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Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Shredded apple bakes into a cinnamon muffin that stays moist without a glaze. They are a grab-and-go breakfast, not a cupcake pretending to be one.

Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Total
35 min
Servings
12
Difficulty
Easy
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Apple cinnamon muffins with a browned top and visible apple pieces.

Why you’ll love it

  • Apple shreds keep the crumb moist.
  • Cinnamon is in the batter, not only on top.
  • They bake in about 20 minutes.
  • Twelve muffins from one bowl.

Ingredients

Servings12

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

Rough grocery estimate for the full recipe: about $6–$10 at a typical US supermarket. Prices vary by store, region, and season.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin.

  2. 2

    Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and sugar.

  3. 3

    In another bowl whisk the oil, egg, milk, and vanilla.

  4. 4

    Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Fold in the apple. A few flour streaks are fine.

  5. 5

    Divide the batter among the cups, about three-quarters full.

  6. 6

    Bake at 375°F for 16 to 20 minutes, until the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

  7. 7

    Cool 5 minutes in the tin, then move the muffins to a rack.

Pro tips

  • Squeeze the shredded apple lightly if it is pooling juice. A little moisture is good. A puddle makes the centers gummy.
  • Do not overmix once the flour is in. That is what makes muffins tough.
  • Leaveners do not scale in a straight line if you change the pan. Use the toothpick test.

Easy substitutions

Shredded apple
Shredded pear
Neutral oil
Melted butter
Milk
Buttermilk

Storage and reheating

Storage

Keep covered at room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days.

Reheating

Warm at 300°F for 6 to 8 minutes. A microwave works for 15 seconds if you are leaving the house.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
180
Protein
3 g
Carbs
26 g
Fat
7 g
Fiber
1 g

Budget friendly · Oven · Vegetarian

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients