These apple cider spice muffins have deep apple flavor and a moist texture thanks to a triple-dose of apple: apple cider, applesauce, and shredded apple. A medley of warming spices shines through, while a roll in cinnamon-sugar adds the sweetest touch. They’re like fall-favorite apple cider donuts, but in muffin form!
Hello, apple season! This is one of the best times of year for baking, and you better believe I was buying apple cider as soon as I saw it at the store. Was it still August and a balmy 95ยฐF outside? Yes. Was I going to bake with apple cider anyway? Also yes.
Apple Cider Spice Bread opens the Quick Breads & Muffins chapter in my cookbook, Sallyโs Baking 101. It was such a favorite during testing that I couldnโt resist creating a muffin version too. With a few simple tweaks, you can enjoy both versions all season long.
(The biggest difference is that the bread version highlights orange zest for a citrusy note, while the muffins lean into a stronger spiced flavor without it! You also need baking powder in addition to baking soda for the muffins.)
Why You’ll Love These Apple Cider Muffins
- Tons of pure, fresh apple flavor from 3 different sources of apples
- Warmly spiced with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves
- Extra soft & moist thanks to shredded apple, applesauce, and oil
- A buttery cinnamon-sugar topping gives apple cider donut vibes
- No mixer needed
- Dairy-free recipe (if you skip the melted butter in the topping)
- Very adaptable recipeโadd nuts, raisins or dried cranberries
One reader, Rebecca, commented: “These delightful muffins are all the best flavors of fall for me! The flavors are well-balanced and such a wonderful way to start or end the day! โ โ โ โ โ “
One reader, Erin, commented: “Wow! My family and I couldn’t wait for these to cool before we had to try them. They were delicious! Super moist, so much apple flavor, and an amazing mix of spices. Can’t wait to whip these up again. โ โ โ โ โ “
One reader, Kerri, commented: “These muffins turned out perfectlyโa lovely soft and springy texture, beautifully moist without being oily, and so much apple goodness infused with cinnamon and warm fall spices. I also loved the bit of crunch the sugar coating gives itโit’s a nice pop of sweet texture. This recipe is a keeper for sure. โ โ โ โ โ “
Ingredients You Need:
- Apple Cider: Be sure to use fresh apple cider, the kind sold at farm markets or in a refrigerated case in the grocery store’s produce section. Not hard (alcoholic) cider… and definitely not apple cider vinegar!
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Helps the muffins rise.
- Salt: Balances all the other flavors.
- Spices: Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and clovesโthe same mix you’ll find in salted caramel apple pie
- Oil: The muffins taste dry and rubbery without some fat. Just as if we’re making apple zucchini bread, use vegetable oil. Avocado oil is a great choice, too.
- Brown & White Sugars: Using half white and brown sugars provide enough sweetening, and the brown sugar lends additional flavor.
- Eggs: Provide structure.
- Applesauce: Even more apple flavor!
- Shredded Apple: You need about 1 and 1/2 regular-size apples. Peel and then shred them with a box grater. I like to use a mix of some tart and some sweet, such as 1 Granny Smith and 1/2 a Honeycrisp. For more suggestions, see this post on the best apples to use for baking.
- Optional Walnuts: I LOVE the added texture these give the muffins, but if you have an allergy or simply don’t want to use them, just leave them out.
Reduce the Apple Cider First
Apple cider, either store-bought or this homemade apple cider, is certainly delicious to drink but it wonโt add enough flavor to baked goods. The trick to apple cider spice muffins is to flavor them with concentrated apple cider. Apple cider that has been reduced down on the stove is potent, adding big flavor without excess liquid.
Reducing a liquid ingredient down on the stove to concentrate its flavor is nothing new, and perhaps you’re familiar with the concept from one of these recipes: strawberry cake, apple cinnamon oatmeal cookies, or Guinness chocolate cake.
You can reduce the cider a day or two in advance and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the muffins. That will save you cooling time, too, because the cider must cool for a few minutes before you add it to the batter.
To reduce your apple cider, simply follow these simple steps:
- Pour 3/4 cup (180ml) apple cider into a small saucepan.
- Simmer on medium heat and set a timer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Begin checking at 10 minutes, and then every 3-5 minutes after that until you have 1/4 cup (60ml) of cider reduction (approximately 20 minutes).
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before using in the batter. Pour it into a heat-safe glass liquid measuring cup or bowl and refrigerate it to speed up the cooling process.
After that, the remaining steps are super simple. Whisk together dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet ingredients in another, then combine them. You don’t even need a mixer!
Spoon the batter into the muffin pans, filling each liner all the way up to the top.
My No. 1 Trick for Tall Muffins
Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425ยฐF (218ยฐC), then reduce the temperature down to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) for the remaining bake time. This initial high oven temperature lifts the muffin top up quickly and creates a tall dome, which is why filling the muffin liners to the top is imperative.
Most muffins bake between 350ยฐFโ375ยฐF for the entire time. Setting the oven to 425ยฐF initially and then lowering the temperature after 5 minutes guarantees muffins with tall domes on top. I do this in all my muffin recipes, both on my website and in my cookbook.
The crown on top of these apple cider spice muffins is a brush of melted butter, then a roll in cinnamon-sugar, like the coating on these homemade cruffins and these Nutella-stuffed muffins.
Leftover Apple Cider?
If you’re not drinking it, I have some ways to use it up!
- Apple Cider Spice Bread in Sally’s Baking 101
- Skillet Apple Cider Chicken
- Baked Apple Cider French Toast
- Honeycrisp Apple Sangria
- Baked Apple Cider Donuts
- Apple Cider Sangria
Or freeze apple cider in an ice cube tray, so you can make any of these delicious recipes even when it isn’t in season!
