Best Applesauce Nut Muffins - A Simple, Comforting & Freezer‑Friendly Bake

  

These Applesauce Nut Muffins are moist, tender, and packed with warm flavor. Made with sweet applesauce, crunchy walnuts, and a hint of cinnamon, they’re the perfect small‑batch bake for breakfast, snacks, or lunchboxes. 

Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients, these muffins are wholesome, comforting, and freezer‑friendly — this is a simple and cozy recipe you’ll want to bake again and again.

 I am truly mad about muffins. I adore muffins, especially muffins that are not like cake.  When I eat a muffin I don't want a piece of cake, or muffins that are like eating cake. Overly sweet . . . 

I want a muffin as it is supposed to be.  Slightly raised with rounded pebbly tops.  The insides filled with nice holes. Perfect for spreading with a tiny pat of butter. 

These applesauce muffins are a perfect muffin. Nice and moist without being too sweet. The nuts add a lovely crunch. These are delicious served warm, split and spread with softened butter.

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE

APPLESAUCE NUT MUFFINS

Just a few simple ordinary ingredients put together in a most delicious way!

Wet ingredients:

• 1 cup (250g) unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup (120g) plain, all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

You will also need:

• 1 cup (120g) chopped toasted pecans, divided

 

I had homemade applesauce that I used for this, but you can use any good quality store brand applesauce in the same amount. You can also use pureed pumpkin instead of applesauce and make pumpkin muffins instead.

I used salted butter. I melt it in the microwave and let it come to room temperature before using.

In the U.K. use a medium egg.

I used Kirkland organic granulated sugar. In the U.K. use golden caster sugar.

You can use 2 1/4 tsp of pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice in the place of all the baking spices.

Feel free to use walnuts instead of pecans or leave the nuts out altogether. You could use the equivalent of dried currants or raisins in their place as well, or even dried cranberries. If using dried fruit, mix it all into the batter. Do not sprinkle any on top of the muffins as the dried fruit may burn.

 

HOW TO MAKE APPLESAUCE NUT MUFFINS

Muffins are one of the easiest things to bake. If you follow my instructions carefully and measure exactly then there is no reason why these won't turn out for you. Just make sure you don't overmix them. A few lumps are acceptable. Overmixed muffins can turn out tough and rubbery.

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a six-cup muffin tray really well, or line with paper liners. (I used my six-cup ceramic muffin baker.)
2. Sift all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Stir in 3/4 of the pecans. (You will need to save some of the pecans for the tops.)
3. Whisk the wet ingredients together in a small beaker. (I use a small wire whisk for this.)
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together briefly until no dry streaks remain and everything is moistened. Do not overmix. (I just use a wooden spoon for this and give it a few stirs to make sure everything is evenly combined with no dry streaks, and a few lumps.)
5. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the remaining toasted pecans over top, putting some on each muffin. (Fill each muffin tin about 3/4 full.)
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (The tops should also spring back when lightly touched.)
7. Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool. (Store any leftovers in an airtight container.)

 

HINTS AND TIPS FOR BETTER MUFFINS

Here are my hints and tips for making sure that your muffins turn out beautifully every time:

1. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately. To prevent the mix from being overworked, first mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl and mix the dry ingredients in another. Make a well in the dry ingredients, carefully pour in the wet ingredients, then stir the mix a couple of times to roughly combine. 

 2. Don't over mix your muffins. The most important rule of muffin making is to not over stir the mix. What you really want is to just moisten the ingredients. Do not stir or beat the batter until it is smooth and lump free. You want the final mix to be lumpy, and thick with a few floury streaks.

 3. Add your flavors last.  While spices should be added with all the other dry ingredients, additions like fruit and nuts should be added last. Give the batter one more light-handed stir once you've added them in just to combine.  

4. Line the pans. You can choose to either grease the muffin tin or line it with paper liners. If you choose to forgo the liners, make sure you grease the base and sides of the cups with oil spray or a little melted butter. If you're not going to eat the muffins for a while, do use paper liners as these will keep the muffins fresher for longer. 

