Little gems of apple goodness are tucked into thick, hearty whole wheat muffin batter to make the perfect fall breakfast. Grab a cup of coffee and a cozy blanket, curl up on the couch, and your Saturday morning is off to a good start.
Wait, didn’t I say this oatmeal was the perfect fall breakfast? Ugh, they’re all so good, I can’t choose! Don’t make me.
I had a roommate in college who would proclaim “muffins!” after most questions I asked her, probably due to the fact that every time she’d ask what I was making for dinner I’d say muffins. Muffins. Muffins! Muuuuuuuuu-ffins. Muffins, muffins, muffins. Spoiler alert: I never actually made muffins for dinner. I’d like to think I’ve gotten less weird since college, but, let’s face it: that’s never gonna happen. 
I think its safe to say I love muffins. I love how easy they are to make, and yet how surprised people are when you tell them they’re eating a homemade muffins. As if muffins only come out of a bakery or a box.
Okay, let’s talk about these particular muffins. The batter starts with coconut oil, maple syrup, apple butter (I used homemade apple butter– applesauce works well too), and eggs. Next you stir in whole wheat flour, cinnamon, and a whole boat-load of chopped apples. Two cups, to be precise. The batter is thick, almost like cookie dough, and there’s practically more apple than muffin; just the way you want it. That way, each bite of muffin has several chunks of apple inside. 
These muffins are perfect for fall. They’re a little dense, spiked with cinnamon, and even better when warmed up with a big pat of butter or smear of almond butter. Their thick whole wheat batter fills you up with extra protein and fiber, meaning a couple of these muffins could actually leave you full until lunch. I love my muffins to be just barely sweet, which these are, and the chunks of apple in every bite help lend an extra pop of natural sweetness; a handful of raisins or chopped dates would be a welcome addition for even more texture and sweetness in every bite. 
I hope you’ll give these muffins a try this fall. They’re a great weekend breakfast, but also keep well on the counter all week, or frozen for months, for an easy grab-and-go breakfast in the morning before school/work (clearly I have a thing for make-ahead breakfasts this week…). If you make a batch of muffins, tell me how they turn out! Comment below, or tag me #bakedgreens on Instagram so I can see all your chunky muffins! Happy baking, friends!
Whole Wheat Apple Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup apple butter I used homemade apple butter. Applesauce can be used instead
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut oil melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups finely diced apple from about 3 large or 6 very small apples, peeled and cored
- Optional: 1/2 cup raisins chopped dates, or chopped walnuts.
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, or grease with nonstick spray.
- 2. Put first 5 ingredients into a large bowl (all wet ingredients), and whisk to combine. Add all remaining ingredients, including diced apple, into the wet mixture. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to fully combine.
- 3. Portion muffins into the prepared pan. I used a 1/3 cup dry measuring cup as my scoop to get them all the same size. Sprinkle muffin tops with a pinch of sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired.
- 4. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and firm. Eat immediately, or let cool to room temperature and store, covered, for up to 5 days. For longer storage, these muffins can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Notes
Chunky Muffins are the best muffins.