Be sure to check out the apple cider spice bread in Sally’s Baking 101โpage 213โwhich features an apple cider glaze on top!
Apple Cider Muffins
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes (includes cider)
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These apple cider spice muffins have deep apple flavor and a moist texture thanks to a triple-dose of pure apple: apple cider, applesauce, and shredded apple. Like fall-favorite apple cider donuts, in muffin form! Be sure to use fresh apple cider, not hard cider and not apple cider vinegar.
Ingredients
Muffins
- 3/4 cup (180g/ml) fresh apple cider (NOT apple cider vinegar)
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flourย
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (113g/120ml) vegetable oil or melted coconut oilย
- 1/2 cup (100g) light or dark brown sugarย
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsweetened applesauceย
- 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) peeled and shredded apple (about 1.5โ2 apples)
- 3/4 cup (90g) chopped walnuts (optional)
Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugarย
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Reduce the apple cider: In a small saucepan, bring the apple cider to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced to 1/4 cup (60g/ml), about 20 minutes. It won’t necessarily be any thicker, but it should be a bit darker. Pour the reduced apple cider into a heat-safe bowl or glass liquid measuring cup, and set aside (or refrigerate to speed things up) to cool to room temperature before using in step 4.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425ยฐF (218ยฐC).ย Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use muffin liners. Set aside.
- Make the muffins: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, applesauce, and reduced apple cider until combined. Pour the oil mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until combined. Fold in the shredded apple and chopped walnuts (if using).ย
- Divide the batter evenly among the muffin liners, filling all the way up to the top.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425ยฐF. Reduce the oven temperature to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Continue to bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15โ16 minutes more. Cool the muffins in the pan set on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then transfer the muffins from the pan to the rack.
- Make the topping: Whisk the sugar and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Lightly brush the top of a warm muffin with melted butter then dip the top into the cinnamon-sugar. Peel off the liner and roll the entire muffin in the cinnamon-sugar to fully coat. (Or coat just the tops.)
- Cover lightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The sugared coating draws out moisture, so the muffins become a bit sticky by day 2.ย
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can reduce the apple cider in step 1 up to 3 days in advance. Cool, cover, and refrigerate until you’re ready to make the muffins. For longer storage, freeze the muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Small Saucepan | 12-count Muffin Pan | Muffin Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Box Grater | Pastry Brush
- Apple Cider:ย Use fresh apple cider, the kind sold at farm markets or in a refrigerated case in the grocery storeโs produce section. Not hard (alcoholic) cider and not apple cider vinegar.
- Applesauce: If you do not have applesauce, you can replace with mashed banana, sour cream, or plain yogurt. I haven’t tested the muffins using apple butter instead of applesauce.
- Mini Muffins: For around 30 mini muffins, line mini muffin pans with liners or spray with nonstick spray. Prepare batter as directed and fill liners to the top. Bake at 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) the entire time (skip the initial high temperature) for 11โ13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Loaf: If you have a copy, see Apple Cider Spice Bread in Sally’s Baking 101 for the loaf version.
- Why the initial high oven temperature?ย Like I do for mostย muffin recipes, bake the muffins for 5 minutes at a very hot temperature. Then, keeping the muffins in the oven, switch to a lower temperature for the remaining bake time. This initial high temperature will quickly lift the muffin tops so theyโre extra high, then the centers will bake during the lower temperature bake time. This trick makes beautiful bakery-style muffins every time.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Made these for our Sunday morning breakfast….they are insanely good. Reducing the apple cider is a gamechanger! The flavor in these muffins is out of this world and I already can’t wait to make them again. I was able to get 13 out of the recipe and my husband and I had eaten 7 of them within 4 hours lol!
Best muffins ever, Sally has done it again!
Simply amazing flavors! I did add the optional toasted walnuts. I will be making these again.
These are amazing.
I used apple butter because somehow I had that, but none of the other options. Was absolutely delicious. The flavor and moistness got better with each passing day. Which is wild because normally things get dry.
Hi I love making these muffins !! I was wondering if I can make this into a bunt cake. It will be perfect to serve at Thanksgiving !!
Hi Isabelle, we haven’t tested this batter in a Bundt pan, but you can use our apple Bundt cake recipe as a guide. Please do let us know how it turns out for you!
I’ve got homemade apple pie spice. Can I utilize that instead and can I utilize butter instead of oil?
Hi Jennifer, we’re sure you could try to substitute your apple pie spice for the spices here, but without knowing the exact blend I can’t say for sure. It may taste a little different. For the best results and texture we recommend sticking with oil, but the same amount of melted butter should be fine in a pinch. The cake may be slightly drier.
These muffins are amazing! They literally taste like the apple cider donuts you get from an apple orchard.
Amazing! So light and moist. Wonderful flavor. Sometimes muffins can be so filling and “heavily” moist, but these are just right.
Can we replace the oil with butter?
Hi Becky, oil is best for this recipe. Avocado oil is a great choice, too.
I made these with Sallyโs homemade apple cider recipe and the whole family loved them. So much apple flavor! They taste great with and without the sugar covering.
These are quite tasty, but I didn’t get the rounded top/dome. They’re flat on top. I followed the directions by baking at 425, then dropping to 350 for the remaining time. They overflowed the muffin cup a bit but when cooled, shrunk a little. Do you think I may have overfilled the cup? I filled them to the top, but maybe too much? I’m in Denver, maybe altitude? Thanks
Hi Elane, over-filling could be the culprit. You could fill your cavities just slightly less next time. Altitude could also be contributing. We wish we could help, but we have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html Thank you for giving these a try!