Easy Applesauce Muffins

You don’t need advanced baking skills to whip up amazing applesauce muffins – you just need me, the “muffin expert”! After 6 months developing and testing muffin recipes for my Muffin Cookbook, I have created the best applesauce muffin recipe with tall, bakery-style tops made in six simple steps.

The Applesauce Muffin Recipe of your Dreams

Over the years I’ve shared my proven method for making bakery style muffins and thousands of home bakers have had success with it, now it’s your turn! Packed with applesauce and autumnal spices, your loved ones will be asking for seconds of these Apple Muffins! 

You can have these homemade muffins for breakfast, brunch, snacks, or my personal favorite—late-night treats! My only warning is, make these for your friends and family once and they’ll be asking for them over and over!

What You’ll Need for Applesauce Muffins

These simple ingredients make the best applesauce muffins! Keep scrolling to get the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card below.

• all-purpose flour
• granulated sugar
• baking powder
• salt
• ground cinnamon
• ground nutmeg
• applesauce
• eggs
• vegetable oil
• vanilla extract

How to Make Applesauce Muffins

1. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir together and set aside.
2. In a larger mixing bowl combine the applesauce, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
3. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The batter will be very thick.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF / 220ºC. 
5. For bakery style muffins, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Fill the liners with 6-8 heaping tablespoons of batter. Sprinkle the tops with sanding sugar.
6. Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF / 220ºC, then keep the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF / 180ºC and bake for 13-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter, bumping the temperature back up to 425ºF / 220ºC.

Applesauce Muffin Recipe Variations

How to Create Bakery Style Muffins

Bakery style muffins are known for their domed tops. Plus who doesn’t love them? I used a few techniques to help “lift” these muffins so they would have large, domed tops!

1. The Rest Period

Let the batter rest for 15 minutes after it’s mixed and before you scoop it into the muffin pan. During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter, causing them to swell and giving the batter a thicker consistency (ref the kitchen whisper). Our 15 minute rest is just a quick rest. 

2. Fill Every Other Muffin Cup

This tip has been a game changer! For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other cup allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other. This technique also encourages the muffins to brown, creating a golden muffin top.

3. Fill Them To The Top

Fill your muffin liners to the top with batter. Yes, this goes against everything you’re heard but it’s important in helping the muffin gain that height.

4. Bake at High Temperature Initially

Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) initially, then lower to 350ºF. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly, setting the outer surface of the muffin, producing a dome shape.

Easy Applesauce Muffins Recipe Tips

Here are a few tips to make the perfect muffin even better:

• Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes in the mixing bowl.
• Top the muffins with sanding sugar for a true bakery style muffin.
• Filling every other cup allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other. This technique also encourages the muffins to brown, creating a golden muffin top.
• Bake at a higher temperature initially to cause the muffins to rise quickly.

Storing and Freezing Muffins

Muffin Storage

If you’ll be eating the muffins within 24 hours of baking, you can leave them uncovered on the counter. The muffins will not dry out while left at room temperature for 1 day. 

In fact, muffins are so moist they can become soggy and those crunchy, sugary tops can disappear when stored in an airtight container.

But I have a trick to help that – paper towels. 

For longer storage, 2-4 days, line the bottom of an airtight container with paper towels. Place the muffins in a single layer in the container then cover the muffins with any additional layer of paper towels. The paper towels will act like a sponge, absorbing the moisture they release while they are stored. 

If the paper towels become too moist around day 2 or day 3, replace them with fresh paper towels. 

How To Freeze Muffins

Individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. Then place them in a ziploc bag or airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To thaw, leave them at room temperature until defrosted, about 1 hour. Or unwrap them and microwave at 20 second intervals until defrosted.

More Fall Recipes

• Easy Pumpkin Swirl Cake
• Caramel Apple Cookies
• Pumpkin Whipped Cream
• Caramel Apple Fudge