Healthy Apple Spice Crumb Muffins
Sweet and crunchy on the tops, moist and bursting with warm fall flavors on the inside, these Healthy Apple Spice Crumb Muffins are a MUST try!
I am quite certain that there is nothing in this world comparable to a warm, freshly baked muffin to wake up to in the morning. Bonus points if it’s healthy!
Typically, most muffins you find in bakeries are cupcakes in disguise – relying heavily on oil, butter, and cups of sugar for sweetness. When I’m craving a healthy muffin, I find the only way I can truly enjoy them is to just make them myself. Plus they make my house smell like a bakery. 
These homemade Healthy Apple Spice Crumb Muffins are soft, fluffy, and full of good-for-you ingredients like whole grains, oats, and fresh apples. In lieu of butter or oil, I used unsweetened applesauce to give the muffins tons of moisture. I also used as little sugar as possible and went with coconut sugar, but you can totally use brown sugar if that’s what you have on-hand.
What I love most about these guys is that they actually rise. They’re just like the tall bakery muffins. Flat muffins?? No, thank you. It’s taken some practice, but I finally found a few tricks to bake up high, fluffy muffins – no more flat, dry muffins here!
TIPS FOR FLUFFY HEALTHY APPLE SPICE CRUMB MUFFINS:
- You’ll want your batter to be very, very thick. Think spoonable batter, not pourable.
- Do not overmix the batter- this will create hard, tough, flat muffins.
- Fill muffin tins all the way to the top. Filling your muffin tins only 1/2 or 2/3 of the way to the top is not enough batter to produce a muffin that will rise. Fill to the brim.
- Start off with a very hot oven temperature, then lower it down – doing so lifts the muffin top up quickly and creates a tall crust. Typically, muffins are baked at 350℉ – 375℉ the whole time, but set the oven to 425℉ initially, then bring back down to 350℉ or 375℉.
USING KODIAK CAKES TO GET EXTRA SOFT MUFFINS:
- The secret ingredient to a SUPER soft muffin that is still healthy, is Kodiak Cakes Pancake Mix. Your muffins will bake up ultra light and soft, instead of a typical denser muffin you usually get when using healthier ingredients.
- You can use most any variety of Kodiak Cakes mixes. For these Healthy Apple Spice Crumb Muffins, I suggest using the buttermilk, cinnamon oat (my personal favorite!) or the Kodiak Cakes All-Purpose Baking Mix. This post is not sponsored by Kodiak Cakes, I just REALLY love the product and use it in my kitchen a ton. Kodiak Cakes Mixes are widely available. I’ve seen them at Walmart, Kroger, Costco and Target; usually found near other pancake mixes.
- Also, as mentioned above, it’s important to keep the stirring to a minimum. As much as we all hate doing dishes, the separate bowls are pretty important to avoid over-stirring while making sure all the ingredients do get mixed together.
You guys are going to love these cozy fall muffins. They are made to imitate a bakery style muffin, but in a healthier way. They’ve really got the taste, texture and softness of a bakery muffin, but with about a third of the calories. Winning!
CHECK OUT MORE HEALTHY MUFFIN RECIPES YOU’RE SURE TO LOVE!
Flourless Banana Apple Muffins
Healthy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
Healthy Blueberry Banana Muffins
Flourless Blueberry Banana Muffins from Making Thyme for Health
Healthy Cinnamon Sugar Apple Muffins from Pinch of Yum
I’d love to know if you make this (or any) recipe! Tag @kimscravings on Instagram and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Healthy Apple Spice Crumb Muffins
Ingredients
Crumb topping:
- 1/4 cup Kodiak Cakes Pancake Mix (buttermilk, cinnamon oat, or all-purpose)*
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or butter
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Muffins:
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or other preferred milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups Kodiak Cakes Pancake Mix (buttermilk, cinnamon oat, or all-purpose)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup grated apple (from one small apple. I used fuji.)*
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all crumb topping ingredients and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425℉ and spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine milk & vinegar; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, beat eggs and then stir in applesauce, sugar, vanilla and the almond milk/vinegar mixture.
- In a separate large bowl, combine Kodiak Cakes Pancake Mix, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt. Toss in the grated apple.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok). Do NOT overmix. The batter will be thick. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups.
- Top each muffin evenly with the crumble topping and bake muffins for 4 mins at 425℉ then immediately lower oven temperature to 375℉ and bake for 10-11 mins more, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes before removing the muffins from the tin. Use a butter knife around the edges, as needed, to coax the muffins out after about 5-10 minutes. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- If you have leftover muffins, store them, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze leftover muffins for up to 3 months.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Amazing! Delicious!! I made with slightly less lugar as my applesauce was naturally sweet. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
So happy you enjoyed! Thanks for your feedback!
Fantastic! I made these with lemon juice vs vinegar and had to sub brown sugar substitute as I am diabetic. I used Brummel and Brown butter instead to bring calories down.
So so good! These muffins were moist on the inside and crunchy and sweet on top as advertised. I especially loved the topping, which I can see using over baked apples, possibly a crustless pumpkin pie and other baked goods. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed and thanks so much for taking time to comment.
Second time making this recipe. First time I forgot to add the almond milk mixture to the recipe but they were good just a little dense. This batch is amazing as it is fluffier. Love this product.
Yay! So happy you enjoyed, Terry! Thanks for your feedback!
Recipe worked great! I did a half batch so my husband and I could test them. I couldn’t find my grater so I peeled and diced the apple very finely. I used the oat and honey Kodiak mix so I added extra cinnamon and vanilla since the mix didn’t contain it already.
So glad you enjoyed! Thanks so much for taking time to comment!
Wow, these apple spice muffins look like the perfect Fall sweet treats!
I just love that it’s finally apple season again. These muffins look heavenly!
Yumm!! I would love to make a batch of these and enjoy them through the week!
All these flavors have got me feeling fall is here! Love how easy these are to make and that crumb…Mmmmm! ♥ They look so scrumptious!
The crumb on these sounds amazing. I am so ready for all the autumn apple recipes.