8 Comments / By Janel Hutton / April 12, 2023
One-bowl muffins just like Grandma made them with applesauce, oatmeal, walnuts, and raisins. Extra moist and flavorful…make up a batch of these delicious muffins for a quick breakfast!
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I hesitated to put out this recipe because it isn’t flashy or world-changing, it isn’t AH-MAZING…it’s just a good and yummy homemade muffin recipe that feeds your family a healthy breakfast. Make them into mini muffins for extra fun.
But I’ve been making them for years. This delicious recipe comes from an old church cookbook marked up with somebody’s notes and stains. And they are tasty, easy, and hearty…always a favorite. Myson cleans up 3 of these before I even turn around!
Love old-fashioned, hearty muffin recipes? Try my Pistachio Muffins or Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins.
Applesauce takes the place of a majority of the oil in these muffins helping the muffins be a bit healthier and reducing the fat content. Try crockpot or InstantPot homemade applesauce for an even bigger win!
Applesauce is a great way to make your baked goods healthier. It’s low in fat and calories, and it’s a good source of fiber and vitamins. Plus, it adds moisture and sweetness to your recipes, so you won’t even miss the oil.
Replace oil with applesauce using a simple 1:1 ratio. So, if your recipe calls for 1/2 cup of oil, you can use 1/2 cup of applesauce instead.
- Use unsweetened applesauce for the best flavor.
- Don’t overmix the batter, or your baked goods will be tough.
- Bake your baked goods according to the recipe directions.
We have even more ideas for other Oil and butter substitutions (complete with a printable for your kitchen) if you would like more ideas: Baking Substitutions for Oil and Butter.
Key Ingredient List:
- Sugar. I usually use white sugar for this recipe but sometime take a bit of extra time to use half white sugar and half brown sugar to deepen the caramel flavor. You can sub some of the granulated sugar for maple syrup, with good results.
- Applesauce. These healthy muffins are a great use for your own homemade applesauce, if you have it. The jar of applesauce you get at the grocery store works just fine, too.
- Oil. You can sub vegetable oil for traditional veggie or canola oil, if you like.
- Yogurt. Sour cream can be swapped for similar texture and flavor, if you prefer. I like the tang from using yogurt.
- Flour. Swap out Baking 1 for 1 Gluten Free Flour for the all purpose flour for yummy gluten-free muffins. Another option is to use half white and half whole grain flour.
- Oats. I like the added nutrients of oatmeal and although the muffins are a bit dense, they are chock full of flavor and moisture.
- Golden raisins. If you have time, add them to a small bowl with some water to plump up while you mix up your ingredients. I prefer golden raisins then traditional because they are sweeter and my entire family likes them. Go ahead and sub out your favorite dried fruit in place of the raisins.
- Optional: diced apples. Sometimes it’s fun to add a handful of diced apples into the batter to give fresh apples a moment to shine, especially in the fall.
Instructions for making applesauce oatmeal muffins:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix the egg and sugar together in a large bowl.
- Add the remaining wet ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients and raisins. Stir gently just until mixed. Do not overstir!
- Add to muffin cups with muffin liners.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top.
These muffins will take a good 30 minutes to bake up. If you decide to forgo the oats in favor of more flour you will want to decrease that cooking time to about 20-25 minutes.
My muffins are a bit heavy?
These muffins are a bit on the heavy side and always have been because of the high amount of applesauce to flour ratio. If you like yours lighter and more cakey remove the oats and increase the flour to 2 cups.
Can I skip the raisins and nuts?
Of course! Those are included to add nutrition and yumminess to these. You could sub out other dried fruits, chocolate chips, or nuts…if you prefer.
how to store/freeze oatmeal applesauce muffins:
Simply store any leftover muffins –what are those?–in an airtight container on the counter for a few days.
These muffins freeze beautifully! I often make up a double batch simply to freeze them in an airtight container. You can even take them out of the freezer one at a time and set them on the counter. They will thaw to room temperature in a couple of hours. Perfect for packing in lunches or using for afternoon snacks!
Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins
| 12 muffins
Prep Time | 10 minutes mins
Cook Time | 30 minutes mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Full of flavor and nutrition, these applesauce muffins are full of yumminess in every bite!
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup oil any neutral oil will do.
- 3/4 cup applesauce
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cups wheat flour optional, sub more all-purpose flour for the wheat flour.
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
Check out our Kitchen Reference Guide for help with unfamiliar terms.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together egg and sugar just until combined.
Add applesauce, yogurt, oil, and vanilla and mix just until combined.
Add flour, baking powder, spices, oatmeal, and raisins. Stir gently just until mixed
Divide batter amongst 12 lined muffin tins.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 202kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 4gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 106mgPotassium: 161mgFiber: 2gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 25IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg
About the Author:
Janel Hutton finished Professional Cooking Fundamentals coursework in Sur La Table Culinary Institute, has been featured on many websites, magazines, and brands including Better Homes and Gardens, Woman’s Day, Cottages and Bungalows, Country Living, Reader’s Digest, she was a Stillwater Gazette Columnist, taught classes for Pinners Conference, and much more…AUTHOR OF: Spices, Sauces, & Condiments, Slow Cooker Essentials, and Creative Gift Ideas: 52 Unique Gift Sets
