Step into the warmth of Grandma’s kitchen with these tender, aromatic apple walnut muffins that capture the essence of fall in every bite. This treasured family recipe from 1978 combines fresh apples, crunchy walnuts, and fragrant cinnamon in perfectly moist muffins that have been bringing comfort to breakfast tables for generations. With simple pantry ingredients and foolproof technique, these dairy-free muffins deliver bakery-quality results that make your home smell like a cozy autumn morning while providing the perfect balance of sweetness and spice.
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The Best Apple Muffins Recipe
The secret to these exceptionally moist muffins lies in the careful balance of ingredients and technique. Using oil instead of butter creates tender crumb that stays soft for days, while the natural moisture from fresh apples adds both flavor and texture. The gentle mixing method prevents tough, dense muffins, and the combination of sweet and tart apples provides complex flavor that pairs beautifully with warm cinnamon and rich walnuts.
The Best Apple Cinnamon Muffins Recipe
This isn’t just another muffin recipe, it’s a family legacy that represents the art of simple, honest baking. The recipe achieves that perfect balance of fruit, nuts, and spice without being overly sweet or heavy. Each muffin delivers chunks of tender apple and crunchy walnut pieces in every bite, while the dairy-free formula makes them accessible to those with lactose sensitivity without sacrificing any flavor or texture.
Apple Muffin Recipe Ingredients
Get out your baking ingredients and be ready to make these delicious apple walnut muffins. Please click on the recipe card to receive the quantities and full baking instructions. Dry Foundation:
- All-purpose flour – Creates the sturdy yet tender structure for perfect muffin texture
- Ground cinnamon – Provides warm, aromatic spice that complements apple flavor
- Baking soda – Gives proper rise and light, fluffy texture
- Salt – Enhances all flavors and balances sweetness
Wet Components:
- Vegetable oil – Creates incredibly moist texture that stays fresh for days
- Large eggs – Bind ingredients and provide richness and structure
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens muffins while helping create tender crumb
- Pure vanilla extract – Enhances overall flavor and adds aromatic depth
Flavor Additions:
- Walnuts – Add satisfying crunch and rich, nutty taste
- Fresh tart apples – Provide natural sweetness, moisture, and signature flavor
Ingredient Substitutions
You can make this recipe as is or make some alterations to fit your diet.
- Switch out the flour for King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour.
- Substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
- Use unsweetened applesauce instead of oil (this will enhance the apple flavor).
- Add some other spices like allspice or nutmeg.
- Use pecans or almonds instead of walnuts.
- Instead of using granulated sugar, try using stevia or organic cane sugar. You can also substitute half of the white sugar with brown sugar.
Use the changes that work for you, and let me know how they go!
Apple Selection Guide
Best Apple Varieties for Baking:
- Excellent choices: Jonagold, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith hold their shape during baking while providing great flavor balance.
- Avoid: Red Delicious, Gala, and other soft varieties that become mushy when baked.
- Pro tip: Mixing two varieties creates more complex flavor, try combining one sweet and one tart apple.
Preparation Methods:
- Chopped apples: Creates visible fruit pieces and better moisture retention. Recommended for this recipe.
- Grated apples: Distributes apple flavor evenly but may reduce moisture content.
- Size matters: Dice apples into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces for optimal distribution and texture.
How to Make Apple Muffins
To make this cinnamon apple walnut muffin recipe, you’ll need to combine the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Then, put them together and bake. Here are the steps:
- Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl and set it aside.
- Place the eggs in a large bowl.
- Then, add in the rest of the wet ingredients and whisk them together.
- Once everything is creamed together, add in the dry flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Fold the apple and walnut pieces and carefully mix them into the batter.
- Spoon the batter into lined muffin cups and bake them at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. They are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins from the pan and cool them on a wire rack.
What is the secret to making moist muffins?
By using a sturdier apple for the muffin recipe, the apple retains some of its moisture when it is cut. As an apple is worked, it loses more and more of its moisture.
Also, if you chop up the apple instead of grating it, you can help lock in more moisture that can then be baked into the muffin.
What To Serve With Apple Walnut Muffins
Where do I begin? There are so many ways to enjoy these delicious muffins! I love eating a warm muffin smeared with butter and paired with a nice cup of coffee.
You can also spread some cream cheese or drizzle them with honey or maple syrup. Top them with vanilla icing to dress them up. Alternatively, serve them with a yummy yogurt parfait or a breakfast omelet if you want something more filling.
Best Way to Store Cinnamon Apple Muffins
To ensure that your muffins don’t dry out, store them in an airtight container with the end pieces of a loaf of bread (or any slice).
As the muffins lose their moisture, they can absorb the moisture from the bread, allowing them to last longer.
Can I freeze apple muffins?
These muffins will do well frozen. Just allow them to cool down completely before putting them in a freezer-safe zip-top bag.
When you want to eat one, pull it out the day beforehand and set it on the counter to allow it to thaw at room temperature.
Love apples? Try these amazing apple recipes!
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Check out my easy bread recipes and the best breakfast recipes here on CopyKat!
This recipe is from the archives of my grandmother, Ethel Eynard. Jefferson City, MO. 1978.
Grandma’s Apple Walnut Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups peeled and chopped tart apples
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl or on waxed paper, stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Then beat in the oil, sugar, and vanilla. Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until blended. Then stir in the apples and walnuts.
- Spoon the batter into 2 1/2-inch muffin tins lined with paper muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pans and serve warm or at room temperature.
Perfect. Only added 2c apples-,Still delicious.
I added a 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 clove crushed, and changed the oil out for a cup of pureed zucchini. Excellent!
Do you think I could sub. 1/2 cup of applesauce for 1/2 cup of the veg. oil? And use 1/2 all purpose flour & 1/2 whole wheat flour? Thank you!!
I haven’t made it that way, but your substitutes seen reasonable, I would give it a try.
These were very tasty. Though the ingredient list above does not include the eggs. By far these are the best apple muffins I have made this season.
I will add the eggs, for some reason in the last recipe version if something had 2 eggs it dropped.
Sooooooo delicious!