Paleo Apple Cinnamon Muffins (Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free)

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These Paleo Apple Cinnamon Muffins are gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, and low sugar. They’re only sweetened with apples and a touch of unrefined coconut sugar, but don’t let that fool you, these taste just as sweet, fluffy, and decadent as a muffin fresh from a bakery! Make these to have on hand as a Fall flavored snack, for a family or friend gathering, or just whenever you’re in the mood to bake.

Pumpkin is definitely my favorite Fall flavor but I have to say, these are *almost* as delicious as my Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins 😆 Pumpkin lovers, beware that you might be converted over to team apple after trying these!

There are so many things that make these muffins one of my favorites. The texture and flavor are UNMATCHED thanks to a little trick. I love blending half of the chopped apples to naturally sweeten the batter and then strirring in the other half so you get that soft and caramelized apple chunk in every bite! By blending the apple into the muffin, the apple flavor really comes through and it’s added moisture so the final bake is pillowy soft. So simple, but makes the biggest difference!

These muffins make a perfect breakfast (you could even add some collagen to the batter for extra protein!), healthy snack, and even dessert. They’re absolutley amazing reheated with a scoop of vanilla coconut milk ice cream or on top of a yogurt bowl 😍 I keep them stored in the refrigerator but they also freeze really well. Just let them thaw in the refrigerator the night before or stick in the microwave (right from frozen!) for 20-30 seconds.

Why You’ll Love These

• Minimal prep and clean up – This recipe comes together in a blender so there’s no mixing involved. Just blend, pour into a lined muffin pan, bake, and voila!
• Naturally sweetened – These muffins are refined sugar free and instead use coconut sugar which is a healthier sugar alternative that’s still sweet and is also lower on the glycemic index (it won’t spike your blood sugar as much). Half of the apples in the recipe are blended with the batter which adds natural sweetness and infuses the batter with delicious apple flavor!
• Optional toppings – These are amazing plain but if you’re feeling extra fancy, I HIGHLY recommend adding either the super easy crumble topping or icing included in the recipe below! The crumble is like a streusel topping on large bakery style muffins and the icing is just a touch of sweetness.
• Dietary friendly – Made with simple ingredients so they’re gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, and lower sugar.

What You’ll Need

• Apples – Two medium sized. I prefer using red apples that are on the sweeter side since we’re using these to naturally sweeten the muffins. Honeycrisp, Gala, and Fuji are my favorites but you can use any kind!
• Almond flour – This gives such a fluffy texture. I haven’t tried using other flours but if you do, the wet ingredients may need to be adjusted or more flour may need to be added depending on how wet the batter is.
• Eggs
• Coconut sugar – You can use any granulated sweetener, I prefer this as a lower sugar option!
• Coconut oil – This will be melted and then cooled before adding to the blender.
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Baking soda
• Apple cider vinegar – If you don’t have this on hand, lemon juice will work too.
• Sea salt

Crumble Topping

• Gluten free flour – Any gluten free flour will work for this and can be grain free if needed (almond flour, coconut flour, 1:1 gluten free flour, etc.)
• Coconut sugar – I would stick to coconut sugar because it’s not being baked into the muffin and is in the topping.
• Cinnamon
• Coconut oil – Keep this solid at room temp when making the crumble.

Icing

• Powdered sugar – I like this powdered monkfruit as a powdered sugar alternative, a good lower sugar option.
• Milk of choice – You need just a splash to get to your desired icing consistency so any kind will work.

How To Make

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and place twelve baking liners in a muffin pan.
2. Dice one apple at a time into small chunks. Once you dice the first apple, set it aside in a separate bowl because we’ll be using each apple in different steps!
3. Add all ingredients, including one of the diced apples, to the blender or food processor. Blend until fully combined and smooth. (Tip: You may have to scrape the sides a couple times to make sure it blends evenly.)
4. Stir in the diced chunks of the second apple.
5. Spoon the batter into each lined muffin tin, filling 3/4 of the liner almost to the top. Smooth out the top of each muffin with a silicone spatula. (Tip: I like to use a cookie scoop to distribute batter so each muffin is around the same size and shape!)
6. If you’re making the crumble topping, add the gluten free flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and coconut oil to a small bowl and mix with your hands until you reach a sand-like texture. Add to the top of each muffin.
7. If you’re not making the crumble topping, sprinkle extra cinnamon and coconut sugar on top of each muffin.
8. Bake for twenty-eight to thirty-five minutes, checking for doneness at thirty minutes.
9. Once they’re out of the oven, immediately take them out of the pan and place them on a rack to cool. (Tip: Taking them out immediately helps give them a fluffy texture and good rise. By leaving them in the muffin tin, there’s a steam effect that can make them too wet and crumbly even when fully cooled.)
10. Once cooled, if you’re making the icing you can add that on top. To make the icing, mix together powdered sugar and a splash of your milk of choice until you reach your desired consistency.
11. Serve with dairy free ice cream and enjoy!

Recommended Tools

• Muffin pan
• Baking liners
• High speed blender or food processor
• Silicone spatula
• Glass mixing bowls
• Stainless steel measuring cups and spoons
• Cookie scoop
• Cooling rack

More Tasty Apple Treats

Easy, Healthy Apple Pancakes (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

Air Fryer Apple Cobbler (Gluten Free, Vegan)

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal (Gluten Free, Vegan)

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