These super moist Applesauce Mini Muffins are perfectly wholesome and delicious muffins for toddlers and kids! Made in less than 25 minutes with white whole wheat flour, applesauce, and a big spoonful of cinnamon for the ultimate muffin your little one will devour.

Green plate with small toddler hand reaching for a mini muffin.
5 stars (36 ratings)
“First, let me start by saying I never ever write reviews for anything! I could not believe how quickly my really picky 2 year old gobbled one of these up and asked for more. Thank you so much! It’s such a struggle to get my picky toddler to eat.” -Charlene
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Applesauce Muffins

Are you looking for an easy-peasy muffin recipe packed with cozy applesauce and cinnamon flavor?

I’ve got you!

The first time I made these muffins, I couldn’t believe how quickly my girls devoured them. It was like they were in a secret muffin-eating contest—with a shiny found rock as the grand prize. They inhaled them before I even had a chance to grab one!

To say these muffins are a hit is a total understatement. 🥇

Over the years, I’ve lost count of how many batches I’ve made. They’re my go-to for quick breakfasts and school lunches. My kids usually eat them with yogurt, a berry salad, and some nut-free granola, while I enjoy mine standing at the kitchen sink – dunked into my lukewarm coffee, of course.

This one-bowl recipe is made with white whole wheat flour, applesauce, and a big spoonful of cinnamon. They’re simple, wholesome, and full of that cozy, homemade flavor that makes everyone happy. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or tossing into a lunchbox.

#momhack – I recommend making a double batch and freezing half of these muffins for a quick breakfast. They freeze great and are perfect for pulling out of the freezer and gently reheating in the microwave on a crazy weekday morning when there’s never enough coffee. I know you know the ones!

Applesauce Mini Muffins Video

Ingredients

Spread of ingredients for homemade applesauce muffins.

Let’s Get Cooking

In a large bowl, mix together the applesauce, butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract until well combined.
n the same large bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
Gently fold the ingredients together until just combined. Do not overmix.
Fill each muffin cup 2/3 the way full. Cook until golden brown – roughly 13 minutes.
If serving plain, let cool and then serve.
Plate of mini applesauce muffins getting a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar.
If using the cinnamon sugar coating, dip the muffin tops into the butter and roll into the sugar mixture.
Hand holding up a mini applesauce muffin made with wholesome ingredients.
Enjoy!
small kids hands holding a green plate of mini muffins.

Get the recipe: Kid-Requested Applesauce Muffins (made in 25 Minutes)

5 stars (36 ratings)
These muffins are perfectly wholesome and delicious muffins for toddler and kids! Made with white whole wheat flour, applesauce and a big spoonful of cinnamon for the ultimate muffin your little one will devour.
Yield: 24 mini muffins
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 22 minutes
Author: Michele Olivier
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
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Ingredients 

Applesauce Mini Muffins

  • 1 cup flour (see notes)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup applesauce, no sugar added
  • 1/4 cup butter or oil
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions 

Applesauce Mini Muffins

  • Preheat oven to 375° F. Line or spray a mini muffin pan.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the applesauce, butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract until well combined.
  • In the same large bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Gently fold the ingredients together until just combined. Do not overmix.
  • Spoon the batter into the muffin cups until 2/3 the way full.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until just golden brown.
  • Let cool.
  • You can serve as is, or coat in the cinnamon-sugar topping.

Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

  • In a small bowl, melt the butter. In another small bowl, mix together the sugar and the cinnamon.
  • Take a cooled muffin and dip it into the butter and then roll it in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until well coated. Repeat with all of the muffins.

Notes

Age: 1 year and up
Storage: You can store these muffins in a loosely covered container on the counter for up to 4 days. These muffins freeze beautifully! To freeze, place the muffins in an air-tight container, zip-lock baggie or stasher bag and then place in the freezer for up to 2 months. To thaw, simply leave the muffins on the counter overnight or heat in the microwave in 30-second increments.
Notes on Flour: You can use white whole wheat, all-purpose, a gluten-free one-for-one blend, or half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Allergy Info:
  • Gluten-Free: make these gluten-free by using a one-for-one gluten-free flour.
  • Egg-Free: you can make this egg-free by using any egg substitute or a flax egg.
  • Dairy-Free: you can make these muffins dairy-free by using oil instead of butter.

Making them Sugar-Free
If you are looking for a refined sugar-free muffin, you can remove some or all of the sugar in this recipe. I made them without the white sugar, and used coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar and while they had a slightly deeper flavor, my kids still devoured them.
Just note: the more sugar you remove from the muffins, the denser the muffins will be. I would not suggest taking all of the sugar out completely, as you will have very hard muffins.
Cooking with Kids

Toddlers

  • Toddlers can help measure and put the ingredients into the bowl.
  • They can help mix the ingredients together.
  • Once cooked, toddlers can help roll the muffins into the melted butter and cinnamon sugar topping.

Kids

  • Preheat the oven.
  • They can pick out and measure all of the ingredients. 
  • Kids can help mix the ingredients together.
  • They can help to fill the muffin cups with the batter.
  • Once filled, kids can carefully put the muffin tin into the oven (with adult supervision) and remove once baked.
  • Kids can melt the butter in the microwave, and then roll the muffins into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Serving: 1mini muffin, Calories: 56kcal, Carbohydrates: 8.6g, Protein: 0.8g, Fat: 2.2g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 68mg, Potassium: 27mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 4.4g

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