Healthy Applesauce Oat Muffins
A family favorite for years, these delicious, soft and fluffy healthy applesauce oat muffins are low in sugar and packed with whole grains.
The numbers don’t lie. With over 400 5-star reviews, these muffins have become a beloved favorite of many (and one of the most popular recipes on my site!).
Simple and straightforward, the muffins are lightly sweet, packed with whole grains, and most importantly: they are so very delicious.
A Very Straightforward Muffin
The batter for these applesauce oat muffins is simple as can be.
Mix together:
- old-fashioned or quick oats
- applesauce
- egg
- melted butter or coconut oil
- sugar or honey
- milk
And then combine that mixture with whole wheat flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Optional: adding chocolate chips, craisins, or raisins is a very good idea!
Highly Adaptable
The beauty of this recipe being around for almost ten years is that almost any adaptation you can dream up has probably already been tried.
The comments are full of readers who have made the muffins dairy-free, gluten-free, and accidentally butter-free. 🙂
And in most cases, the report back is that the variations are amazing! So if you’re looking to alter these muffins in any which way, read through the comments for some inspiration.
For instance, a comment from Carolyn: These muffins are delicious!! I made them gluten free by using oat flour instead of wheat flour. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. They have been added to my regular rotation!
Wholesome and Delicious
For me, I love the basic simplicity of these muffins. They aren’t fancy. They also aren’t fussy.
They are the perfect every day muffin for after school snacks, easy breakfasts, school lunchboxes, and everything in between.
I’m very loyal to recipes that stand the test of time, and this one certainly has. My friend, Katie, served these muffins to us during a playdate at her house years ago when we had just moved to northern Minnesota and knew hardly another soul in the area.
I didn’t even wait until the playdate was over to beg for the recipe. (Although more than the muffins, I’m incredibly grateful for the sweet and loyal friend Katie quickly became.)
Friendship > muffins. Although this recipe proves that muffins might very easily be the gateway to great friends.
FAQ for Applesauce Oat Muffins
Yes, it doubles great.
The baked and cooled muffins freeze GREAT. I place them in a gallon-size freezer ziploc bag and freeze. We defrost in the microwave or on the counter for a few hours.
Sure, and you can use flavored applesauce as well (like cinnamon, etc). If using sweetened applesauce, you can probably decrease or omit the sugar in the recipe.
Steel cut oats don’t work very well in this recipe because they don’t soften and absorb as much liquid (they stay coarse and crunchy), but you can sub quick oats for the old-fashioned oats.
Many readers (and comments below) have made that substitution with great results!
One Years Ago: Easy Amish-Baked Oatmeal
Two Years Ago: Healthy Breakfast Cookies
Three Years Ago: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Four Years Ago: Healthy Dark Chocolate Almond Joy Bites
Five Years Ago: Southwestern Chicken Barley Chili
Six Years Ago: Cheesy Black Bean Lasagna
Seven Years Ago: Whole Grain Honey Bran Muffins
Eight Years Ago: Skillet Butternut Squash, Sausage and Penne
Nine Years Ago: Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Quinoa
Ten Years Ago: Egg-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cream Cheese
Healthy Applesauce Oat Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100 g) old-fashioned rolled oats (see note)
- 1 cup (227 g) unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup (57 g) butter or coconut oil, melted
- ⅓ cup (71 g) granulated sugar or honey
- ¾ cup (107 g) whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (70 g) dried cranberries or raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease the muffin cups. Set aside..
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oatmeal, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter and sugar. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt (and cranberries or raisins if using). Make a well in the center and pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir until just combined (don’t overmix or the muffins will be dense and dry). The muffin batter texture might be a bit different (wetter?) than other muffin batters but no fear, carry on!
- Distribute the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t overbake or the muffins will be dry.
- Remove the muffins to a rack to cool completely. Once cool, I place 6-9 muffins in a large freezer ziploc bag, suck all the air out (oh yes I do) and seal the bag, then freeze, pulling them out one by one to stick in my kids lunches or warm slightly for a snack.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from my friend, Katie K.
Recipe originally posted September 2013; updated January 2022 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.
Just pulled these out of the oven. Delicious!!! And quick!!!! My 3 & 5 year old loved them.
I love these.
There was a Kruteaz boxed muffin that I used to make in college. They were always dry and crumbly but I suffered through because I loved the flavour so much. These have that flavour and it makes me so happy. Of course these are a thousand times better. My kids love them too.
