A few weeks ago, my grandma and I met at Starbucks for a coffee date. We arrived mid-afternoon… Apparently right as teenagers finished their classes at the high school campus a block away.
Nearly twenty of them gathered inside, split between standing in line to order and waiting on the other side of the room for baristas to present their drinks. At least two dozen more stood around outside, laughing and shouting and — much to my grandma’s bemusement — traveling around the shopping center together in packs.
Using her usual charm, my grandma managed to snag an outdoor table and chair from one boy, along with a second unused chair from another guy a few yards away. To our surprise, the teens even offered to help her move the patio furniture!
I left my grandma at the table and slipped inside to buy her a peppermint mocha and a plain black coffee for myself. Although only one patron stood in front of me by the time I entered the store, we still waited at least five minutes to order. The harried baristas deftly worked behind the counter, circling like tornados, and I watched as they quickly pulled espresso shots, filled blenders, squeezed out whipped cream, slipped pastries into brown paper bags, and called out the names of the high school kids.
Although slightly tempted to request a baked treat too upon seeing the students reach into those little sacks, I immediately decided against it when I spotted the slim pickings still remaining in the glass display case. A few minutes later, two steaming mugs in hand, I pushed open the front door and sat down across from my grandma, where we stayed and chatted until the sun disappeared below the horizon.
Yet shortly after I drove home that evening, I whipped up a batch of these ultimate healthy apple muffins to satisfy my craving for something baked and sweet. They’re deliciously cozy with the perfect texture, and they’re lovely for breakfast — or a mid-afternoon coffee date!
QUICK OVERVIEW – THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY APPLE MUFFINS
Difficulty: Fairly easy, including for most beginner bakers.
Taste: Sweet, cozy, and comforting from a mix of cinnamon and other spices that flavor the background, plus bright pops of natural sweetness from juicy diced apples.
Texture: Really moist, tender, and fluffy muffins, with soft apple bits that melt in your mouth.
KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY APPLE MUFFINS
Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make the best healthy apple muffins! I’m assuming you already have pantry essentials like baking powder, baking soda, and salt… So let’s focus on the other ingredients right now.
Flour. To make these healthy apple muffins, I opted for white whole wheat flour. Yes, this actually exists — and it’s not a combination of regular whole wheat flour and white (aka all-purpose) flour!
Here in the US, there are two main types of wheat: red wheat and white wheat. They both have the same health benefits (like extra fiber!), but the former is heartier with a more pronounced “wheat-y” flavor, whereas the latter is lighter in taste and texture.
Red wheat is used to make regular whole wheat flour, and white wheat is used to make (you guessed it!) white whole wheat flour. Because this type of wheat has a lighter taste and texture that’s pretty similar to all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour yields a sweeter flavor in your healthy apple muffins and a really tender texture!
Hint: It’s similar to the difference between red and green grapes. Same health benefits, just different flavors!
Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy apple muffins gluten-free, then I’ve included how to do that in the Notes section of the recipe!
Spices. You’ll need three of them: cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. I prefer Saigon cinnamon (and I buy it online here!) because it has a stronger and sweeter flavor. Allspice is a single spice (not a blend!) that tastes like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. A pinch of nutmeg gives the spice profile in these apple muffins a richer, deeper taste.
Greek yogurt. You just need ½ tablespoon of butter or oil in this recipe, which helps keep your healthy apple muffins low calorie and low fat. Then Greek yogurt contributes to the rest of their super moist texture! It adds the same moisture as extra butter or oil (but for a fraction of the calories!), and it gives your muffins a protein boost too.
Sweetener. I used liquid stevia to make these healthy apple muffins sugar-free. It helps keep them low calorie too! Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. For the best results, I highly recommend using the same one that I do. I buy it online here because that’s the best price I’ve found, and I love how I don’t notice any strange aftertaste like with some other products.
Hint: You can use liquid stevia to make all of these recipes of mine too. (I promise it’s not a “one-time use” ingredient!)
Tip: If you’re not a fan of stevia, then I’ve provided some other sweetener alternatives in the Notes section of the recipe!
