Are you looking for an easy apple muffin recipe that is gluten free? Then check out this recipe for gluten free apple muffins! These tasty gluten free & vegan muffins make the perfect breakfast or snack. The best part is that they freeze wonderfully, so it is easy to make extra muffins and freeze the leftovers for later.
For best results, we recommend using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Mix to make this recipe. We generally buy our gluten free flour online because gluten free free flour is often stored close to wheat flour at the grocery store. Here is a link to buy the gluten free all purpose flour we use to make this recipe on Amazon.
What is in gluten free apple muffins
What is in these gluten free apple muffins? Here are all the ingredients in these gluten free apple muffins.
- Gluten free all purpose flour. The main ingredient in this recipe for apple muffins is gluten free all purpose flour. You should use an all purpose flour blend rather than an individual flour like rice flour, almond flour, or tapioca flour. We use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Mix and we recommend using this flour for best results.
- Brown sugar & white sugar. A mixture of brown sugar and white sugar is used in this recipe for gluten free apple muffins. The brown sugar helps to make the muffins nice and moist. Brown sugar is also more acidic than white sugar, so it interacts with the baking soda to give the muffins a little extra rise.
- Baking soda & baking powder. A mixture of baking soda and baking powder is used to give these muffins a nice rise. Most baking powder is gluten free , but make sure you use a brand of baking powder that is made with corn starch rather than wheat starch such as Bob’s Red Mill baking powder.
- Coconut milk. Coconut milk is the main liquid that is used in this recipe for apple muffins. Coconut milk is used in place of dairy milk to ensure that these muffins are dairy free and vegan in addition to being gluten free. We recommend using coconut milk rather than another plant-based milk like soy milk or almond milk because coconut milk has a higher fat content than other plant based milks. We generally buy cans of coconut milk in bulk online because it is our favorite plant-based milk to use in vegan baked goods .
- Vegetable oil. Vegetable oil is the main fat that is used in this recipe for gluten free apple muffins.
- Apple sauce. Apple sauce is used in this recipe for gluten free apple muffins. The applesauce is used as an egg substitute so that the muffins are vegan and egg free. Apple sauce contains a lot of pectin, just like eggs, so it acts as a binder.
- Apple cider vinegar. Some apple cider vinegar is also used in this recipe for gluten free apple muffins. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to give the muffins even more rise. This ensures that the cupcakes come out nice and fluffy.
- Vanilla Extract. Vanilla extract is added to give these apple muffins even more flavor. If you make baked goods relatively frequently, we highly recommend buying large bottles of vanilla online. When you consider the cost per ounce, it is generally much cheaper than buying small bottles of vanilla extract at the store.
- Nutmeg, cinnamon, & salt. Nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt are also used to flavor these cupcakes. We generally use Spicely Organics or Morton & Bassett brand spices because their spices are all certified gluten free. If you only make baked goods 2 – 3 times a year, you may be better off buying a smaller bottle of vanilla.
- Apples. Finally, apple chunks are added to give these apple muffins their sweet apple flavor. We recommend using a sweet red apple rather than a sour green apple to make this recipe. We use fuji apples.
How to make gluten free apple muffins
How do you make these gluten free apple muffins? Here is how to make these gluten free apple muffins.
- Cut the apples. The first step in making these gluten free apple muffins is to cut the apples for the muffins. The apples should be cut into small chunks that are around half an inch in size so that they cook through when the muffins are baking. We use this Victorinox chef’s knife because it cuts through fibrous fruits and vegetables like butter. It is our favorite general purpose kitchen knife. If the apple chunks are overly wet, you can dry them with paper towels and sprinkle a little extra flour on them to prevent them from adding too much water to the batter.
- Mix the dry ingredients. After the apples are cut, it is time to mix the ingredients for the muffins. First, mix all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients. After the dry ingredients have been combined, mix the wet ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients, dry ingredients, and apples. After the wet ingredients have been sold, it is time to combine all of the ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients and apples into the dry ingredients. Mix the ingredients until the large clumps of dry ingredients break apart. It is fine if there are still small clumps of dry ingredients in the batter.
