• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Short Order Cook

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Food & Fun
  • Products I Love
  • Travel & Dining
  • Meet Angela
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Food & Fun
    • Products I Love
    • Travel & Dining
    • Meet Angela
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Breakfast

    Published: Jul 21, 2023 by Angela · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

    Easy Applesauce Muffins

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy muffin recipe with applesauce is the best homemade baked good for breakfast, snacks, or even dessert. They are sweet, moist, and fluffy. But my favorite part is the cinnamon sugar topping that is crunchy and rustic which makes these the tastiest muffins ever. 

    Easy to make Applesauce Muffins plated and ready to eat.

    In only 30 minutes home-baked applesauce spice muffins are ready for the family. These breakfast muffins are great for kids, toddlers, babies, and adults.

    Everyone will want these sweet applesauce muffins for holiday and weekend brunches. Like my Banana Streusel Muffins the crumbly topping is hard to resist.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients for Easy Applesauce Muffins
    • How to Make Applesauce Muffins
    • Topping and Baking the Muffins
    • How Long to Bake Applesauce Muffins
    • Make-Ahead and How to Store Muffins
    • Substitutes & Variations
    • Easy Applesauce Muffins

    Ingredients for Easy Applesauce Muffins

    To make homemade apple sauce muffins, the ingredients are simple and you likely have everything you need already in your pantry. 

    There is no oil in these muffins, the rich salted butter paired with unsweetened apple sauce, and spices result in a wonderful old-fashioned from-scratch taste.

    The most important part about preparing for this recipe is that you will want the eggs to be at room temperature.  This is typically the case whenever baking.   Often the butter is at room temperature too but in this recipe, we actually are using melted butter.

    ingredients for easy applesauce muffins
    • All-purpose Flour
    • Baking Powder
    • Baking Soda
    • Cinnamon
    • Ground Nutmeg
    • Eggs - room temperature is key
    • Brown Sugar 
    • Salted Butter - melted butter adds moisture & richness.
    • Unsweetened Applesauce - there is enough sugar in the recipe so unsweetened is best.
    • Granulated Sugar

    See the recipe card for amounts & full instructions.

    How to Make Applesauce Muffins

    Preheat the oven to 400°.  This batter comes together fast and you want that oven ready. Everything is stirred by hand, no electric hand mixer is needed.

    In a small-sized mixing bowl,  you will add all the dry ingredients. Next, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the room-temperature eggs and brown sugar.

    Melt the butter and make sure it is melted but not HOT before adding to the mixture. You do not want the hot butter combined with the eggs (or you may get scrambled egg pieces).  Next add warm melted butter, a little at a time, whisking until the mixture is creamy. Now for the yummy apple sauce.

    Homemade Apple Sauce for the Muffins

    For this recipe,  I am using my homemade apple sauce which is honestly pretty amazing and so easy. I highly recommend making homemade apple sauce not just for this recipe but for enjoyment any time of year. 

    Try my SLOW COOKER APPLE SAUCE recipe and judge for yourself.   Look how delicious that looks and while you make it, your house will smell so good.

    batter in mixing bowl

    Topping and Baking the Muffins

    Prepare a 12-muffin tin with nonstick spray or grease.  Once the batter is ready, divide it evenly among 12 muffin cups.

    In a small bowl,  add all of the topping ingredients and mix. Then sprinkle about a teaspoon on top of each muffin.

    Easy Applesauce Muffins ready to bake in muffin pan

    How Long to Bake Applesauce Muffins

    Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the muffin pan for a few minutes and then remove them from the pan.

    Place them on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes.  Enjoy while warm!

    Easy Applesauce Muffins cooling on a rack

    Make-Ahead and How to Store Muffins

    These easy homemade applesauce muffins can be stored and enjoyed over a few days.  Store them on your counter in an air-tight container for up to 2 days.

