Healthy & Delicious Gluten-Free Apple Cinnamon Oat Flour Muffins (Easy Recipe!)

Hearty, wholesome, and incredibly delicious! These healthy oat flour muffins are packed with the comforting flavors of apple and cinnamon. So easy to make, they’ll be ready to enjoy in under 30 minutes, making them perfect for a quick breakfast or a nourishing snack.

We absolutely adore wholesome baked goods in our household. From my beloved Gluten-free Banana Muffins to the ever-popular Healthy Breakfast Cookies, there’s always a nutritious treat making its way onto my weekly food prep list. And now, I’m thrilled to introduce these delightful gluten-free apple muffins, which are quickly becoming a new family favorite!

What makes these apple cinnamon oat flour muffins so special is their use of both oat flour and rolled oats, ensuring a truly wholesome, whole-grain experience. While you can certainly buy oat flour, I highly recommend making your own oat flour for a few compelling reasons. Firstly, it’s significantly more cost-effective than purchasing pre-made varieties. Secondly, it’s incredibly simple to prepare, often taking less than five minutes with a good blender or food processor! Lastly, making your own gives you complete control over the source and quality of your oats. I personally prioritize certified gluten-free AND organic oats, which can be challenging to find in pre-packaged oat flour, but are much easier to source as regular rolled oats. So, grinding your own ensures you meet both criteria for a clean-eating approach.

If you’re as much a fan of oat flour as I am, you’ll want to explore some of my other fantastic oat flour recipes. Don’t miss these fluffy oat flour pancakes, delicious oat flour cookies, rich chocolate protein banana bread, healthier versions of brownies, satisfying protein muffins, and savory pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Each recipe highlights the versatility and nutritional benefits of oat flour.

Why You’ll Adore These Healthy Oat Flour Muffins!

These apple cinnamon oat flour muffins aren’t just delicious; they’re also crafted with your health and convenience in mind. Here’s why they’ll quickly become a staple in your kitchen:

• WHOLE GRAINS – Unlike many conventional muffin recipes that rely on refined flours, these muffins are proudly made with both oat flour and rolled oats. This means you’re getting the full nutritional benefits of whole grains, including essential fiber, vitamins, and minerals, without any refined grains or flours. Oats are renowned for their heart-healthy properties and ability to keep you feeling fuller for longer.
• NATURALLY SWEETENED – We keep things wholesome by lightly sweetening these muffins with pure maple syrup. This natural sweetener provides a lovely depth of flavor while ensuring these oat flour muffins are completely free of refined sugars. Say goodbye to sugar crashes and hello to sustained energy with these guilt-free treats.
• NUT FREE – While I often use almond flour in many of my baked goods, these particular muffins are exclusively made with oat flour. This makes them an ideal choice for anyone with nut allergies, offering a safe and delicious option that doesn’t compromise on flavor or texture. It’s a wonderful alternative for inclusive baking!
• EASY & QUICK – Don’t let their wholesome nature fool you; these muffins are incredibly simple to prepare and will be ready from start to finish in under 30 minutes! Perfect for busy mornings, quick snack prep, or when you need a delicious homemade treat without spending hours in the kitchen.
• BURSTING WITH FLAVOR – The combination of fresh apples and warm cinnamon perfectly complements the wholesome base of oats, creating a comforting and irresistible flavor profile that appeals to everyone. Each bite is a delightful blend of sweet and spice.

