These whole grain cinnamon apple muffins are the BEST muffins to come out of my oven! Baked with whole grains for fiber and flavor, and topped with a crunchy granola streusel.

Whole Grain Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Granola Streusel

I am so excited to share one of my favorite recipes from my new book, Gentle Nutrition - these whole grain cinnamon apple muffins topped with granola streusel! I am not much of a baker, so I was surprised when these muffins came out with the perfect texture on my first try. Not going to lie, I feel pretty proud of these babies, which is why it’s the first recipe I wanted to share with y’all!

As I’ve shared before, Gentle Nutrition is a book that explores what nutrition looks like from a non-diet perspective. It includes 50 recipes, and I really wanted those recipes to reinforce gentle nutrition, by showing how all foods fit, and also by centering pleasure first and then considering how to add nutrition in a way that not only doesn’t sacrifice taste, but enhances it.

These whole grain cinnamon apple muffins are a perfect example of what I wanted to highlight during recipe development. They use regular butter and sugar, but I also show you how to add whole grains in a way that adds fiber and flavor. One of my clients who has celiac remarked to me yesterday how she gets so frustrated finding gluten free baked goods, because once a brand takes out gluten (which btw is totally fine for anyone without celiac), they feel the need to take out sugar, nuts, dairy, etc. If a food or recipe wants to market itself as “healthy,” it’s often forced into the most restrictive definition of that.

The thing is, restriction (when it’s not medically necessary), is NOT health-promoting. And I should note, medically necessary dietary restriction is much less common than you might think. Gentle nutrition is about adding, not subtracting, and that’s just what these whole grain cinnamon apple muffins do! They’re made with a really basic muffin batter that uses a combination of whole grain and all-purpose flour. It has a bit of full fat buttermilk (or kefir) and Greek yogurt added for a slight tang and to tenderize the batter further. These cinnamon apple muffins are stuffed with chunks of diced apple, which also helps keep the muffins moist, and pairs perfectly with the cinnamon. For an easy “streusel” topping, I used store bought granola sprinkled over the muffin tops!

Tips for Baking with Whole Grains

Muffins are a great platform for allowing the nutty flavor of whole grains to shine. However, the bran in whole grain flours, if not handled right, can make them taste dry and coarse. You see, whole grains flour is milled from the whole, entire grain, as the name implies. That means it has bits of bran in the flour, the outer, harder “shell” of the grain, which is removed before milling white, all-purpose flour. These bits of bran don’t soften as much in liquid as the starchier endosperm, which is the part of the grain milled to make white flour. The sharp grains can also inhibit gluten formation, which is why baking things that require lots of structure (think baguette or pizza crust) with whole grain flour are tricky.

These whole grain cinnamon apple muffins use a couple tricks for getting the flavor out of whole wheat flour, without the dry, coarse texture. First, they use a mixture of 50/50 whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. For the most part, except in a baked good that supposed to be really soft and tender (think a light cake), I find using this 50/50 blend keeps the texture from getting dry and coarse, while also including the nutrients of whole grain flour.

The other trick I use to make these whole grain cinnamon apple muffins is to let the batter sit for 10-20 minutes to hydrate. Since the bran is a little thicker and less water hungry than the starchy endosperm, it needs a little more time to hydrate. Try this trick any time you bake with whole grain flour!

Healthy Whole Grain Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Granola Streusel

How to Meal Prep These Whole Grain Cinnamon Apple Muffins

I only occasionally do meal prep on the weekends, but when I do, muffins frequently make an appearance. They’re convenient to have on hand for a quick and easy breakfast or snack. I let them cool completely before storing in a plastic container lined with paper towels (the paper towels prevent them from getting soggy). The muffins will last about 2-3 days at room temperature this way. If there’s still some around after that, I just throw them in the fridge, and toast or microwave the muffins before serving.

You could also freeze a batch of these muffins too for quick breakfasts. They’ll last in the freezer about 2-3 months, and all you have to do is pull one out and microwave 30-60 seconds!

How to Enjoy these Whole Grain Cinnamon Apple Muffins

If you’re enjoying these whole grain cinnamon apple muffins for breakfast, try pairing them with scrambled eggs for a balanced meal. You could also put together a grab and go meal by having a muffin with a cup of yogurt and some fruit. If you’re one of those people whose not a big breakfast person, try these with nut butter to add a bit of fat and protein and make them more satisfying.

If you like this recipe for whole grain cinnamon apple muffins, follow my favorite healthy muffin recipes Pinterest board.

Whole Grain Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Granola Streusel

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk or kefir
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 large apple (any type), cored and diced
2 cups granola, divided

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until combined. Whisk in the buttermilk, yogurt, and eggs until homogenous. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients; stir with a spoon or a rubber spatula until just combined . Fold in the diced apple and 1 cup of the granola.
Divide the batter evenly among the wells of the muffin tin. Sprinkle the remaining cup of granola evenly over the muffins and lightly press into the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before unmolding and transferring to a rack to cool completely. Store the muffins in a covered container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days or for up to a week in the fridge.

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