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 95°F 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, Sally’s Baking 101. It was such a favorite during testing that I couldn’t 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 recipe—add 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! ★★★★★“
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. ★★★★★“
One reader, Kerri, commented: “These muffins turned out perfectly—a 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 it—it’s a nice pop of sweet texture. This recipe is a keeper for sure. ★★★★★“
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 cloves—the 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 won’t 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 425°F (218°C), then reduce the temperature down to 350°F (177°C) 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 350°F–375°F for the entire time. Setting the oven to 425°F 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 101—page 213—which 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 flour
- 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 oil
- 1/2 cup (100g) light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) peeled and shredded apple (about 1.5–2 apples)
- 3/4 cup (90g) chopped walnuts (optional)
Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 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 425°F (218°C). 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).
- Divide the batter evenly among the muffin liners, filling all the way up to the top.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Continue to bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15–16 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.
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: 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 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 350°F (177°C) the entire time (skip the initial high temperature) for 11–13 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? Like I do for most 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 they’re 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
hi sally! i’d like to know if this recipe would convert to cake pops ? would they survive the roll and dip? i want to make fall inspired pops. thank you 🙂
Hi Sonny, we haven’t tried that so are unsure! It might make for some interesting experimenting–if you try it, let us know how it goes!
thank you beth…follow up question:
would this work for a 9×13 pan instead of muffins? do i still need to start with the high temp since i’m not interested in the initial “muffin top” since ill be converting into cake pops?
thank you 🙂
Hi Sonny, do you have an 8-inch square pan or a 9-inch round pan by chance? That would likely work better. No need to do the initial high burst of heat. Enjoy!
Loved these for a change from the Morning Glory muffins I usually make. Instead of granulated white sugar I used Tirbinado cane sugar. Still delicious!
Hi Sally- I love all your recipes! Can I leave out the shredded apples in case the little ones don’t like the texture? Thanks!
Hi Pat! The shredded apple is key for both taste and texture here. You’d lose a lot of flavor and moisture without. We don’t recommend skipping it.
Thank you
These are amazing! Very easy to make and super tasty. My family devoured them in two days. I’ll definitely be making them again soon.
These were amazing! They’re really moist and delicious. My family devoured them in 2 days. I’ll definitely be making these again very soon.
Baking time for jumbo muffins ? Thank you !M
Hi Martha, you can use the baking instructions from these jumbo muffins as a guide.
Oh my goodness, these are wonderful! Absolutely adding these to my fall baking list for every year!
Gorgeous super moist muffins. Perfect for family fall movie night 🙂
Such a great recipe, I had to make it twice! (just to put more nuts in!)
Love it!
First, the house smells yummy, and hubby has gotten over his dislike of cinnamon!!! Win! For me, these are my replacement for the apple cider donuts I can’t buy. Since they’re ‘donuts’ I didn’t reduce the sweetness level as I normally do because donuts are sweet. I also can’t buy apple cider or applesauce. Thankfully I made these a few days ago, because that’s time consuming, and I could then turn the leftover apples and cider sludge into a sweet, spiced applesauce. I asked here and was told I could use this to replace the unsweetened applesauce so I did. Reading comments before baking, I thought there was too much liquid in the squeezed apples, so I had removed some, but that led to only 1 cup apples, thus only 11 muffins plus 1 test runt. After the test batch I realized that was a mistake and added some of the cider sludge to the mix. Then they came out better. I experimented with different toppings (and none as well because I used to ask for my apple cider donuts at the orchard plain, no cinn-sug). I love all versions of these and will definitely make them again. Glad I read the advice to freeze leftover cider.
Family loved it! Some preferred it without the sugar topping though.
These are delicious. Not very complicated. And I like that they are not overly sweet and light. Great fall muffin. Now to slice and put on the butter and place on the griddle.
These were literally the best muffins I have ever had! I’m definitely making these again, maybe even next week, lol
Could I add the crumb topping from the other apple muffin recipe and skip the cinnamon sugar topping? Just curious!
Certainly!
These muffins are the perfect taste of fall – warm and toasty spices and lot of apple flavor. They taste a lot like an apple cider donut from the local farm stand. I ended up making them twice in one weekend because they were so delicious I had to share them with friends too! One thing to note, on the first batch I only lightly pressed the excess juice from the shredded apples before adding. The batter was wet and I didn’t get good domes during my bake. For the second batch I pressed the juice out well, and they baked perfectly.
These muffins are the perfect taste of fall – warm and toasty spices and lot of apple flavor. They taste a lot like an apple cider donut from the local farm stand. I ended up making them twice in one weekend because they were so delicious I had to share them with friends too! One thing to note, on the first batch I only lightly pressed the excess juice from the shredded apples before adding. The batter was wet and I didn’t get good domes during my bake. For the second batch I pressed the juice out well, and they baked perfectly.
Turned out great! Easy recipe to follow.
10/10 Awesome recipe! Perfect for breakfast or anytime. Love the cinnamon sugar topping!
These were so simple to make and they were delicious. I will definitely make these again!
I couldn’t wait till they were cooled completely to try one, so good! I didn’t have applesauce so I used extra apple. Next time I make them I’ll get the applesauce.
These are so delicious! I love Sally’s recipes. They are written so clearly. My 12 year old son actually made these for the baking challenge. My whole family absolutely loved them!
I want to convert this recipe to an apple cake. How long should I bake it for a 9 inch round?
Hi Sarah, we’re unsure of the exact bake time using this batter in a 9-inch pan. You can fill your cake pan half way and use any leftover batter for a few muffins on the side. Or, here is our apple cake recipe instead!
Delicious and fun
These are absolutely delicious!! Will for sure make them again! My husband said they taste like the fresh apple cider donuts from our local apple farm! My kitchen smelled amazing while they were baking and cooling. Thank you for another great recipe.
The best hands down. Family loved them. Will be making them frequently from now on!
I made mini muffins with this recipe! They turned out super yummy and my preschooler loved them! I would definitely make these again.
Way too spicy for us. Couldn’t even taste the apple. I followed the recipe exactly.
My family really like this recipe.
These were lovely. Will make again!
Dare I say that these are better than a fresh cider donut?! Perfectly moist and full of apple flavor – Sally’s done it again!
The sweetness of the apples pairs well with the spices. Perfect for fall!