Essential Ingredients for Your Muffins

Gathering your ingredients is the first step towards baking these incredible oat flour muffins. Most of these items are likely already in your pantry, making this recipe even more accessible. Here’s a visual of what you’ll need:

Key Ingredient Notes & Tips

Understanding each ingredient’s role and making informed choices can elevate your baking. Here are some detailed notes to guide you:

• ROLLED OATS – I always opt for certified gluten-free rolled oats, also known as old-fashioned oats. These are crucial for a truly gluten-free product, as regular oats can often be cross-contaminated during processing. If gluten is not a concern for you, standard rolled oats will work perfectly. Quick-cooking oats can also be used for a slightly different texture, though I prefer the heartiness of rolled oats. Steel-cut oats are not recommended for this recipe as they require much longer cooking times.
  • Clean Food Tip: To avoid exposure to harmful herbicides and pesticides, always choose organic oats. Like many grains, oats are frequently sprayed with glyphosate (an herbicide linked to increased cancer risk) prior to harvest. Organic certification helps ensure a cleaner product.
• OAT FLOUR – As mentioned, I strongly encourage you to make your own oat flour. It’s incredibly simple, budget-friendly, and guarantees freshness. For a gluten-free outcome, use certified gluten-free rolled oats to grind your flour. If gluten isn’t an issue, any standard rolled oats will suffice. While buying pre-made oat flour is an option for convenience, homemade offers superior control and often better texture.
  • Clean Food Tip: Similar to whole oats, selecting organic oats for your homemade flour is vital to avoid unwanted chemicals. Finding both certified gluten-free and organic oat flour can be challenging and expensive commercially, providing another excellent reason to make it yourself.
• BAKING POWDER & BAKING SODA – These leavening agents are essential for light and fluffy muffins. I specifically recommend using double-acting baking powder. In gluten-free baking, where gluten’s structure is absent, double-acting baking powder provides an extra “boost.” It reacts once when mixed with wet ingredients and again when exposed to heat in the oven, ensuring your muffins achieve a beautiful rise and tender crumb. Baking soda, when combined with acidic ingredients (like applesauce), also contributes to the lift.
• MILK – For these muffins, virtually any type of milk will work beautifully. As I primarily follow a dairy-free lifestyle, I typically use unsweetened almond milk. However, feel free to use your preferred dairy milk or any other plant-based alternative like soy milk, oat milk, or cashew milk.
  • Clean Food Tip: When choosing a plant-based milk, look for brands with minimal ingredients – ideally just the nuts/grains, water, and a pinch of salt. Avoid those with added sugars, thickeners, or artificial flavors.
• PURE MAPLE SYRUP – This recipe calls for pure maple syrup, a wonderful natural sweetener that adds a rich, nuanced flavor. Be sure to distinguish it from “pancake syrup,” which is often high in corn syrup and artificial ingredients. If maple syrup isn’t available, pure honey can be used as an equally effective substitute.
• APPLESAUCE – To keep these muffins truly healthy, select unsweetened applesauce. The natural sweetness from the apples is perfectly sufficient and contributes to the overall moisture of the muffins.
  • Clean Food Tip: Apples are frequently featured on the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen List due to high pesticide residues. For this reason, I always choose organic applesauce to minimize chemical exposure.
• APPLES – Fresh apples are key to the texture and flavor of these muffins. You can use either tart apples (like Granny Smith) for a tangier muffin or sweet apples (like Gala, Fuji, or Honeycrisp) for a sweeter profile. I usually opt for sweet varieties, but either will yield delicious results. Shredding the apples integrates them seamlessly into the batter.
  • Clean Food Tip: Following the same principle for applesauce, I consistently buy organic apples. Also, there’s absolutely no need to peel the apples! The skin is packed with fiber and nutrients, and it softens beautifully during baking, adding to the muffin’s overall goodness without affecting the taste or texture negatively.
• EGGS – Eggs act as a binder and provide structure to the muffins, helping them hold together beautifully, especially in gluten-free baking. They also contribute to moisture and richness.
• PURE VANILLA EXTRACT – A touch of vanilla extract enhances all the other flavors, adding a warm, aromatic note that rounds out the apple and cinnamon perfectly.

Simple Step-by-Step Baking Process

Baking these gluten-free apple cinnamon oat flour muffins is straightforward. Follow these easy steps for perfectly moist and flavorful results every time:

Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan by lightly greasing it with coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil, or lining it with paper liners. This ensures your muffins won’t stick and will pop out easily after baking. Set the prepared pan aside.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Use a whisk to mix thoroughly until all the dry ingredients are well incorporated and evenly distributed. This prevents pockets of leavening agents and ensures a consistent rise.