Hi. I want to make these using 1/2 white and 1/2 whole wheat flour. What would the measurement be for the flour with this change?
I wouldn’t change the measurements of flour if making that substitution – just measure with a light hand (about 5 ounces of flour per cup) and you should be ok.
Four-year-old helped and approved: “We make the goodest muffins, Mama.” Thanks for all the winning recipes!
I made homemade applesauce last night (with the peels on, then I strained and kept the “pulp”). And I used the pulp in the muffins this morning and they’re fabulous! Still moist & super yummy. I love that the oats out-measure the flour. Thanks for the recipe!
I don’t usually leave comments even though this site is my standard recipe source, but these muffins are a fantastic go-to base recipe. I have made variations like peach (1:1 peach puree for applesauce and some nutmeg) and pumpkin (1:1 pumpkin puree for applesauce and use pumpkin pie spice 2:1 to the cinnamon in the recipe). Plus, you can play with mix-ins for even more changes. Oh, and I always sub plain yogurt for oil. These are fantastic and VERY forgiving. Make a double batch; you won’t be sorry! Thanks for the recipe, Mel.
Thanks for all the ideas on variations, Rachel!
I just made a double batch of these muffins and they are delicious! Thank you for the recipe 🙂
I have been trying lots of different muffin recipes lately, and trying to make healthy varieties. This is now my top muffin recipe. It’s delicious! Today, I subbed mashed bananas (about 3 small ones) for the applesauce, and it turned out SO GOOD! My toddler kept snitching the mini ones off the counter! Since the ripe bananas were so sweet, I will probably reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup, instead of the listed 1/3. I love how the sides are slightly crispy, and the middle is so moist!
I love this recipe, I’ve made it a bunch of times with different fruit (so good with blueberries) but my fav has just come out of the oven….I switched the apple sauce for pumpkin puree…WOW. Thanks!!
These have saved us on a couple of egg days when we were low on eggs due to me not wanting to go to the store. The kids love them. I love that I can always come back and look for that recipe on your site and not have to save it or print it out. Thanks for your hard work. We sure miss you here in the frozen north.
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I have a batch if these puppies in the oven for 1st day of school tomorrow. One batch with walnuts for home consumption, and a nut-free batch for taking to school for snack. I’m baking them with confidence, knowing you are a woman who knows her muffins! Thanks!
Made them, ate them, they were awesome!
Thank you.
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I love muffins and I love healthy! Thanks for the recipe!
These are delicious! Everyone in my family loves them, including my almost 2-year-old. How would I adjust temperature/baking time if I wanted to make them into mini muffins?
Krystle – I’d keep the baking temp the same but cut the time down to 7-8 minutes.
Thank you! I will try that!
10 minutes ended up being perfect for me for mini muffins :). Thank you! Love this recipe!
These are absolutely to die for!!! So moist and delicious and healthy too! I doubled the batch like you suggested and added toasted macadamia nuts and some smashed banana to one batch and toasted almonds with dried cherries to the other. I was planning on putting some in the freezer for later, but at the rate they are being consumed in my household, I just might end up having to make more! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! Aloha 🙂
So I made these a bit healthier by using almond milk instead of regular milk and honey in place of the sugar. They are lovely! Thanks!
Love these muffins!! Moist and yummy. I just made them this morning! Thank you!
These are SO GOOD. I added flax seeds and blueberries to mine. They’re so moist and flavourful, and they freeze excellently so I can pack them in my lunches when I want a healthy snack. I might add less sugar next time, as I’ll 100% be making these again.
Love these muffins! I had some very ripe bananas and decided to sub the apple sauce for mashed ripe bananas this time. They came out great! Such an easy snack to keep on hand in the freezer.
These are delicious! I found them a few weeks ago because I had applesauce I needed to use up. They have quickly become a favorite in our family. I have made them several times and passed the recipe on to my friends. Thank you!
Hi, Mel!
This is my first comment on your blog after being a loyal, silent reader all this time. Thank you for sharing this recipe! I’ve just made a batch of it (an hour ago) & it turned out really nice! I tweaked it a bit to my preferences: subs to brown sugar & reduce it a bit, use virgin coconut oil, subs raisin to fresh apples & adding 2tbsp of chia seed!
