Mini Applesauce Muffins shaped for make-ahead mornings, brunch, or easy daytime meals.
Tiny Applesauce Muffins for Grab-and-Go Mornings
Cinnamon-scented, tender mini muffins that bake fast and stash easily for make-ahead breakfasts, brunches, or lunchboxes.
These little muffins are Sunrise & Crumb’s ode to fuss-free mornings — a Priya Lane recipe built around quick baking and simple pantry ingredients. Baked in mini pans, they come out warm, dome-topped, and just the right size for a morning bite, an afternoon pick-me-up, or a neat addition to a lunchbox spread. Their small size makes portioning effortless and reheating pleasantly quick.
The batter balances all-purpose flour with a touch of whole wheat for a subtle nutty depth, while light brown sugar brings soft caramel notes that play beautifully against warm ground cinnamon and a whisper of nutmeg. Unsweetened applesauce keeps the crumb moist without weighing it down, and a little diced apple folded in at the end adds fleeting pockets of fresh texture. Melted butter, milk, and an egg round out the batter for a tender, slightly rich mouthfeel.
One of the best bits: these bake fast — about 12 minutes at 350°F — so you can whip up a batch between chores or the evening before. Make two standard 12-cup mini pans and you’ll have a stack ready to cool, pack, or freeze for later. Stored in an airtight container they’re an easy morning win; warm briefly to revive that just-baked feeling.
Serve them plain with coffee, spread with a smear of butter or almond butter, or tuck a couple into a lunchbox alongside fruit and yogurt. Tiny, cozy, and reliable, these mini applesauce muffins are exactly the kind of make-ahead bake that keeps breakfast feeling thoughtful even on the busiest days.
Ingredients
How to Make Mini Applesauce Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease or line two standard 12-cup mini muffin pans (you should have about 24 mini muffins total).
- In a large bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg until evenly combined.
- Peel (optional) and finely dice the apple so it measures about 1/2 cup; set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl whisk the unsweetened applesauce, egg, milk, melted unsalted butter and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly frothy.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula just until combined — batter will be thick. Fold in the diced apple, taking care not to overmix.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared mini muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Tap the pans lightly on the counter to settle the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let muffins cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or room temperature; store cooled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Recipe Card
Mini Applesauce Muffins
Mini Applesauce Muffins shaped for make-ahead mornings, brunch, or easy daytime meals.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease or line two standard 12-cup mini muffin pans (you should have about 24 mini muffins total).
- In a large bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg until evenly combined.
- Peel (optional) and finely dice the apple so it measures about 1/2 cup; set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl whisk the unsweetened applesauce, egg, milk, melted unsalted butter and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly frothy.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula just until combined — batter will be thick. Fold in the diced apple, taking care not to overmix.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared mini muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Tap the pans lightly on the counter to settle the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let muffins cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or room temperature; store cooled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 84
- Saturated Fat
- 9.5
- Sodium
- 575
- Fiber
- 4
- Unsaturated Fat
- 5.5
- Protein
- 9
- Fat
- 17
- Cholesterol
- 77
- Trans Fat
- 0.2
- Calories
- 490
- Sugar
- 34