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the milk, pure maple syrup, unsweetened applesauce, eggs, shredded apples, and pure vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously until all the wet ingredients are completely combined and smooth. Ensure the eggs are fully broken up and integrated.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures. Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently mix until just combined. It’s crucial not to overmix the batter; a few small lumps are perfectly fine and often result in a more tender muffin. Overmixing can lead to dense, tough muffins.

Step 5: Fill Muffin Pan. Evenly scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan. For neat, uniform muffins with a lovely domed top, I highly recommend using an ice-cream scoop or a spring-loaded cookie scoop. This helps to distribute the batter consistently. If desired, sprinkle a few extra rolled oats on top of each muffin before baking for a pretty, rustic finish.

Step 6: Bake. Transfer the muffin pan to your preheated oven. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven, so keep an eye on them. The tops should be golden brown and firm to the touch.

Step 7: Cool and Enjoy. Once baked, remove the muffin pan from the oven and allow the muffins to cool slightly in the pan for about 5 minutes. This helps them set and prevents them from breaking. Then, carefully transfer the warm gluten-free apple muffins to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy them warm or at room temperature!

Extra Notes & Expert Tips for Perfect Muffins

Achieving bakery-quality muffins at home is easy with a few simple tricks:

• Customize Muffin Size: If you prefer your muffins to be larger and more substantial, simply divide the batter among 10 muffin cups instead of 12. Keep in mind that baking time might increase by a few minutes if you choose this option, so always perform the toothpick test for doneness.
• Effortless One-Bowl Mixing (Less Mess!): For a quicker cleanup, you can adapt the mixing process to a single bowl. After thoroughly combining the dry ingredients, push them to one side of the large mixing bowl. Then, add all the wet ingredients to the other side. Whisk the wet ingredients together first to ensure the eggs are fully incorporated, and then gently fold all ingredients together until just combined. This method is a game-changer for reducing dirty dishes.
• Avoid Overmixing: The Golden Rule: This is arguably the most crucial tip for tender muffins. Overmixing develops gluten (even in gluten-free flours to a lesser extent, but it still impacts texture) and can lead to a dense, tough, or rubbery texture. Mix the wet and dry ingredients only until they are just combined and no streaks of dry flour remain. A few small lumps in the batter are perfectly acceptable and often indicate a perfectly mixed batch.
• Utilize a Cookie Scoop for Uniformity: For consistently shaped muffins with appealing, domed tops, a spring-loaded cookie scoop (about 1/4 cup capacity) is your best friend. It helps you portion out the batter evenly and ensures each muffin bakes uniformly, making them look as good as they taste.
• Accurate Oat Flour Measurement: Oat flour tends to settle in its container. Before measuring, always give your oat flour a good stir or fluff it up with a spoon. Then, lightly scoop the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife. Avoid packing the oat flour into the measuring cup, as this can result in too much flour and a dry, crumbly muffin. Proper measurement is key to achieving the perfect moisture and texture.
• Optional Add-ins: Feel free to customize your muffins! A handful of chopped walnuts, pecans, raisins, or even a sprinkle of chocolate chips can be folded into the batter at the end for added texture and flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions About Oat Flour Muffins

Here are some common questions about making and storing these delicious apple cinnamon oat flour muffins:

More Delicious Apple Recipes to Try

If you love the taste of apples as much as we do, here are a few more recipes that feature this versatile fruit:

If you make this delicious oat flour muffin recipe, please let me know what you think! Your feedback and ratings are incredibly valuable. I would so appreciate you leaving a star rating and/or comment below. And don’t forget to share a photo of your beautiful creations on Instagram or Facebook and mention @CleanPlateMama! Happy baking!

Eat Clean. Be Well!
-Sara