- Pour the mixture in the wells of a muffin tin. After the muffin batter has been mixed, it is time to pour the batter into the wells of a muffin tin. Start out by lining the wells of the muffin tin with cupcake liners then pour enough batter to fill each well to the top. It is fine if the muffins overflow out of the wells a little as they cook and rise.
- Bake the muffins. Finally, it is time to bake the muffins. When the muffins are done cooking they should be tender on the inside and slightly crunchy on top. The muffins will likely crack a little on the top as they finish cooking.
Storing gluten free apple muffins
How do you store these gluten free apple muffins? You have a few options when it comes to storing these gluten free apple muffins.
- In the refrigerator. If you plan to eat all of the muffins within a few days then you can store them in the refrigerator. We recommend storing the muffins in an airtight food storage container or plastic bag.
- In the freezer. These muffins will last for a few months if you store them in the freezer. We recommend storing the muffins in an airtight freezer bag if you want to store the muffins in the freezer.
Reheating gluten free apple muffins
One of the best things about these gluten free apple muffins is that they are easy to reheat! Here is how to reheat these gluten free apple muffins.
- From the refrigerator. If you store the muffins in the refrigerator, you do not need to reheat them at all. The muffins will taste just fine straight from the refrigerator. If you prefer room temperature muffins, you can take the muffins out of the refrigerator 30 – 60 minutes before you plan to eat them. If you prefer warm muffins, you can reheat the muffins in the microwave. A single muffin will only need to be heated for 15 – 20 seconds in the microwave.
- From the freezer. If you store your apple cinnamon muffins in the freezer, you will need to microwave them to reheat them. We find that the muffins usually need to be heated 30 – 45 seconds on full power, depending on the size of the muffin. We recommend checking the muffin at 30 seconds and putting it back in for extra time if it is still cool after 30 seconds.
Gluten free apple muffins
These tasty gluten free apple muffins are flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and lots of fresh apple. In addition to being gluten free, these allergy-friendly apple muffins are vegetarian, dairy free, egg free, nut free, and vegan friendly.
Servings: 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 large fuji apple
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup apple sauce
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 4 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Chop the apple into small pieces. Each chunk should be no more than 1/2 inch large, otherwise the apples will not cook properly as the muffins bake. If the apple chunks are overly wet, you can dry them with a paper towel and sprinkle a little extra flour on them. This will prevent them from adding too much water to the batter.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl then mix the wet ingredients in another mixing bowl. Pour the apple chunks and wet ingredients into the dry mixing bowl. Do not overmix the muffin batter, there should still be some clumps of flour when you are done mixing the muffin batter.
- Line the wells of a muffin tin with cupcake liners then pour the muffin batter into the wells. Each well should be filled just about to the top.
- Bake the muffins for 26 - 28 minutes at 350 degrees. When the muffins are done cooking, turn off the oven and crack open the oven door. Let the muffins cool in the over for a few minutes.
Notes
Xanthan gum. If your gluten free all purpose flour blend does not contain xanthan gum or a similar replacement for gluten then you should add around 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum per cup of flour. Tips for measuring flour. We recommend measuring flour by spooning the flour into a measuring cup then leveling off the flour with a butter knife. This is the most consistent way to measure flour. If you dip your measuring cup into the bag of flour, it will compress the flour and you will end up with extra flour.
Substitutions for gluten free apple muffins
- Fuji apples. We use fuji apples in this recipe for gluten free apple muffins. However, if you do not have fuji apples then you can use a different kind of apple. For best results, we recommend using sweet red apples rather than sour green apples.
- Vegetable oil. If you do not have vegetable oil then you can use another neutral oil. Avoid using rich oils or oils with strong flavors.
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