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Use apple butter to make moist apple muffins in the fall! This apple butter muffin recipe is simple to make with 10 ingredients you already have! Freezer friendly, naturally dairy free, with gluten free recipe too!
Muffins are one of my major weaknesses because they are an anytime food.
I’m not the type to get suckered into eating brownies or cookies at 9am while baking, but muffins hook me every time.
Total Time Required
- 10 minutes to make the batter
- 15 minutes for the batter to rest
- 7 minutes at 425ºF
- 10-12 minutes at 350ºF
- 10 minutes to cool
How To Make Bakery Style Apple Butter 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 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. You can also cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or overnight before scooping into the pan. The longer the batter has to rest, the thicker the batter will become – meaning more DOME!
2. BAKE AT HIGH TEMPERATURE INITIALLY
Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) for 7 minutes then lower to 350ºF. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly, producing a domed shaped.
3. FILL THEM TO THE TOP
Fill your muffin liners to the top with batter. Yes, this goes against everything you’ve heard but it’s important in helping the muffin gain that height.
How To Make Gluten Free Apple Butter Muffins
I’ve made these muffins with both regular and gluten free flour with awesome results on multiple occasions. I recommend King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Use it as a one for one substitute for regular flour.
Plus these apple muffins are naturally dairy free!
How To Freeze Apple Butter Muffins
Allow the muffins with apple butter to cool completely. I like to wrap two muffins together (the bottoms of the muffins touching) in plastic wrap, then place all the wrapped bundles in a ziplock bag.
To thaw, either let them come to room temperature on the counter or place as many as you need in the microwave for 15 second intervals.
Options for topping muffins
Some people like their muffins plain, without a sugar topping or glaze. But some people love that part!
For the muffins in the photos I sprinkled them with raw turbinado sugar before baking. You can also use sparkling sugar, which is coarse sugar.
If you’d like to add a glaze to these applesauce muffins, I think an apple cider glaze would be amazing! Combine 2 tbsp apple cider with 1/2 cup powdered sugar until thick. Drizzle over the cooled muffins.
Tips
- Use the spoon and sweep method to measure the flour.
- Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes.
- Fill the muffin liners full with batter.
- Bake at a higher temperature initially to cause the muffins to rise quickly.
More Fall Desserts
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Apple Butter Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups apple butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- coarse sugar, for topping muffins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a regular sized muffin pan with liners.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a separate larger mixing bowl, combine the apple butter, brown sugar, and vegetable oil, and eggs whisk together. Using a spatula, gently mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 15 minutes. (This step is not necessary, but helps create a more domed muffin.)
- Fill each muffin cup almost to the top with batter. Sprinkle with raw sugar or sparkling sugar (coarse sugar crystals) if desired.
- Bake at 425ºF for 7 minutes. Then keeping the muffins in the oven, turn the oven down to 350ºF and bake for 12-13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the muffin pan. Once the muffins cool, you can add a apple cider glaze (1/2 cup powdered sugar + 2 tbsp apple cider) if you’d like!
I LOVE apple butter, and these muffins look fantastic!!
Beth your photos are absolutely stunning! Also I need to have these muffins in my life!
Thank you Chandra!
Apple butter Muffins look heavenly, Beth. Loved these gorgeous photos too! :)
Oh, yum, this are some BEAUTIFUL muffins! I haven’t been apple picking before (I went to a NH pumpkin farm once, does that count? ;)), but it’s on my list this year!
It’s a must every year!!
We just hit up a local orchard and came back with more apples than we can eat! Definitely need to use some of them for these muffins!
Last year I went to time to a apple orchard and I loved it. It is so much fun. You as usually made a delicious sweet treat. Love this.
ps: your pictures are getting more beautiful everyday.
Awwwww, that is the best comment ever!!
I have always wanted to go to an apple orchard. I think maybe I will finally have to do it with my little guys this year. ANd then make these muffins!
Do you have a recipe for apple butter? I’ve never seen it for sale here in Australia.
Hi Naomi! I don’t have a recipe for that, but my friend Julie does: https://www.tastesoflizzyt.com/homemade-apple-butter/
Always loved apple butter, especially homemade. My muffins are in the oven at the moment and the aroma is heavenly. One question about the recipe…Is it 3 eggs or 2? The photos show 2 but the written recipe says 3. I sure hope it’s 3!
It’s 3 eggs, as the written recipe states!
These are freaking awesome muffins! I added golden raisins and pecans. I also halved it and still got 12 muffins filled to the top of the tin. I had made bourbon apple butter the day before and used it! Truly wonderful recipe! Thanks