Apple Cinnamon Oat Muffins

Is there a more perfect combination than apples and cinnamon? Well, maybe peanut butter and chocolate, but apples and cinnamon are a pretty stellar pairing, especially when it comes to muffins.

These apple cinnamon oat muffins are one of my favorite muffin recipes for a couple of reasons. First, they are jam packed with a ton of heart-healthy oats, which have been shown to help lower cholesterol levels, improve blood sugar control, and provide a good dose of healthy carbs and filling fiber. I’m a big oats fan-girl.

Secondly, these muffins are low in oil with only 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, which is rich in healthy fats. They are also sweetened with applesauce and a dose of coconut sugar, in place of refined granulated sugar, to keep these muffins just sweet enough and extra moist.

And let’s not forget the apples! In addition to being delicious, apples are incredibly nutritious and have been linked to a reduced risk of some major diseases including cancer and diabetes. I guess it’s true what they say about apples and doctors!

Now, let’s dive into the recipe!

Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Muffin Tins

First, preheat your oven to 375F and line your muffin tin. I cannot stress enough the importance of preheating your oven, especially when it comes to baking anything that includes a leavening agent (think yeast, baking soda, and baking powder).

Here is just a few reasons why you should ALWAYS preheat your oven.

Food Cooks Unevenly in a Cold Oven

Starting with a preheated oven ensures an even temperature from the get-go and results in even cooking of your dish.

Ovens are often either preheated from a single bottom element or from both a top and bottom element (the top element turns off after preheating). If you put, say, a tray of cookies in the oven before it’s preheated, the cookies will either not set properly and spread out too far (for ovens preheated with bottom element only) or they will be hit with too much heat from the top (for ovens preheated with both a top and bottom element), which will set your cookies too quickly and prevent them from spreading, as well as char them from the top by the time the center has cooked.

Food Cooks Faster in a Preheated Oven

If you start with a cold oven, the temperature has to steadily increase until it reaches the set temperature, where it then takes several minutes for the temperature inside the oven to stabilize. Putting your dish in too early will result in a longer cooking time, whereas if you put your dish in at the right temperature, it will begin cooking immediately and properly.

The Texture and Flavor of Your Dish Are Affected by Temperature and Time

This point ties back in with #1 and #2. Wondering why your biscuits aren’t flaking properly? Is your cookie golden on the top and charred and rock hard on the bottom or vice versa? The problem probably lies in not letting your oven preheat before sticking your baked goods in the oven.

Leavening Agents Require a Precise Amount of Heat to Work

Yeast, baking powder, and baking soda are all common leavening agents and they require a precise amount of heat to raise properly. So if the oven starts out too cold, these agents may not raise to completeness.

This same notion applies to foods with delicate architecture, such as souffles and meringues, which are prone to collapse, as well as pastries and pie crusts, which require a certain dose of heat for their flour structures to set before the butter melts.

In short, are you baking something with flour, eggs, or a leavening agent? Then preheat your oven. And if you’re still not sure, just do it anyway.

Alright, back to the apple cinnamon oat muffins!

Step 2: Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients Separately and Combine

Mix your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Fold in the apples.

Step 3: Make Crumble Topping

Prepare the crumble in a small mixing bowl. If you prefer a drier, finer topping, skip the water. If you prefer a clumpier topping, then add a little bit of water until the ingredients begin to clump. You could also try swapping out the water and coconut sugar with maple syrup, adding a little bit at a time until clumps begin to form. Set aside.

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Step 4: Cook Muffins

Fill the muffin tins with batter until nearly full. Dollop a teaspoon or so of crumble on top of the batter. Bake for approximately 18 to 22 minutes, or until the muffins appear golden brown and a toothpick comes out cleanly. Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

If you loved these apple cinnamon oat muffins, be sure to check out our other baked goods:

• Hearty Morning Harvest Muffins
• Cranberry Dark Chocolate Cake Scones
• Chai Spiced Scones with Cinnamon Glaze
• Cinnamon Zucchini Bread
• Easy Apple Muffins