Moist, decadent, and completely HEALTHY. Suck on that haters.
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins with Caramelized Apple Chunks
Ingredients
- 1 large honeycrisp apple, cubed (sub apple of choice)
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour (sub gluten free all purpose flour)
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 4 tablespoons non dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350.
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While the oven is heating, start by sautéing your apples: heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. Add your apple chunks to the hot pan, and season with cinnamon and vanilla extract. Saute for 2-3 minutes, just until they begin to get tender. Then take them off the heat and set aside.
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In a large bowl, mix together all of your dry ingredients (ie. ap flour, coconut sugar, flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice.)
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Once well mixed, add in your wet ingredients (ie. pumpkin puree, apple sauce, almond milk, coconut oil.).
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Finally, add in your sautéed apples and mix just until everything is incorporated. (You don't want to over mix.)
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Grease a muffin tray, and evenly divide the batter into 10-12 muffins.
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Bake for 35 minutes. Take the muffins out of the oven, and let sit IN THE MUFFIN TIN for 20 minutes.
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EAT UP!
Recipe Notes
*It's totally up to you to decide if you want to de-skin the apples or not - I didn't!
It’s hard for me to even begin to describe what a success these muffins are. You see, I originally started to develop this recipe over a year ago. And I FAILED. I failed hardcore. For weeks my kitchen was full of batches of unsuccessful gooey muffins. (Luckily my friends were still willing to eat them.) Eventually I reached my failure limit and I just gave up. But then I was asked to be apart of the #virtualpumpkinparty and I knew I had to try again. So I did, and I failed again. So on a hail Mary pass I gave it one last shot AND HOLY HELL WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!
Basically I’m an overly proud parent when it comes to these muffins. They are The Monster to my Dr. Frankenstein. And I know you might be thinking…”Haley, muffins are not that hard to make. Get over yourself.” Well maybe that’s true for most muffins, but not these. These muffins are special. These muffins are…
- Easily made gluten-free.
- Dairy free.
- Egg free.
- Refined sugar free.
- Filled with healthy oils.
- Simple to make.
- Moist and delicious, and wont’ fall apart on you.
- Filled with literal chunks of apples.
- PUMPKIN. duh.
- Essentially the best thing ever.
Now let me fill you in on this #virtualpumpkinparty thing. Basically a bunch of bloggers got together behind your back and plotted to overload you with pumpkin recipes today. WOOO. So I hope you’re ready for what’s coming. Check out the hashtag on Instagram, and Twitter, and probably even Linkedin (except I wouldn’t know about that – cause Linkedin is satan’s social media platform. haha.) I’m mostly kidding.
Here is the full list of #virtualpumpkinparty bloggers, and all of their recipes! Enjoy being inundated with pumpkin recipes. And maybe you’ll find a new blog that you love (almost) as much as you love mine!
- Cake Over Steak • Pumpkin Ginger Cookies with a Vanilla Glaze
- B. Britnell • Pumpkin & Goat Cheese Macaroni
- A Couple Cooks • Pumpkin Spice Almond Butter
- I Am a Food Blog • Roasted Pumpkin and Pork Stuffed Shells
- Well and Full • Harissa-Spiced Pumpkin Gnocchi
- Loves Food, Loves to Eat • Pumpkin Pork Burrito Bowls
- Girl Versus Dough • Pumpkin Challah
- Snixy Kitchen • Black Sesame Pumpkin Mochi Cake
- Hungry Girl por Vida • Pumpkin Chocolate Crumb Cake
- Donuts, Dresses and Dirt • Pumpkin Spice Latte Truffles
- Two Red Bowls • Pumpkin & Caramelized Onion Galette
- The Frosted Vegan • Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Gingersnaps
- Warm Vanilla Sugar • Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Ice Cream + Affogato
- An Edible Mosaic • Pumpkin Spice Latte Snack Cake with Brown Butter Buttercream
- Kitchen Konfidence • Yeasted Pumpkin Waffles with Candied Ginger
- Chocolate + Marrow • Pumpkin Scones with Cinnamon Butter Swirl
- The Pig & Quill • Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes with Pumpkin Spice Caramel + Coconut Cream
- Salt & Wind • Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffins with Pepita Streusel
- With Food + Love • Creamy Pumpkin Polenta with Balsamic Roasted Beets
- A Cookie Named Desire • Pumpkin Crepes with Cinnamon Ginger Cheesecake
- Nommable • Pumpkin Moon Pies
- Feed Me Phoebe • Thai Pumpkin Curry with Shrimp and Bok Choy
- The Yellow Table • Coconut-Curry Pumpkin Soup
- Ginger & Toasted Sesame • Pumpkin Ricotta Gnudi
- The Crepes of Wrath • Pumpkin Pie Cake
- The Swirling Spoon • Pumpkin Hand Pies
- Erin Made This • Pumpkin Rye Waffles with Coconut Caramel
- Beard and Bonnet • Pumpkin Spice Pizzelle Ice Cream Sandwiches
- My Name is Yeh • Pumpkin Slice and Bake Cookies
- Earthy Feast • Pumpkin-Stuffed Turnip-Ravioli with Pepita Pesto
- Broma Bakery • Pumpkin Pie White Chocolate Brownies
- Floating Kitchen • Pumpkin Beertail with Tequila and Spiced Rum
- The Sugar Hit • Pumpkin Everything Bagels
- The Bojon Gourmet • Pumpkin Flatbread with Gruyére and Crispy Sage (gluten-free)
- Sprinkled with Jules • Pumpkin Spice French Macarons
- Feast + West • Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Toffee Bark
- Jojotastic • Pumpkin Cinnamon Rimming Sugar
- Fix Feast Flair • Japanese Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake with Quick Caramel
- Appeasing a Food Geek • Pumpkin Ale Cake
- Tending the Table • Roasted Pumpkin with Tamarind and Coriander Chutney
- Long Distance Baking • Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream + Pumpkin Pancakes
- My Blue & White Kitchen • Roasted Pumpkin Risotto with Crispy Prosciutto
- Fork Vs. Spoon • Pumpkin Buttermilk Pudding
- Alyssa & Carla • Pumpkin Tea Bread (in a Coffee Can!)
