as well and only do half the batch with chocolate chips for my son. I’m not a big fan of spice so I haven’t tried it with those. Thanks for sharing this!!!
Love these……best gluten free muffins ever. Great combination of spices, super moist. My husband had no idea that they were free of gluten and cane sugar. I added a little extra dried fruit … dried apricots and unsweetened cranberries instead of the chocolate.
I love them. I just leave out the spices and add it afterwards if I am in the mood for cinnamon.
It is just as delicious afterwards or without at all.
They are simply Delicious.
Best paleo apple muffin recipe I have tried, ever. Thank you 😊
These were great! I will try cutting the honey in half next time, just to cut back on sugar calories for breakfast ! Did not use nor miss the chocolate chips. Love the idea of adding coconut and /dried cranberries. This is a real winner!
Can’t wait to try this! Can I use a loaf pan instead of muffin pan?
I followed the recipe to the letter and they never finished cooking all the way. 🙁 It was like batter in the middle. I used mini muffin pans and the rest I put into a loaf pan and cooked it for an hour. Still not done. I’m not sure what went wrong?? I guess I can put a slice in the toaster oven to try and make it edible.
Cooking anything in a loaf pan takes MUCH longer to cook through. For reference, regular muffins take about 20 minutes vs 1 hour in a loaf pan. It sounds like they need to go back into the oven. 🙂
Kristen, thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
And thank you more for the ‘scale 1x 2x 3x’ what a great idea.
I’ve made the muffins more than three times.
Delicious!
Today, I went over-the-top..hehe..and made the 3x!!!
I filled up a dozen muffin liners (what a pain these liners, even with pam, they
keep sticking all over, I ordered some non-stick liners from Amazon. We’ll see)
and 2 loaf pans!!!
The kitchen, already smells marvelous.
Thank you again.
Try parchment paper liners… they’re the best!
Try getting new nonstick muffin pans.
My muffin liners never stick and I just simply put them in.
No spray or anything
Any chance these could be made without the honey? I’m eating Whole30 right now and can’t have honey. Just wondering if the texture would be off. I think the applesauce would keep it sweet enough. Just curious! Thanks!
This recipe is very flexible so I think it will work just fine without the honey. 🙂
I stopped adding the honey and instead add dried fruit like raisins or dates and it tastes great. This has become a go to recipe
That’s such a great idea!
Made these today and they were delicious! I omitted the chocolate chips as I wasn’t really feeling for them. They were moist, flavorful, and yummy 🙂
I recently made a very similar recipe using white whole wheat flour and they came out dense and dry, not light and airy like these! Thanks!
I’m so happy to hear that the recipe as a hit!