These impressive bakery-style Vegan Apple Muffins are loaded with chopped apples and cinnamon, topped with a sweet crumble topping, and decorated with vanilla icing.
If you love this apple muffin recipe, you’ll enjoy these Vegan Pumpkin Muffins, Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins, Vegan Banana Muffins, and Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins as well!
These bakery-style vegan apple muffins are no ordinary muffins. They’re more like a mix between my Vegan Apple Crumble and Apple Fritter Bread!
The muffin batter is loaded with chopped apples and cinnamon, then topped with a sweet brown sugar crumble. Bake until tall and fluffy and finish them with a drizzle of the easy vanilla glaze! With sweet and comforting flavors in each bite, these apple cinnamon muffins are the best and most decadent fall breakfast or dessert.
What I love about these apple muffins
- The tender, moist texture – These are the softest, most tender muffins. You won’t be able to stop at just one!
- Plenty of apples throughout and the crumb topping – The crumb topping takes these muffins to the next level! And there are fresh apple pieces in every bite.
- Surprisingly easy and quick to make – The muffins are easy to make in 1 bowl and the crumble/icing mix up super quick with minimal ingredients. They might look fancy but they couldn’t be easier to make!
How to make vegan apple muffins
Make the flax eggs by stirring the ground flaxseeds and water together in a small bowl. Set aside to thicken.
Whisk the flour, sugars, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Pour the melted vegan butter, oat milk, vanilla, and flax eggs into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
Do not overmix the muffin batter! The more you work the batter, the more dense the muffins will be. Only stir the wet and dry mixtures together until all of the dry flour is incorporated.
Next, use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to fold the chopped apples into the batter.
Fill the muffin liners with the prepared batter. Sprinkle the crumb topping on top of each muffin.
Bake the apple muffins first at 425ºF for 5 minutes, then at 350ºF for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Baking tip: Baking the muffins first at a high temperature for a short amount of time yields taller, more bountiful muffins!
Meanwhile, make the icing by whisking the powdered sugar, vanilla, and non-dairy milk in a bowl until smooth.
Drizzle the vanilla icing over the warm or cooled muffins. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
I recommend using any kind of firm and tart apple, like granny smith apples. They hold their shape well but still soften nicely when baked. And if you don’t want to use granny smith apples, feel free to use any of these six kinds of baking apples recommended by Bon Appetit. I often use honeycrisp for baking.
I haven’t tested it but replacing the all purpose flour with a quality gluten free flour mix (in the batter and crumble topping) should work well.
Transfer the muffins to an airtight container, then store them on the kitchen counter for 2 to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Yes, vegan apple muffins freeze well! Keep them in a sealed freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Best Ever Vegan Apple Muffins
Ingredients
Muffins
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 5 tablespoons water
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup melted vegan butter
- 3/4 cup oat milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced apples
Crumb topping
- 1/4 cup melted vegan butter
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
Optional icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon oat milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line a standard muffin pan with paper liners. Spray lightly with oil.
- In a small bowl, stir the ground flaxseeds and water together. Set aside to thicken; these are your flax eggs.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: flour, sugars, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- To the bowl with the dry ingredients, pour in the melted vegan butter, oat milk, vanilla and flax eggs. Stir with a large spoon until just combined, but do not over mix or your muffins will be dense.
- Fold in the apples.
- Using a small measuring cup or ice cream scoop, transfer the batter to the prepared liners and fill to the top.
- Make the crumb topping: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with a fork until crumbly.
- Sprinkle the crumb all over the tops of the muffin batter.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 15-18 more minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. This will help the muffins be tall!
- Make the icing: Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and non-dairy milk to a small bowl and use a fork to whisk until combined and smooth.
- Drizzle icing over warm or cooled muffins. They will stay fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature, up to 1 week in the refrigerator and can also be frozen.
Notes
- Gluten free – You may use a quality gluten free flour mix in the muffins and the crumb topping.
- Oil free – Use applesauce in place of the butter for the muffins. I’d probably just leave off the crumb topping for oil free.
I made these for my neighbors this morning and took them over to their house. Their pup passed away, and I wanted to make something special to comfort them. Thank you for this recipe. I tasted one, and it was excellent! I’m sure they will enjoy them too!
Hi Karen. What a kind and caring gesture towards your neighbors! Thanks for taking time to share your glowing review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
i love this recipe so much. i’ve made it a bunch. i’ve found that i prefer to swap the 1/2 cup white sugar for a little under 1/2 flour. this makes the muffins a lot less sweet and i get an extra muffin out of it, otherwise i only get 11. i half the crumble amount to reduce waste and half the icing to further reduce the sweetness a bit. i also accidentally forgot to add cinnamon to the topping one time, so i adding it to the icing and i found that, while the aesthetic wasn’t as good, i really liked how the cinnamon icing imparted the flavor more.
thanks again for this!
Hi! Would soy milk be an unnoticeable swap here or would it change the texture and oat is best?
Soy milk works great!
Amaaaaaazing!!!🤩
Wow! These muffins are amazing.
I just left a review but forgot to rate. FIVE STARS! These are amazing and so easy to make
You’re so kind, thank you! Happy you enjoyed the muffins. 🙂
These are amazing. Every one I make them for loves them and requests more. So easy too. I used honeycrisp
Hi, These look so good! Can chia seeds be substituted for the flax?
Yes, they can.
Nora, pleaseeeeee make a recipe for vegan apple and cinnamon cupcakes 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
So delicious and easy to follow! Thanks for another great recipe, Nora!
You bet, Michelle! I’m glad to know the recipe was easy to follow, and delicious! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review! Happy cooking!
Perfect muffins. Please publish a cookbook, Nora!
Thank you! Oh my goodness, I would love to!! Hopefully one day soon…
Thank you so much Nora, these were a great success! They came out so well that for once I’m not ashamed to take my offering to our village apple tasting do!! 😀
OMG. These are so most and flavorful! I would NOT call them muffins though. These are totally cupcake vibes!
I used honeycrisp apples.
I will definitely make these again (and again and again…)
Hello , please could you advise if I could use oil instead of butter? The muffins look scrummy
Sure, you can use a neutral flavored oil instead of vegan butter.
A few weeks ago I was having company for the weekend and needed a snack for young kids. Everyone loved them. I took them to work and everyone there raved about them. My niece asked me if I had any left as she wanted to try them, so today I am making another batch for her and her family! These are honestly the best I have tried!
Hi Kathy! I’m thrilled the muffins have been a hit with so many! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and feedback! Wishing you lots of happy baking!
I made these in December for Christmas but I didn’t use the flaxseed I think I substitute with applesauce but dont rememberedhow much. So how much applesauce would put in here instead of the flaxseed?
I’d use about 1/2 cup applesauce in place of flax eggs. Hope you enjoy them again!
I used 1/4th cup wheat flour and 3/4 white, they turned out brilliantly
I’m so excited the muffins turned out great! Thanks for your wonderful review!