Whole wheat apple cinnamon muffins are a great start to your day, lunch box filler, or afternoon snack.

Whole wheat apple cinnamon muffins are bursting with flavor. The whole family will love them.

I’ve mentioned before how my son only likes apple muffins. Well, I couldn’t leave him hanging, could I? I knew it would only be a matter of days before I was whipping up another batch of muffins, and here we are.

These whole wheat apple cinnamon muffins are the entire family’s favorite muffin, and it’s incredibly hard to make a batch last longer than one breakfast.

Wonderfully tender, chock full of apples and cinnamon, and hearty enough to power you through the morning. Now, I’m not kidding when I say there’s a heaping helping of cinnamon in this recipe. There’s a lot more — double, actually — than in my snickerdoodle muffins, so you know I’m serious.

Whole wheat apple cinnamon muffins are so perfect for cozy autumn mornings. Pack some for your tailgate!

Apples and cinnamon just go together. It’s a fact of life, or at least the kitchen. The combination always makes me feel cozy, like I’m curled up with a steaming mug of cider or plate of apple pie, no matter what I’m actually eating. These muffins, straight from the oven and slathered with butter? Pure comfort and taste-bud bliss.

You can use whatever variety of apple you have on hand for these muffins, and don’t bother peeling them. Dicing the apple into small pieces will make the peel completely unnoticed after baking the muffins, and then you’ll be getting those extra nutrients too.

Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Muffins are a great fall breakfast. You'll love the flavor!

I topped my muffins with sparkling sugar, which is large crystal sugar often found among the decorating supplies. I like the extra crunch it adds to the muffin, plus it’s a nice festive touch to add to your standard morning meal.

You can use raw sugar crystals too, or mix cinnamon and sugar together for a more flavorful topping.

If you like, double the batch and save half to freeze for later. Let them cool completely, then freeze in plastic wrap, a freezer bag, or other freezer-safe container.

Then just unwrap and pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds for a quick breakfast or snack.

Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Name: Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 2 cups white whole wheat flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 8 tablespoons butter, softened; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1 large egg; 1 cup milk; 1 cup diced apple (about 1 medium apple); Sparkling sugar, for tops (optional)

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Whole wheat apple cinnamon muffins are a great start to your day, lunch box filler, or afternoon snack.

Ingredients

2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1 cup diced apple (about 1 medium apple)
Sparkling sugar, for tops (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a muffin tin with papers (or grease with nonstick spray).
Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Whisk in egg.
Stir in flour and milk until just combined, then stir in diced apple.
Divide batter among 12 muffin cups. Top with sparkling sugar, if desired.
Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Serve immediately or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.