Easy dairy-free apple cinnamon muffins topped with cinnamon sugar have the classic warm and cozy flavor of autumn, made without milk or butter.
Easy dairy-free apple cinnamon muffins are a delicious baked treat that combines the best autumn flavors and smells of apples and cinnamon. But they're a cozy treat any time of the year!
These muffins are so simple to make and are a perfect way to start your day, have as a midday pick-me-up, or as a bedtime snack.
And even though they are made without milk or butter, they still go great with your morning coffee, a cup of tea, or a cold glass of milk.
Dairy-free apple cinnamon muffins are also an excellent treat for get-togethers and guests!
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FAQs for Dairy-Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins
What kind of apples are best for baking muffins?
Firm, tart-sweet apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Gala work best. They hold their shape well during baking and provide a great balance of sweetness and tartness against the warm cinnamon flavor.
Can I add nuts or other mix-ins to these muffins?
Yes. Chopped walnuts, pecans, or even dairy-free chocolate chips make good add-ins if you want to add an extra layer of texture or flavor to your apple cinnamon muffins.
How do I store dairy-free apple cinnamon muffins?
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months; just thaw them at room temperature or warm them gently in the microwave before serving.
Can I make these into mini muffins or a loaf?
Yes, you can adapt this batter! If making mini muffins, reduce the baking time to about 10 to 12 minutes. Just keep an eye on them so they don't overbake.
these are sweet muffins, so why is there salt in the ingredients?
Even though salt tends to make foods, well, salty, it actually plays other roles in baking as well.
For example, the right amount of salt balances flavors in baked goods; it can bring out the sweetness of sugar and, at the same time, prevent them from tasting overly sweet. It also can help dull the bitterness of cocoa.
Salt prevents baked goods from tasting bland, while it balances the richness of the fats. It also helps develop flavor in yeast breads and works with proteins to strengthen gluten and make it more elastic.
Salt helps baked goods stay a little fresher for a little longer and helps delay mold from growing on them.
What is the difference between baking soda and baking powder?
Baking soda and baking powder are both synthetic leavens that help baked goods rise, but there is a difference between them.
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, which needs another ingredient that is acidic in order to be activated. When the baking soda touches the acid, it creates a carbon dioxide gas, which helps the baked good rise. Baking soda is between 3 and 4 times stronger than baking powder, and if too much baking soda is used, your baked good will end up with a metallic flavor.
Baking powder is baking soda that is already mixed with an acid and a stabilizer and will be activated by moisture and heat. Nowadays, baking powder is called double-acting because it activates twice-once when it gets wet (when you mix the ingredients together) and again when it heats in the oven.
Replacing one with the other can be tricky, and it's not recommended. However, if you have no choice, then do solid research for substituting one for the other for the baked good you are preparing so you don't ruin it.
What is the difference in using oil vs. butter or margarine?
Both margarine and butter are solid fats at room temperature, and both contain more saturated fats than oil.
While margarine and butter will change from a solid to a liquid when heated, they will change back to solids when cooled again. Oil stays liquid at all temperatures. Oil also coats flour better in the preparation process before baking.
Butter "creams" better than margarine, but one cannot cream oil at all.
When converting a recipe from butter or margarine to oil, the general conversion rate is 1 to ¾ (although if you are doing more than one batch, you might need to reduce the oil because I have found that baked goods come out oily in this case).
And when converting from oil to margarine or butter, typically the ratio is 1 to 1¼, and from margarine or butter to oil, the ratio is typically 1 to ¾.
A little about apples
Apples originated in Central Asia, where they grew wild thousands of years ago. They spread along the Silk Road trade route and have been cultivated in thousands of varieties all over the world, although there are only several dozen that can typically be found in grocery stores.
Some of the more popular types of apples include Granny Smith, Delicious, Honey Crisp, Gala, Pink Lady, and Jonathan. Different types of apples have different flavors, textures, and colors. Apples are made up of skin, pulp, and approximately 25% air.
Apples are eaten fresh as well as being used in a variety of ways, such as in cooking, baking, salads, smoothies, and to make cider.
A lot of recipes for apple baked goods call for Granny Smith apples in the ingredients. Granny Smith are green tart apples that are firm and hold their shape and won't get mushy when baked. Pink Lady apples are similar in that they are also firm, but they have a balanced tart-sweet flavor. Honeycrisp, on the other hand, is a very sweet apple that is a softer type, similar to Gala apples, but the Gala have a milder sweetness.
Apples are fat-free and relatively low in calories. They have impressive health benefits and are rich in nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, and help support heart health and digestion. They are also believed to possibly help lower blood sugar.
Contrary to popular belief, apples are not native to North America, but rather it was the early colonists from Europe who brought trees and seeds. Apples thereafter became an important food, and cider became a common drink, so settlers established apple orchards.
Who hasn't heard the legend of Johnny Appleseed? Well, he was a real person, and his name was really John Chapman. John distributed apple seeds across the Midwest U.S. so that apples could be grown for making cider. And this is how he earned the nickname Johnny Appleseed.
Sometimes, TV shows and movies will mention cyanide made from apple seeds used as a poison. While it is true that seeds from apples contain amygdalin, which can release cyanide, an adult would typically need to crush and eat a very large amount of apple seeds for this to be a problem. So, if you swallowed a few, you probably don't have to worry. Still, it is highly recommended not to let young children or pets have apple seeds.
Do you love apple baked goods?
Love muffins?
Easy Dairy-Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins Recipe
Delicious and easy muffins with the warm flavor ofapples and cinnamon, made without butter or milk.
Ingredients
Muffins
- 1½ cups of flour
- 1 cup of peeled apples (any kind), diced small (or ½ cup applesauce)
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup water or milk substitute (that doesn't have it's own flavor)
- ¼ cup cooking oil or ⅓ cup melted dairy-free margarine (or vegan butter)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
Topping
- 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- OR
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- Add the eggs, water (or milk substitute), oil, and vanilla extract and mix well.
- Fold in the diced apple or applesauce.
- Divide equally between the cups of a greased or papered muffin tin.
- Sprinkle on the combined sugar and cinnamon or brown sugar for the topping.
- Place in an oven that has been pre-heated to 350 °F and bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted to the center comes out clean.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 323Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 164mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 3g
