Applesauce muffins are the perfect breakfast for busy mornings. This healthy applesauce muffin recipe is sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free.
Mornings can be chaotic around here, especially now that the kids are back in school.
Making a healthy breakfast is important to most moms, but it isn’t always realistic. I love make-ahead breakfasts to make the morning a little less crazy.
You can make a double or triple, in my case, batch of these muffins at the beginning of the week so they are ready to grab on your way out the door.
Why you will love this recipe
- Sugar-Free: Applesauce muffins are made with oats, applesauce, coconut milk and sweetened with monk fruit; no added sugar!
- Easy Breakfast: They make the perfect breakfast for those on-the-go weekday mornings or to enjoy with a cup of coffee on the weekend.
- Healthy: It is so important to start the day with a breakfast full of healthy fats, fiber, and protein to keep you full until lunch. Eating a nutritious breakfast will give you natural energy and is the best way to start your day.
I wanted to come up with a recipe that was delicious and allergy-friendly. These muffins are made with gluten-free oats and coconut milk and naturally sweetened with monk fruit.
What you will need for this recipe
- Gluten-free oats: you can use any kind of rolled oats you have if you are not on a gluten-free diet.
- Oat flour: you can use store-bought, or you can make it at home by blending rolled oats until fine.
- Unsweetened applesauce: adds moisture to the muffins and acts as a natural sweetener. It also replaces some fat, making the recipe lighter and healthier.
- Coconut milk: almond milk or regular milk will also work fine, depending on your dietary needs.
- Coconut oil: can be swapped with another neutral oil, like avocado oil, if needed.
- Monk fruit: you can also use organic sugar if you don’t have monk fruit on hand and don’t mind a little added sugar.
- Raisins: adds natural sweetness and chewy texture. You can replace them with other dried fruits or leave them out if not desired.
- Toasted Coconut: adds a decorative touch and extra coconut flavor if desired. They also toast nicely while baking, adding texture.
Recipe Variations
- Customize the muffins by adding your favorite mix-ins. Consider adding chopped nuts, seeds, or even chocolate chips to the batter for extra texture and flavor.
- In addition to cinnamon, you can add nutmeg, allspice, or cardamom for a more complex spice profile. Pumpkin pie spice is also a great blend to use.
- Swirl some almond or peanut butter into the batter before baking for added richness and flavor.
Applesauce Muffins Recipe
Step 1: Prepare a muffin pan and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together the oat flour, oatmeal, monk fruit, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, stir together the applesauce, coconut milk, vanilla, and coconut oil. Combine the dry and wet ingredients.
Step 3: Fold in the raisins.
Step 4: Scoop the muffin batter into the greased muffin pan or non-stick cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact recipe and measurements.
Expert Tips:
Allow the muffins to cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the baking dish. Serve right away, plain or with a little butter.
If freezing, once the muffins are completely cooled, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
These muffins make a great breakfast, snack, dessert, or side dish to any meal. Whip them up for a great snack to throw in a lunch box or brunch date.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! These muffins freeze well. Once completely cooled, store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
You can substitute coconut milk with any plant-based milk or even regular cow’s milk if you’re not vegan or dairy-free.
Yes, you can use a mini muffin pan to make smaller, bite-sized muffins. Reduce the baking time to around 12–15 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick. The smaller size will cook faster than standard muffins.
Related recipes
- Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread
- Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Crumble
- Paleo Vanilla Cupcakes
- Paleo Pumpkin Bread
- Cast Iron Banana Bread
If you tried this Applesauce Muffin Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sugar-Free Applesauce Muffins
Equipment
- muffin tin
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
- 1 ¼ cup gluten-free rolled oats
- ⅓ cup monk fruit
- 1 ¼ cup applesauce
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup coconut flakes optional
Instructions
- Prepare a muffin pan and preheat the oven to 375°
- Start by making your own oat flour by finely blending up gluten-free rolled oats.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the applesauce, coconut milk, vanilla, and coconut oil.
- Combine the dry and wet ingredients.
- Add in raisins.
- Scoop the muffin batter into a greased muffin pan or non-stick cupcake liners.
- Top each muffin with coconut flakes.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- Allow the muffins to cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the baking dish. Serve right away, plain or with a little butter.
- These muffins can be enjoyed hot or cold.
- If freezing, once the muffins are completely cooled, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe container and put them in the freezer.
Janet says
I was going to make these muffins but I’m confused – do I use the 1-1/4 cup oats to make the oat flour? Or are there oats AND oat flour in this recipe?
Laura says
Yes, you use both oats and oat flour.
Mary Beth Ferrara says
These are delicious! I’ve been working through the elimination diet for the last 6 weeks and I really appreciate your recipes that use “alternative” foods. Thank you for sharing these!
Laura says
I am glad you are enjoying them! My kids love them!
Amanda says
Made these last night for breakfast. Didn’t have mink fruit so I used pure cane sugar instead. They were so good that my husband and I ate half the batch last night lol. Definitely going to be doubling (or tripling) this recipe next time. So good!
Laura says
I am so glad you guys liked them! We are making a big batch for my daughter’s birthday party right now. 🙂
Karen says
They look delicious!