Vinegar. I know, I know… Vinegar? In muffins?? It may sound like I’ve lost all my marbles… But this secret ingredient makes a big difference in the moist and tender texture of your healthy apple muffins! Here’s why…
Vinegar is an acid. Baking soda is a base. When you mix the two together, it creates air bubbles (specifically carbon dioxide!). Those air bubbles help your muffins rise once you put the batter in the oven, and they also create a fluffy and moist texture. By the time your muffins finish baking, all of the vinegar will have reacted with the baking soda, so you will not taste any vinegar whatsoever! (Just… Don’t taste the raw batter. Trust me.)
Apples. I love Fuji apples for making these ultimate healthy apple muffins because they have a naturally sweet flavor and a great texture that softens yet still holds up well, without turning mushy or mealy. However, the more important part is how you prepare the apples — not just what variety you use! So let’s move on to…
HOW TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY APPLE MUFFINS
Now that you’ve got your ingredients ready, let’s talk about how to make the best healthy apple muffins! This recipe is easy to make, so there are only a few key steps to cover.
Prepare the apples. In my first round of testing, I diced the apples. I loved the bright pop of apple flavor and natural sweetness they added to each bite of muffin, but they were still on the crisp “al dente” side and fairly firm.
Next, I tried grating the apples. In that batch, the apples softened completely, which was exactly what I wanted… But because they were grated, the apples completely blended into the background, and you couldn’t detect any pops of apple flavor.
Then I had a moment of brilliance. (Well, it certainly felt like it, anyway!)
What if I precooked the diced apples so they’d be softer, like the grated ones… But they’d still add that bright pop of fruit flavor that I loved?
That batch turned out perfectly! Bursts of sweet apple flavor, with an incredibly soft texture that melted in your mouth. The best of both worlds!
So to get that perfect apple taste and texture in your apple muffins, first dice them so they’re ⅛” thick (or up to 3/16” thick — but no bigger!). This is SO important. Bigger and/or thicker apple slices will not soften properly. Yes, I know it takes extra time to dice your apples that small… But I promise it makes the best apple muffins possible!
Hint: Dice, chop, and mince aren’t synonyms… They actually refer to different sizes! Chop is the biggest, dice is much smaller, and mince means superfine.
Next, pop those diced apples in a bowl with a bit of water, cover the top, and microwave on high for 2 ½ minutes. If you let them sit while you measure and mix together the rest of the ingredients, they’ll be much softer and ready to use by the time you need to fold them into the batter.
No mixer. That’s right — put away your stand mixers and hand-held mixers! For the best healthy apple muffins, make this batter by hand. Use a whisk where explicitly instructed, and use a fork for everything else.
Why a fork and not a wooden spoon?
The open spaces between the tines of a fork allow for the batter’s ingredients to pass through them, which makes it easier and more efficient for everything to come together while you stir. This helps prevent over-mixing — which is exactly why you do NOT want to use a mixer!
Both stand mixers and hand-held mixers (aka electric mixers) tend to over-mix low fat batters, like this healthy apple muffin batter. Over-mixing leads to a tough or gummy texture. Not good! But if you use a whisk and fork — and a gentle hand while stirring! — then your muffins should turn out really soft and tender.
That’s my third secret to making moist muffins! A whisk, a fork, and making the batter by hand. (The first was Greek yogurt, and the second was vinegar!) Then my fourth secret is…
Alternating additions. This is a common method used to make cake and cupcake batters, and I love using it to make muffin batter too. It also helps prevent over-mixing, which creates a really moist and fluffy muffin texture.
So what does “alternating additions” mean? It’s simple! Switch between adding some of the flour mixture, gently stirring it in, adding some milk, gently stirring it in, and going back and forth between these two until you run out of the flour mixture and milk. And yes… I use a fork to do this, not a spatula or wooden spoon!
Prepare the muffin cups. This is super important! Low fat batters, like this healthy apple muffin batter, will stick to muffin cups and muffin liners like superglue because the batter contains so little oil or butter. Generously coating either with cooking spray will prevent your muffins from sticking too much. (I use this trick for all of my healthy muffin recipes — and my healthy cupcake recipes too!)
Tip: I highly recommend doing this for any type of muffin pan (metal, silicone, etc) and muffin liner (paper, foil, silicone, etc). It ensures your muffins don’t get stuck and slide right out!
Bake. Your muffins are ready to come out of the oven when the tops feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with some crumbs attached. Then all that’s left to do is wait (im)patiently until they’ve cooled enough to eat!