- Twin Stripe • Pumpkin Spice Toffee
- Le Jus d’Orange • Lentil-Stuffed Acorn Squash, Crispy King Oyster Bacon + Aged Goat Cheese
- The Scratch Artist • Japanese Pumpkin Temaki with Ginger Kale Chips
- Blogging Over Thyme • Homemade Candied Pecan Pumpkin Ice Cream Drumsticks
- Heartbeet Kitchen • Pumpkin Swirled Mashed Potatoes
- The Speckled Palate • Pumpkin Brown Butter Streusel Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Glaze
- Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt • Pumpkin Gingersnap Pie
- Style Sweet CA • Chocolate Stout and Pumpkin Checkerboard Cake
- Fork to Belly • Pumpkin Orange Brulee Pie
- Tasty Yummies • Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
- Påte á Chew • Pumpkin Almond Cake with Almond Butter Frosting
- Holly & Flora • Pumpkin Pie Martini with Coconut Cream + Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- Southern Soufflé • Sorghum Pumpkin Soufflés
- SugarHero! • Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Pound Cake
- Okie Dokie Artichokie • Creamy Pumpkin and Chorizo Pasta Bake, Cheese Tortellini, Sage-Mascarpone Sauce, Toasted Hazelnuts
- Kale & Caramel • Pumpkin Goat Cheese Polenta with Brown Butter Thyme Mushrooms & Kale
- The Little Epicurean • Maple Pumpkin Butter Brioche Toast
- Vigor and Sage • Maple Pumpkin Harvest Smoothie
- Tried and Tasty • Whole Wheat Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Sprouted Routes • Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Risotto with Sweet & Spicy Roasted Pepitas (gluten free)
- The Fauxmartha • Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- So… Let’s Hang Out • Grain-Free Apple Crumble Pumpkin Pie
- Wit & Vinegar • Pumpkin Flaxseed Dog Treats
- Dunk & Crumble • Pumpkin Roundup
- Biscuits and Such • Pumpkin Pound Cake
- A Little Saffron • Spiced Pepita Brittle
- Farmette • “Tis Different” Pumpkin Pie
Sara @ Cake Over Steak says
Love these gorgeous muffins!! Thanks for participating 😉
Haley says
OH you’re a doll! I’m so happy to have become internet friends with you, and to have been involved in your pumpkin fun!
Kathryn @ The Scratch Artist says
The best, Haley! I’m glad you got all of the kinks out of this recipe. It is definitely a challenge baking gluten-free, Dairy free, Egg free, and Refined sugar free. Brava!
Haley says
Thanks Kathryn! Yes it is!!!! But I was a girl on a mission on this one, and finally the universe gave me the power of baking! I just wish it hadn’t taken a year. haha. I’m so happy to get to be internet friends with you now! Thank goodness for #virtualpumpkinparty
Warm Vanilla Sugar says
How ’bout dem apples?! And healthy too?? These sound like the perfect way to start the day!
Heartbeet Kitchen (@amanda_paa) says
these muffins need to make it to a bakery near me, asap. 🙂 and i think the skin deserves to stay on, extra fiber! so fun to join you in this pumpkin party. xo
Erica says
These are soooo perfect for breakfast! And probably every part of the day. You literally put the two most fall-y things together and made the ultimate fall treat. Brilliant.
I’m so glad I found your blog!!! It makes me so happy!!!
Haley says
Girl. I’m in some trouble with these – I keep munching on them through the day… and then I’m like “where did those 6 muffins go?” haha. But the real danger here are your moon pies! I’m gonna HAVE to make them this fall.
PS. I’m so so so so happy we virtually met today.
Kelsey @ Appeasing a Food Geek says
Yay for the pumpkin party! I can’t wait to try all of these recipes, but yours has APPLE in it which just blows my mind. Plus one bowl? Whoa. Talk about the perfect fall baked good! Also, I loooovve your sign off and color scheme! So glad to find you through this collab!
Haley says
Right?!? I feel like this has been such an amazing day of discovering new blogs and a shit ton of killer recipes! Thank you for all of the love – I’m sending it right back your way! I love what you do, keep it up sweet thing!
Sarah | Well and Full says
Happy Pumpkin Party!!! <3 These muffins look so good! 😀
Haley says
Thanks darling! The love is mutual; you’re a literal goddess for handmaking gnocchi. I bow to your culinary skills!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says
Hahaha, ‘LinkedIn is Satan’s social media platform’ <– TRUTH. I work in social media and feel this way, so truth right there. These look bad ASS (almost as badass as you) and I can't wait to make/eat them all myself this week. Please let's all have a real pumpkin party and we can hang out more, cool?
Haley says
haha. I’m glad you agree! It just had to be said. Linkedin should probably die a slow death (I hope they don’t come after me for say that. haha) ANYWAY YASSSSSS. Come to Atlanta and we can have a friggin pumpkin festival!!!!