The apples made it moister, so it needs longer baking time, and because of adding the fresh apples & chia seeds resulting in odd quantity. But it’s not a big problem & the result was very yummy! Not to sweet, very satisfying and you know that it is an ultra-healthy treats! 😀 Thanks once again, Mel! You rock!
Love your changes, Felicia! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Just wanted to tell you thank you for this recipe! I just finished eating another one and well, its just so satisfying. I cannot tell you how many times I have made double batches since you posted it. I have used coconut milk (in the carton) in them too and they turned out flawlessly. oh, and I take them everywhere and they always get rave reviews. Thanks again!
MY KIDS LOVE THESE!!! Finally a way to get them to eat their oatmeal!!! No more breakfast battle! No more processed cereal!! We substituted silk almond milk and used 3 tbsp egg whites instead of an egg. They are so simple and tasty. Thanks!!!!
Turned out really well. Subbed grapeseed oil for butter, reduced sugar to 2 tbsp (will omit completely next time) and added 2tbsp of peanut butter. Thanks for the recipe.
Oh yeah, also used a “flax egg” instead of a real one.
Jen.
Mel, I’m so excited to try these!! You’re the best!
I stumbled upon your blog today and am very glad I did!! I just made these muffins, and I have to say, they are absolutely 100% totally AWESOME!!! So, so yummy and moist. I used large flake oats and the texture was perfect, and they gave the muffins a bit of a nutty taste. I also used the coconut oil instead of the butter, and it gave them such a subtle coconut flavour. Truly lovely. I will definitely make these again. And again. Thank you!!
My mom gave me three of these muffins to take home and let my kids try to see if they liked a “healthy” snack. Unfortunately, the muffins never made it home! I devoured all three while running errands and have craved them ever since. These muffins are the reason I’ve joined your site! I’m excited to try more healthy recipes!
I’m writing this as I eat my second muffin. These came out ridiculously moist and fluffy, light even with the whole wheat flour. I think I’ll add a little less sugar next time. I put in a handle of each dried cranberries and walnuts and this is now my go-to oatmeal muffin recipe 🙂 thanks!
I just wanted to join the applesauce oatmeal muffin fan club. These are amazing!! I have a non-sandwich eater and I’m always looking for things to put in his lunch, this is perfect!
Thanks!
These are so good! I have a child with food allergies, so I substituted soy milk for the milk, oil for the butter, and just omitted the egg. They came out amazing! We love all of your recipes. You are definitely are go-to blog!
Tried this recipe and it was way too wet — I’m guessing different applesauces have different amounts of water in them. Anyway, I made several modifications (including halving the sugar) and now they are a family favorite. I make a quadruple batch and freeze. Thanks for the great recipe! http://www.eco-novice.com/2014/03/100-whole-grain-muffins-with-applesauce.html
I tried these again using butter and a longer cooking time and STILL had trouble! The muffins were still raw in the center. I’m thinking it’s my wonky oven. I’ve had to adjust the temp on it for so many things. Thankfully, all the other muffins I’ve tried from this site have worked out. Keep the yummy recipes coming!!!
Thanks for a great recipe using ingredients that I already have on hand! I just pulled these from the oven, and they’re fantastic! I can’t wait to freeze the extras for a special treat on the weekends!
Thanks for being a Saint, Mel! You’re the BEST 🙂
xo
Loved these! Thanks so much for sharing! We were getting bored of our usual healthy snacks and are loving these! So glad we found your website, we’ve loved all the recipes we have tried…and we’ve tried a bunch!!
We have another winner! Of course I’m not surprised, seeing as how all of Mel’s recipes are winners. I’m enjoying one right this very minute at work with a cup of strawberries drizzled with agave nectar. Perfect way to start the day.
You’re always saying you Freeze your muffins. I’m one of those people who is scared of the freezer. Unless its a soup or meat I’ve never frozen it. Do you just place these in ziplock bags? When you pull them out at snack time do you just thaw them or microwave them? If I let them thaw all day are they good that way or is microwaving better still?
Cearrow – ok, let’s help you get over your freezer fear! I bake these, let them cool and then place them in a freezer ziploc bag to freeze. When we want to eat them, I either take the bag out of the freezer the night before or simply pull the muffins out of the freezer, take them out of the bag and microwave them for about 1-2 minutes on 50% power until they are thawed. Slightly warm like that and they taste amazingly fresh!