FAQS ABOUT THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY APPLE MUFFINS
Are these healthy apple muffins gluten-free, sugar-free, clean eating, low fat, or low calorie?
Yes — to everything! When made as written, these apple muffins are naturally clean eating, low fat, and low calorie (compared to more traditional recipes!). They have no added sugar, and you can easily make them gluten-free! I’ve shared how to do that in the Notes section of the recipe.
Can I substitute a different flour?
Absolutely! Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour work really well.
What can I substitute for the vinegar?
I’ve only tested this recipe with distilled white vinegar, so I can’t personally vouch for any substitutes. However, if distilled white vinegar isn’t readily available where you live, then lemon juice or apple cider vinegar would probably be what I’d try. (You need some type of acid to react with the baking soda to make these apple muffins rise properly and give them the best soft, moist, and tender texture!)
What can I substitute for the stevia?
See the Notes section for my top recommendations! I know not everyone enjoys or is comfortable with using stevia, so I’ve included lots of alternatives there.
Can I use a different milk?
Sure thing! Almost any type will work, so feel free to use whatever you already have in your refrigerator.
What kinds of apples are best for muffins?
I personally love Fuji apples for muffins because they’re juicy, naturally sweet, and have a great texture that holds up well during and after baking.
What is the secret to making moist muffins?
I covered this in more detail above, but the quick answer is (a) Greek yogurt, (b) vinegar, (c) a fork and no mixers, and (d) alternating additions. See the “Key Ingredients to Make the Ultimate Healthy Apple Muffins” and “How to Make the Ultimate Healthy Apple Muffins” sections above for more information about each of these!
How should I store these healthy apple muffins?
In an airtight container in the refrigerator. When stored like this, they should last at least 5 days, if not longer!
Do these apple muffins freeze well?
Yes, these healthy apple muffins freeze really well! Just remember to remove any paper or foil liners first. (The liners don’t peel away as easily after freezing and thawing.)
To thaw them, I like to pop individual muffins in the microwave and heat them on 50-60% power until they’re warmed all the way through. When thawed like this, they practically taste freshly baked!
Ready to bake your own? And when you do, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your ultimate healthy apple muffins!
The Ultimate Healthy Apple Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (187g) diced Fuji apple (see Notes!)
- 3 tbsp (45mL) water
- 2 ¼ cups (270g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 tbsp (15mL) vanilla extract
- 2 ½ tsp liquid stevia (see Notes!)
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp (45mL) distilled white vinegar
- ¾ cup nonfat milk, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. (If using liners, then line 12 muffins cups with liners and coat them with cooking spray.)
- Add the diced apples and water to a microwave-safe bowl. Tightly cover the top with a lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 2 minutes 30 seconds (2:30). Immediately (and carefully!) remove the lid or plastic wrap, and gently fluff the apples with a fork. Set aside to cool (while measuring and mixing together the rest of the ingredients).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter or coconut oil, egg whites, vanilla extract, and liquid stevia. Add in the Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps remain. Stir in the vinegar. Stir in ¼ cup of milk. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and remaining milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.) Gently fold in the diced apples, as well as any water still remaining in the bowl.
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for 23-27 minutes or until the top feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (or with a few crumbs attached). Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Muffins
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Zucchini Muffins
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Oatmeal Muffins
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Apple Pie
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Apple Crisp
♡ Healthy Apple Scones
♡ Healthy Apple Pie Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy muffin recipes and healthy apple recipes!
I had to make quite a few substitutions and guess some measurements as I wanted to use whatever I had available in the house – but these are very good!! Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear you like these muffins, Laura, and that your substitutions worked well for you! We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback and rate this recipe! 🙂
Just a quick question. Is the “187” for the apples grams?
Yes! Thanks so much for catching that omission. All fixed! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these apple muffins if you try making them, Debbie!
I want to use the whole egg Would it be best use one egg instead of two?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Christine! I’ve actually answered this exact question in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions!). I know it can be really easy to miss though! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think of these muffins if you try making them!
