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These pumpkin apple muffins are the perfect combination of fall flavors! Moist pumpkin spice muffins are loaded with shredded apple, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans. The best way to start your morning!
Are you a fan of pumpkin or apple when it comes to fall baking? I love them both equally. This pumpkin apple baked oatmeal is a staple fall breakfast in our house and I love making this apple cake with salted caramel glaze for a special treat.
Since I love both using pumpkin and apples so much, it was a no brainer to combine them when I made these healthy pumpkin apple muffins!
The muffin itself is a pumpkin muffin, but then it’s taken up a notch with shredded apple, dried cranberries and toasted pecans. These muffins are super moist, full of pumpkin spice and cinnamon and the perfect breakfast to make on a crisp fall morning!
Ingredients For Pumpkin Apple Muffins
- white whole wheat flour and/or all purpose flour
- pumpkin spice and ground cinnamon
- baking soda
- pumpkin purée
- maple syrup
- eggs
- coconut oil
- milk of choice
- vanilla extract
- apple
- dried cranberries and pecans (optional)
How To Make Pumpkin Apple Muffins
Start by combining the flours, spices, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the pumpkin, maple syrup, eggs, melted coconut oil, milk and vanilla.
It’s important that all of your wet ingredients are at room temperature to ensure that they combine together properly. This is especially true if you’re using melted coconut oil. When melted coconut oil comes in contact with cold ingredients it will harden again and won’t be distributed evenly in whatever you’re baking.
Once the wet ingredients are whisked together, stir in the shredded apple. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to fold them together. When you no longer see streaks of flour, add in the dried cranberries and pecans and gently fold them in.
Divide the muffin batter evenly into a standard size 12 cup muffin pan. You can use muffin liners or just spray the pan with cooking spray. If you’d like to sprinkle the tops of the muffins with raw (turbinado) sugar before baking, it’s a nice way to give the muffins a sweet, crisp top.
The muffins will need to bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes before removing them onto a cooling rack and serving.
What Type Of Apples Are Best For Baking?
When choosing an apple for baking, you want to pick a variety that won’t turn to mush when it’s baked. Depending on how sweet your recipe is will determine if you should use a more tart or sweet apple.
Since these pumpkin apple muffins aren’t overly sweet I recommend using any of the following varieties; Honeycrisp, Gala, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, or Jonagold apples.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but make sure it’s a small dice. I chose to shred the apple because it prevents the muffin from having a gummy texture next to the fruit.
Raisins and walnuts would be a good substitution. You can also omit one or both of the add ins.
The muffins will keep for several days in an airtight container on the countertop. You can also freeze the muffins. Let them cool completely and then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put them in the freezer for an hour and then transfer them to an airtight container. They will keep for several months.
More Fall Muffin Recipes
- Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Pear Ginger Muffins
- Pumpkin Pecan Muffins with Bourbon Maple Glaze
- Mini Chai Muffins with Vanilla Bean Glaze
- Pumpkin Espresso Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Pumpkin Apple Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil canola or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 apple shredded (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup toasted pecans chopped (optional)
- Raw/turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top of the muffins optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a standard 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray or use paper muffin liners.
- In a large bowl combine the flours, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the pumpkin purée, maple syrup, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla. Stir the shredded apple in with the wet ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry and fold together with a rubber spatula. Stir in the dried cranberries and pecans. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin pan and sprinkle the tops with the sugar.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes on the middle rack of the oven or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing them.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
