These gluten-free apple cinnamon muffins are super moist and taste like your favorite apple cake, but contain no refined sugar. They’re packed full of healthy fats and fiber from the almond flour and coconut flour and make a delicious healthier snack or treat for the whole family. Perfect for apple season! {Gluten-free, dairy-free & paleo}
Table of Contents
Gluten Free Apple Muffins
Whether you have to avoid gluten for dietary reasons, prefer to avoid grains, or are just looking for some super tasty muffins, you have to try out these gluten-free apple cinnamon muffins!
Thanks to the eggs, maple syrup, and apples, each one is so moist and tender with a nutty, cozy flavor from the coconut and almond flour and apple pie spice.
My favorite part is the tender chunks of apples embedded in the maple-sweetened muffins. They’re the perfect fall breakfast on the go!
For more apple-infused desserts, you’ll also want to try this Apple Pie with Whole Wheat Crust and Gluten-Free Apple Crisp!
Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Apple Muffin Recipe
Super moist & delicious: These apple muffins resemble a sweet, moist, dense and crumbly apple cake with just the right amount of spice. With the fresh apples and coconut oil, there is no shortage of moisture in these muffins!
Free of refined sugar: These healthy apple cinnamon muffins are mostly sweetened with shredded and diced apple and a bit of pure maple syrup, which also contains antioxidants, so this added sweetness does come with some nutritional benefits.
Nutrient-rich: The base of these muffins consists of almond flour, which is packed with healthy fats, making for a lower carb option. The addition of coconut flour and the fresh apple also amps up the fiber content to 4 grams of fiber per muffin for a nice and filling snack. Really, who doesn’t want to eat apple muffins that taste like dessert AND are actually good for you?
Mouthwatering aroma: I have fond memories of my mom always baking apple muffins in the fall as a kid. The smell of apples and cinnamon baking in the oven gets me every single time. If you want your house to be filled with the aroma of warm and cozy autumn baking, whip up a batch of these muffins.
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour: Provides a nice nutty flavor to the muffins. Use blanched almond flour for the purpose of this recipe.
- Coconut flour: Coconut flour contributes a subtle coconut flavor and can also help to balance out some of that excess moisture. You can generally find it in the natural section of the grocery store.
- Spices: I use a mixture of cinnamon and apple pie spice. You’ll also need salt to bring out the flavor.
- Baking soda: For a nice rise. I always recommend sifting baking soda to avoid sour-tasting clumps.
- Vanilla extract: If you prefer nutty flavors, use almond extract instead.
- Pure maple syrup: This is such a great sweetener for fall desserts because it adds this wonderful flavor that brings it all together! Look for pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Fresh apples: The apples contribute a natural sweetness and lots of moisture to these muffins. See below for suggestions on what type of apples to use.
- Melted coconut oil: The coconut oil contributes moisture to these muffins. Both refined and unrefined coconut oils have similar nutritional benefits. If you love a coconut flavor and scent, go with the unrefined coconut oil. If you prefer your oil to be unflavored and unscented, then refined is your best bet.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with nine silicone baking cups or paper baking cups. In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients together, breaking up any lumps.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, up until the chopped apple.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in the chopped and shredded apple.
- Evenly divide the muffin mixture between the silicone baking cups, filling almost to the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow for muffins to cool before removing them from the muffin tin.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to dice up the apples finely so that there aren’t huge apple chunks in the muffins. Also, make sure that the diced apples are evenly distributed among each of the muffin cups so you get all of that apple goodness in each bite!
- If you’d like to add a little crunch, feel free to add some chopped pecans or walnuts to the muffin batter or top of each muffin. Another way to add some heart-healthy fats to these already nutrient-loaded muffins!
- I recommend using silicone baking cups or paper baking cups since these muffins have more of a crumbly consistency. If you bake them right in the muffin tin, you might struggle to get them out in one piece.
- These muffins have a thick batter and may appear a bit dry on the surface when they first come out of the oven. However, after sitting for a few hours, they quickly moisten up.
- I recommend storing the muffins in the fridge for no longer than four days or better yet, stick them in the freezer as they will spoil more quickly at room temperature.
- Technically, you can use vegetable oil or even melted butter in a pinch, but coconut oil is my recommendation.
Recipe FAQs
If you’re looking for a light and fluffy apple muffin, these are not it. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a dense and moist apple cake-like muffin, these are it. These are not dry muffins, my friends. There is plenty of moisture in every bite.
Just like my no-bake apple crumble has a taste and texture similar to sugar cookies, these muffins are like a cross between apple pie and apple cake. The apples paired with apple pie spice, cinnamon and the nutty flavor from the almond and coconut flour, it’s basically like autumn jam packed into a muffin.