    These freeze easily.  I suggest wrapping each one individually in plastic wrap tightly. Then place any wrapped muffins in an air-tight container to store in the freezer. 

    Frozen muffins can last up to 2 months in the freezer.  To defrost frozen muffins, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.  

    They are also great to make ahead of time like for Christmas breakfast by making them a day before and keeping them for the next day.  But I admit, this recipe for applesauce muffins makes them pretty fantastic warm right out of the oven and it will be hard to wait.

    Easy Applesauce Muffins overhead

    Substitutes & Variations

    This simple recipe is a classic. But if you want to jazz it up or need some alternate ingredients, here are some top ideas.

    • Apple Sauce - use any of my recommended apple sauce substitutes in a pinch.
    • Pumpkin Spice - use this as a substitute for the nutmeg & cinnamon.
    • Salted Butter - use unsalted & add ¼ teaspoon salt to the dry ingredients
    • CRANBERRY APPLESAUCE MUFFINS - add ⅓ cup dried cranberries
    • BLUEBERRY APPLESAUCE MUFFINS - add ⅓ cup fresh blueberries or just make my Mini Blueberry Muffins instead.
    • BANANA APPLESAUCE MUFFINS - reduce apple sauce to ¾ C and add ¼ C mashed banana
    • NUT APPLESAUCE MUFFINS - add ⅓ cup of your favorite chopped nuts
    Easy Applesauce Muffins fresh out of the oven stacked up

    Product Recommendations for this Recipe:

    The Short Order Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you. This helps with the costs of running the blog. Thank you! 

    Easy Applesauce Muffins featured

    Easy Applesauce Muffins

    Angela
    This easy muffin recipe with applesauce is the best homemade breakfast baked good for all ages, especially kids. They are sweet, fluffy, and the cinnamon sugar topping is a bit crunchy which makes these the best muffins ever. 
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12

    Equipment

    • muffin pan

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 & ½ C all-purpose flour
    • 1 & ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 2 large eggs room temperature
    • 1 C brown sugar packed
    • 1 stick plus 3 TBS salted butter melted
    • 1 C unsweetened applesauce

    Topping Ingredients

    • 2 TBS granulated sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a muffin pan with nonstick spray or grease with butter.
    • In a small-sized mixing bowl,  add flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt and mix with a wooden spoon to combine.
    • In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and brown sugar.  Melt the butter and make sure it is melted but not HOT before adding to the mixture. You do not want hot butter combining with the eggs (or you may get scrambled egg pieces).  Next add the warm melted butter, a little at a time, whisking until the mixture is creamy. 
    • Add the applesauce and mix. Next, fold in the flour mixture until everything is moist and comes together. Scoop or pour batter to divide evenly among 12 muffin cups.
    • In a small bowl,  add all topping ingredients and mix. Then sprinkle 1 teaspoon on top of each muffin.
    • Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the muffin pan for a few minutes and then remove them from the pan.
    • Place them on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!  
    • Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 days on your kitchen counter.
    Keyword baking, christmas, comfort, Easter, easy, fall, fruit, kid favorite, quick, sugar

    Did you make this The Short Order Cook Recipe?

    Tag @theshortordercookblog (Instagram & Facebook) or @shortorder_cook (Twitter). 

    I would love to see your latest creations and kitchen adventures.

    « Top 10 Best Beers for Beer Can Chicken
    Peaches & Cream Ice Cream »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Miz Helen says

      February 20, 2021 at 7:53 am

      5 stars
      Congratulations! Your awesome post is featured on Full Plate Thursday,524 this week. Thanks so much for sharing it with us, we shared with our Features Board!
      Miz Helen

      Reply
      • Angela says

        February 20, 2021 at 1:24 pm

        thank you!

        Reply
    2. Nisha says

      March 01, 2021 at 4:27 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, I would love to try this muffin made with apple sauce. I can imagine how great it would taste with brown sugar and nutmeg. Saving this recipe to make some time.