Thank you for sharing your delicious and healthy recipes. I use the powdered Stevia or Truvia. Can I substitute it for the liquid Stevia in you recipes please? If yes, how? Thanks
I really appreciate your interest in my recipes, Anna! Because many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels and behave differently in baking recipes, and therefore require changing the amounts of other ingredients to compensate (such as milk!), I don’t have a “one size fits all” approach to substituting powdered stevia or Truvia for liquid stevia in all of my recipes. However, I’m happy to help on a recipe-by-recipe basis! 🙂
If you’d like to try your powdered stevia, what’s the exact one (brand + product name) that you have? Like I mentioned above and in the Notes section, many brands and products have different sweetness levels, so the amount you’ll need (and any modifications you might need to make!) depends on the exact one you’d like to use.
If you’d prefer to substitute Truvia, what’s the exact product that you have? Is it the original spoonable jar, the original spoonable jar in the “brown” variety, their “Sweet Complete” granulated bag, etc?
Thank you for taking time to respond to my question. I use Truvia For Baking (Brown ) which measures spoon for spoon like brown sugar.
The powdered Stevia I use is called: Steiva in the Raw. This is what it says on the back:
“Replace half the sugar in cupcakes, tarts and all kinds of baked goods. Keeping half the sugar is important for moisture, browing and rising”.
I’m not sure if this enough information.
Thanks
It’s my pleasure, Anna! I’m happy to help. If your Stevia In The Raw comes in a green bag (as opposed to their individual packets or tablets), with maltodextrin and stevia leaf extract as its only ingredients, then that will be much easier to substitute in these muffins than the Brown Truvia For Baking. You’ll need 1 ¼ cups of Stevia In The Raw “Bakers Bag” to replace the 2 ½ teaspoons of liquid stevia that I used. Because of this specific stevia product’s formulation, you don’t actually need to make any other modifications. (As long as you stir it in really thoroughly, it dissolves down into almost nothing, so it doesn’t throw off the ratio of wet and dry ingredients!)
I also created a few recipes specifically for that same Stevia In The Raw “Bakers Bag” product! If you’re interested, I’ll share links to them below. (Just in case you’d like ideas of other things you can make with it! 🙂 )
• Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies
• Gingerbread Muffins
• Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread
I’d love to hear what you think of these muffins, if you do end up making them!
Wow Amy, thank you so much for all this information. Yes, I do have the large Baker’s bag as I use it in most recipes. I will definitely be try out the blueberry muffins and some of the ones you sent me the links for!
Will let you know how they turn out 🙂
You’re welcome, Anna! I’m so glad it’s useful. I’m really excited to hear how your baked treats turn out! 🙂
Made these. Used 2 whole eggs, honey maple syrup instead of Stevie. I’m off plastic so I sautéed apples lightly. I added dried cranberries. Next time I will use a few more apples and maybe a spoonful of applesauce. They were slightly.dry. I also put some pecans on top. Very flavorful and will make again. Appreciate you notes on ways to substitute.
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed these muffins, Mary Ann! Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know, it really means a lot! I appreciate you sharing your modifications, too. We love to hear about recipe tweaks that work well. Sometimes it takes a couple tries to get those substitutions just right, doesn’t it? I’m excited to hear you plan to make them again, and I’d love to hear if they turn out even better next time! 😉
I can not use any dairy product. I can substitute Almond milk for regular milk, but what can I do about the yogurt? Thanks so much
We really appreciate your interest in this recipe, Elaine! Non-dairy yogurt (ie soy- or almond-based) would be the best substitute in place of the Greek yogurt. I’d love ot hear what you think of these muffins if you decide to try making some!
I made these last night and they are quite good. My family likes more cinnamon so I will change that a bit. I also used whole eggs.
I am wondering why you choose to use egg whites in most of your recipes instead of whole eggs.
We’re honored that you decided to try our recipe, Barbara! I’m glad that you enjoyed these muffins. Thanks for taking the time to let us know, it really means a lot!
Amy likes to use egg whites because certain family members and friends have to watch their cholesterol, and omitting the yolks means that they’re able to enjoy the treats as well. We understand not everyone needs to do that though! Our general rule of thumb is to reduce the liquid volume (milk, in this case!) by ½ tablespoon for every yolk that’s added to ensure the same batter or dough consistency.
I also wanted to recommend that you check out the Notes section directly below the recipe, specifically the spice notes. Amy prefers the Saigon cinnamon since it typically stronger in flavor, so that might be something your family would be interested in trying when your current jar of cinnamon runs out? We’d love to hear what you think if you decide to try it sometime!