You can use any kind of apples you have on hand. Generally, the following apples tend to be good for baking:
* Honeycrisp
* Cortland
* Gala
* Braeburn
* Jonagold
* Granny Smith
That being said, feel free to sub in your favorite type of apple. Or you could also use a combination of different types of apples to add a more diverse flavor and texture to the muffins.
Unfortunately, no. Almond flour and coconut flour work very differently from regular all purpose flour and cannot be easily replaced. If you cannot tolerate almond flour or coconut flour for some reason, look for a recipe that uses a type of flour you can tolerate. Or, use your regular wheat-based apple muffin recipe and replace the flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Storage Guidelines
To store: These muffins can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. Beyond that, I would recommend freezing them.
To freeze: For longer storage, freeze the leftover muffins in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag for up to three months.
To defrost: Allow the muffins to thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for several hours before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Since these healthy apple muffins contain quite a bit of fiber and fat due to the almond and coconut flour, it’s best to enjoy them one at a time and ideally alongside a complete breakfast. I like to serve them with a few mini egg bites, creamy scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, and/or a small smoothie to start my day off right. They’re a great quick breakfast when you need to head out the door quickly!
For an afternoon snack, I like to have one with some extra protein like Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, which makes them even more satiating. They make a nice, healthier dessert, too!
Recipe Variations
- Change the fruit: Instead of apples, try using pears. It helps to choose a variety with a firmer texture.
- Sneak in extra protein: Add a scoop of your favorite vanilla or unsweetened protein powder for an extra boost of protein. Just be careful not to add too much, or it will dry out these gluten-free muffins. You may need to add some extra liquid to account for the added protein powder.
- Add crunch: Although the muffin batter already contains plenty of nuts, it’s nice to add some chopped almonds or walnuts for a little crunch. You can also sprinkle some coconut sugar on top for a crunchy bite.
More Healthy Muffins
- Bran Muffins with Applesauce
- Mini Blueberry Banana Muffins
- Healthy Carrot Pineapple Muffins
- Gluten-Free Peach Muffins
- Banana Muffins with Applesauce
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Gluten-Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins {Almond & Coconut Flour}
Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour
- 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients:
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 5 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups peeled finely chopped apple
- 1/2 cup grated apple
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 9 silicone muffin cups or paper baking cups.
- In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients together, breaking up any lumps.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, up until the chopped apple.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the chopped and shredded apple.
- Evenly divide the muffin mixture between the silicone baking cups, filling almost to the top. You may wish to press some chopped pecans or walnuts into the surface of each muffin, if desired.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow for muffins to cool before removing them from the muffin tin.
Notes
- Be sure to dice up the apples finely so that there aren’t huge apple chunks in the muffins. Also, make sure that the apple is evenly distributed among each of the muffin cups so you get all of that apple goodness in each bite!
- If you’d like to add a little crunch, feel free to add some chopped pecans or walnuts to the muffin batter or top of each muffin.
- I recommend using silicone baking cups or paper baking cups since these muffins have more of a crumbly consistency.
- Store the muffins in the fridge for no longer than four days or freeze them, as they will spoil quickly at room temperature.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in September 2018 but was updated in October 2024 to include more helpful recipe tips and photos.
I substituted Gluten Free 1:1 flour for the coconut flour and almond flour due to an allergy. They were amaaazzziiinnnnggggg. Fabulous recipe, thank you!
So glad the muffins worked out well with the gluten-free 1:1 flour — that’s great to know! Thanks so much for returning to leave a review and share your modifications!
The best!!
Thank you Anne! So happy you enjoyed the muffins!
DELISH!!!! I freeze them and when I make my lunch for next day, I pop one in fridge to bring . Makes a yummy mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack at my desk with a cup of coffee or tea. Doubling recipe today and bringing a batch to my daughter’s home. Btw, I used cupcake tins (smaller?) so I got 12 out of the recipe. Thanks!
Thanks for stopping by to comment Rebecca! I’m so happy to hear that you love these muffins! They’re such a great make-ahead snack! Hope the rest of your family enjoys them!
I liked this recipe except that I surely wouldn’t call them flourless since the first two ingredients are almond and coconut flour.
Thanks for the feedback Nick. The term flourless generally refers to the absence of refined white flour. The almond flour is simply ground up almonds and the coconut flour is basically dried coconut in powdered form, neither of which are technically flour. I can see how this would be confusing to the reader, however, so I will consider changing the name of the recipe to avoid potential confusion. Have a great day!