 5. Don't overfill your pans. Aim to fill the cups ¾ full to get muffins with nice round tops and to prevent them from spilling out over the top of the cups.  Often if your tins are over filled the muffins will rise to the top and then collapse on themselves.

 6. For extra interest, add a flavorful sprinkle on top.  Once the muffin cups are all filled, you can choose to sprinkle the tops with more fruit, nuts or a crumble topping, even sanding sugar or cinnamon sugar, for even more taste and or crunch. As the muffins rise these toppings will cook into the tops of the muffin.  

7. Protect your baking pan.  If there isn't enough batter to fill all the cups, half fill the empty ones with water. This will help the muffins bake evenly and will help to protect your pan from buckling. 

8. Cooling them down. Once you remove the muffins from the oven, let them sit in their pan for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack. This is especially important for muffins that aren't in a paper liner, as it will help them from falling apart. However, remove them after five minutes otherwise you risk them going soggy as they cool in the pan. 

9. Freeze extras for later. Muffins freeze beautifully, so if you can't enjoy them all on the day they're baked, wrap them in plastic, and put them in the freezer for later. They will keep for about 3 months and reheat wonderfully in the microwave for about 30 seconds on high from frozen. 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

CAN I DOUBLE THIS RECIPE?

Yes, you can easily double this recipe. The original recipe was for 12 delicious muffins. I cut it in half to post here.

MUST I USE UNSWEETENED APPLESAUCE?

If all you have is sweetened applesauce, then I would say cut back on the sugar in the recipe and use only 1/4 cup (50g), otherwise the muffins will be too sweet.

DO I NEED TO ADD THE NUTS?

Not at all you could add raisins, or dry currants, or even chocolate chips in their place. You could even just leave them plain and they will be a great muffin.

WHY TOAST THE NUTS?

Toasting your nuts really helps to enhance their natural flavors. To toast the nuts, simply spread on a baking sheet and pop into a moderate oven (350*F/180*C) for eight to ten minutes. Remove and cool completely before using.

MUST I USE BUTTER?

Butter does give a nice flavor that can't be matched. You could use margarine in its place.

HOW LONG WILL THESE KEEP?

Stored in an airtight container these muffins will keep well for 3 to 4 days.  For longer storage freeze them. They will keep up to three months wrapped tightly in clingfilm. To thaw, unwrap and reheat briefly in a microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.

 

A FEW OTHER

MUFFIN RECIPES TO ENJOY

I do so love a good muffin. Especially warm, split and spread with some cold butter. They go down ever such a treat with a hot drink. Here are a few other favorite muffin recipes.

SPECIAL K BREAKFAST MUFFINS - These are the PERFECT breakfast muffins. Quick and easy to make. Delicious. I highly recommend. Simple and filled with fiber. You can use ordinary Special K cereal, or you can be a bit more extravagant and use one of the varieties which contain fruit.  This recipe makes half a dozen fabulous muffins.

GINGERBREAD MUFFINS - I am a hug fan of gingerbread anything. I think gingerbread is probably one of my favorite things to bake and eat! They are moist and delicious with a lovely crumb and beautiful ginger/cinnamon flavor. The recipe makes a full batch of 12 fabulous muffins! These are the perfect holiday muffin!

 

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Yield: Six large muffins

Author: Marie Rayner

Applesauce Nut Muffins (small batch)

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min

These are moist and delicious with just the right amount of spice. They are topped and full of lovely, toasted pecans. A fabulous muffin.

Ingredients

Wet ingredients:

• 1 cup (250g) unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup (120g) plain, all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

You will also need:

• 1 cup (120g) chopped toasted pecans, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a six-cup muffin tray really well, or line with paper liners.
2. Sift all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Stir in 3/4 of the pecans.
3. Whisk the wet ingredients together in a small beaker.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together briefly until no dry streaks remain and everything is moistened. Do not overmix.
5. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the remaining toasted pecans over top, putting some on each muffin.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool.

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