      Reply
    3. Deborah says

      March 02, 2021 at 11:54 am

      5 stars
      I love applesauce muffins. This was one of the first recipes I learned to make when I was a young girl in my grandma's kitchen. I am eager to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        March 02, 2021 at 1:20 pm

        What a lovely cooking memory. Thank you for sharing your story.

        Reply
    4. Beth says

      March 02, 2021 at 6:47 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a simple and perfect muffin recipe right now when so many different apple varieties are available. My family will love these!

      Reply
    5. Anindya Sundar Basu says

      March 03, 2021 at 3:14 am

      5 stars
      Apple muffins are always so delicious but I haven't heard about Apple sauce muffins earlier. Will definitely try this at home

      Reply
    6. Jacqueline Debono says

      March 03, 2021 at 6:51 am

      5 stars
      These muffins look and sound really good. I love the idea of using homemade apple sauce! So much better than store-bought!

      Reply
    7. Jere Cassidy says

      March 03, 2021 at 8:40 am

      5 stars
      I love having recipes that use my pantry ingredients so I don't have to run to the store. These muffins are perfect for breakfast and snacks .

      Reply
    8. Lathiya says

      March 16, 2021 at 4:32 am

      5 stars
      The muffin looks awesome. I loved the use of applesauce which naturally makes the muffins sweet.

      Reply
    9. Annie Mason says

      March 27, 2021 at 6:04 pm

      5 stars
      Hi, Angela!
      I have been meaning to use this recipe for some time. Today is the day that I finally did it. The ingredients were so easy that I knew I could lay them out before my husband and daughter were awake. I was quiet as a mouse because the hand-whisking, fold in dry and moist and dry, and few bowls were not noisy and I waited to take out the muffin sheet until my hubby was awake. By the time the two came downstairs, the muffins were just being taken out of the oven and set on a cooling rack. They didn't stay on the rack very long because they were scooped up and eaten. Honestly, I am so glad that I tried these because they will be on our breakfast menu frequently. See you at the BTC. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Angela says

        March 27, 2021 at 7:32 pm

        Oh Annie, I am so glad you gave these applesauce muffins a try. You are right, the recipe is so easy and the ingredients are typically items we have already in our pantry. Thank you so much for the comment and letting me know that your family loves this recipe. It made my day!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Angela the short order cook on a step stool reaching into the top kitchen cupboard.

    Hi, I'm Angela I’m Angela, a petite mom that loves to cook, eat, drink, & explore all things food. As a former personal chef & caterer, I specialize in family recipes that taste great & are easy to make. I rely on my trusty stool every day to create & test recipes I know you will love.

    More about me →

    This site has links to products/services that may make us a commission. #ad

    Popular

    • Ahi Tuna Poke Nachos with Wontons
    • spicy jalapeno basil moscow mules ready to drink in copper mugs
      Spicy Jalapeno Basil Moscow Mule
    • Fried Spaghetti with Eggs featured closeup overhead of bowl filled and topped with parmesan and parsley
      Fried Spaghetti with Eggs
    • Garlic Butter Wings Plated and topped with fresh parsley.
      Garlic Butter Wings
    • A bun topped with 3-ingredient sloppy joe meat and cheese.
      3-Ingredient Sloppy Joes (Gluten-Free)
    • Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream Overhead two bowls of ice cream and black napkin.
      Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream
    • A set of black pots and pans.
      Best Pots & Pans for Gas Stove
    • Toaster Oven Baked Potatoes featured 4 ready to eat and plated
      Toaster Oven Baked Potato

    The Short Order Cook LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Disclosure Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Me
    • Meet Angela
    • Meet the Family

    Copyright © 2023 The Short Order Cook LLC All recipes, original photos, and articles on this site are the property of The Short Order Cook LLC. You are welcome to share an original photo ONLY with an accompanied do-follow link back to this site. Publishing any item as if they were your own is prohibited & illegal.

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read Privacy Policy
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT