Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dry Mix
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 90 g old-fashioned rolled oats
- 10 g baking powder
- 4 g ground cinnamon
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 1 g ground nutmeg
Wet Mix
- 150 g light brown sugar, packed
- 240 ml whole milk, room temperature
- 80 ml vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, large, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Inclusions
- 200 g granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced small (0.5cm)
Optional Bakery Topping
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 2 g ground cinnamon
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 275 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 40 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Sodium
- 210 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 38 mg
- Potassium
- 131 mg
- Calcium
- 101 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 24 mg
- Phosphorus
- 117 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 40 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.10 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 15 mcg
- Water
- 42 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Peel, core, and dice the apple into small 0.5cm cubes. Consistency is key to ensure the fruit cooks through without making the batter soggy.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, rolled oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and optional nutmeg until fully uniform.
In a medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until the sugar has mostly dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Switch to a spatula and gently fold just until the flour is barely visible. Do not overmix.
Add the diced apples. Fold 2-3 times gently to distribute the fruit. The batter should look lumpy; a smooth batter results in tough muffins.
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. They should be nearly full (about 3/4 to the top).
Bake in the center of the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
Remove from the oven. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Optional: While muffins are still warm, brush tops with melted butter and dip in a mix of cinnamon and sugar for a bakery-style crunch.
Chef's Notes
- Room temperature ingredients (milk and eggs) emulsify better, creating a more uniform structure than cold ingredients.
- For a taller muffin crown, start the oven at 220°C (425°F) for the first 5 minutes, then reduce to 190°C (375°F) for the remainder without opening the door.
- If using very sweet apples (like Fuji or Gala), reduce the brown sugar by 20g to maintain balance.
- Tossing the diced apples in a teaspoon of the flour mixture before adding them prevents them from sinking to the bottom.
- Do not use quick oats or instant oats; they disappear into the batter and lose the desired chewy texture.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature.
Reheating: Microwave for 15-20 seconds for a fresh-baked texture.
Troubleshooting
Muffins are tough and rubbery with tunnels inside
Cause: Overmixing the batter developed too much gluten
Fix: Cannot be fixed after baking; serve warm with butter to mask texture.
Prevention: Use the 'muffin method': fold gently and stop as soon as ingredients are combined. Lumps are normal.
Muffins are soggy around the fruit
Cause: Apples were diced too large or release too much water
Fix: Toast cut muffins in a toaster oven to dry out slightly.
Prevention: Dice apples small (0.5cm) and stick to baking apples like Granny Smith that hold their shape.
Cultural Context
The muffin is an American bakery staple that evolved from English yeast-leavened muffins and quick breads. This variation marries the heartiness of porridge oats with the classic autumn combination of apples and cinnamon, representing a transition from breakfast sustenance to a portable treat.
