These are my go-to after school snack or quick and easy breakfast for busy school mornings. They are super quick to mix up, use whole grains and oats, and are always so tender and fluffy.
Jump to RecipeI started making these a few years ago when my kids were little and I needed something I could quickly make and bake while they were napping. I’m a big fan of baked goods that use whole grains, healthy ingredients AND still taste good, and these fit in all of those categories.
SIMPLE BATTER
The batter for these applesauce oat muffins is soo simple!
- old fashioned (or quick!) oats
- applesauce
- eggs
- sugar or honey
- milk
- butter or oil (or substitute in more applesauce)
Mix all of those together, and then combine them in a bowl with whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
EASILY ADAPTABLE
I have made these muffins dozens of times over the years and I have tried them with just about every substitution out there. They are delicious with either old fashioned OR quick oats! Often I leave out the butter/oil and add in more applesauce in its place. For the sweetener, I’ve used honey, sugar and even maple syrup and they’re always perfect.
MOM & KID APPROVED
With school back in session and a million after-school activities that pull us this way and that, I’m all about finding simple, non-fussy foods that give my kiddos wholesome grains, not too much sugar, and plenty of energy to tackle their days. My kids also like to pack these in their lunch boxes as a fun side or in place of their sandwich.
I love how straightforward the recipe is, and 99% of the time, I double the recipe and freeze the muffins for a quick “I need a fast breakfast now!” moment. I store the muffins in a gallon-size ziploc bag in the freezer. Then defrost a couple in the microwave for about a minute, and don’t forget to slather on some butter!
You seriously can’t go wrong with these!
Healthy (and Easy!) Applesauce Oat Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup oil or butter, melted (see note below)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar or honey
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (I use white whole wheat)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners, or spray the tin with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, applesauce, milk, eggs, vanilla, butter/oil, and sugar.
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Too much stirring and you'll end up with dense, heavy muffins!
- Distribute the batter among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until lightly browned and the tops spring back when lightly touched. Don't overbake or the muffins will be dry!
- Remove the muffins to a rack to cool, and enjoy!
Notes
- Oil/Butter: I will often leave this out and replace it with an extra 1/4 cup of applesauce.
- Flour: I prefer to use white whole wheat flour. It’s a lighter texture and baked goods turn our more fluffy. But I’ve also used red wheat flour many times and it still turns out great!
- Doubling the Recipe: I double the recipe almost every time so I can have plenty to have on-hand for the week. It will yield about 24 muffins.
- Freezing: To freeze, put cooled muffins in a gallon-size ziploc bag, squish all of the air out, and put in the freezer. Then just pull them out as needed and quickly defrost in the microwave for about 1 minute.
Leave a Reply