Healthy Apple Cider Muffins (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
These apple cider muffins are made with fresh apple cider, applesauce, and naturally sweetened with coconut sugar. They're soft, fluffy, filled with warm fall spices, and taste just like an apple cider donut in muffin form! Vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 25 minutes!
Equipment
Ingredients
muffins
- ¾ cup apple cider
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups oat flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon-sugar coating
- ½ cup coconut sugar, or sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, or vegan butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a muffin pan with coconut oil or line it with parchment liners.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the apple cider, applesauce, coconut sugar, melted coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the oat flour, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until just combined. Don't overmix - a few small lumps are perfectly fine!
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Make the cinnamon-sugar coating: While the muffins are baking, stir together the coconut sugar and cinnamon in a small shallow bowl. Melt the coconut oil in a separate small bowl so it's ready once the muffins have cooled slightly.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This helps the crumb finish setting and keeps them nice and tender.
- Coat in cinnamon-sugar: While the muffins are still warm, brush each one with melted coconut oil, then dip into the cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated. This is the same finishing touch I use on my gluten-free apple cider donuts, and it's the secret to getting that classic apple cider donut flavor. YUM!
Video
Notes
- Use store-bought oat flour. I tested these muffins with both homemade and store-bought oat flour, and the store-bought flour created a much softer texture.
- Use fresh refrigerated apple cider if possible! A jug from your local orchard during apple season will give these muffins the best apple flavor.
- Don’t skip the apple cider vinegar. It reacts with the baking soda to help the muffins rise for that light, fluffy texture.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter. Stir just until the flour is incorporated. A few lumps are perfectly okay!
- Let the muffins cool for about 10 minutes before adding the cinnamon-sugar coating. They’ll still be warm enough for it to stick, but the crumb will be less delicate.
- Store leftover muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Storing them at room temperature helps maintain their soft texture (storing in the fridge can make them a bit more dense).
Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 196kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 206mg, Potassium: 101mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 5IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 1mg
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