Hi Mel. I cant wait to try these and freeze them as after school snacks for the kids. Unfortunately your brilliant school lunch packing list wont even touch the appetite of my 11 and 13 year old boys – dont I miss the days when they didnt eat me out of house and home – but I think they will love these as a snack!!
I made these this morning, and my two-year-old is eating her second one as I type this. 🙂 I added some frozen blueberries, and they were awesome! I especially love how the coconut oil gives them just the slightest coconut-y taste. These are definitely going to become a regular thing in our house.
I made these today – and loved them. I didn’t see the nutrition count anywhere so thought I would add it. Also I didn’t have applesauce so I blended a large apple with 1/2 cup water and a pinch of cinnamon and lemon juice. They turned out moist and perfect. This is with 2% milk and butter.
Nutrition facts per muffin without fruit:
Calories 130.6 Total Fat 5.2 Sodium 153 Carbs 18.9 Sugars 8.3 Protein 2.56
This are sooooo good! How I wish I’ve made them last year before joining Weight Watchers! Oh well! I’ll eat only two. Thanks for a great recipe.
I just made these this morning for my daughter who has a milk allergy. I made a few substitutions and she LOVES them! Thank you for providing this recipe! Now I have a filling food to feed her for breakfast that she will be excited about, and I can feel good about feeding her in the morning. She has been on a Kix cereal kick for over a week and I feel guilty giving it to her but hate to face the fits first thing in the morning.
Just made these and we LOVE them! I subbed in Coconut oil for butter, almond milk for regular milk- to make dairy free- and honey for the refined sugar. They were definitely a little less sweet, but in an effort to decreased my (*high*) processed sugar intake, they were great! Next time I might use a little less coconut oil as the oil was starting to go through the muffin liners as they sat out (I used a 1:1 ratio). Can’t wait to make them again!
Hi, Mel! Oooh, I feel like a famous person is talking to me! Squeeee!!!! 😀
I did increase the baking time with the second tray (yep, I doubled the batch!) and it helped, as they seemed less oily & slightly more firm. I didn’t want to overcook them or burn the outside. The tops/sides were nicely browned & the toothpick came out clean. No clue what went wrong. Maybe slightly lower temp for a little longer? I’ve found that cooking in an electric oven vs. a gas altered the temp on much of what I cook but I haven’t had an issue in a long time. I’m going to try again, maybe with butter & with a temp adjustment. 🙂
These are so yummy! I didn’t use craisins or raisins, and chose butter over coconut oil. My kids gobbled them up, and I was happy to let them! The only thing I think I might change next time I make them (there will definitely be a next time!) will be to use brown sugar instead of white, just because I love me some brown sugar 🙂 But brown sugar or no, we can’t get enough of these!
Wow! Made these to take with us on a mini-vacation but I think half were gone as soon as they came out of the oven! I’ve got three kids, ages 6, 8, and 10 and the oldest two are boys (who are not picky) and the youngest is a girl (who is picky). Everyone loved them! They did not last long…next time I will be making a double batch! I love that they are healthy and I can freeze them. Perfect for breakfast, adding to school lunches, or as an after school snack. Thanks Mel! Your site is my all time favorite!
Hi, Mel – I love your recipes & after trying the carrot applesauce muffins successfully, I was excited to try these. Unfortunately, they didn’t turn out at all! I opted to use the coconut oil instead of butter (I’m new to coconut oil) otherwise followed the recipe to a T, or so I thought. They never really set. The tops were browned nicely but they were still raw on the inside AND they seemed really oily! Got any suggestions? The tiny bites I took off the top of a few were tasty & I’d love to have another go at it.
Kelli – do you think you might need to increase the baking time? If they were still raw in the middle it sounds like they might need more time. I think that could help! Coconut oil does make baked good slightly more oily in my opinion but it shouldn’t affect the overall texture terribly.
My kiddos all but inhaled these muffins! Thanks for the recipe and the funny story, which is why I chose this recipe over all the other recipes that I found on the internet!! We used cinnamon applesauce and white flour b/c that’s what we had on hand and brown sugar b/c we prefer it over white and these turned out moist and flavorful!
I’m not sure I’m commenting in the right manner… I made these replacing the applesauce with a blueberry-chickpea purée my baby didn’t want for lunch… delicious!
Theses were great! I did use coconut oil instead of butter and used honey in place of sugar. They were delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
We actually did the exact same thing and they were amazing! We eat these after working out, they are perfect!