Gluten-free Apple Cinnamon Oat Muffins

Hearty, delicious, and whole grains! These healthy oat flour muffins are bursting with apple and cinnamon flavor. Easy and ready in under 30 minutes.

We love baked goods around here. From my Gluten-free Banana Muffins to my Healthy Breakfast Cookies, there is always a healthy baked good on my weekly food prep list. And I'm excited to add these gluten-free apple muffins to the mix!

I use both oat flour and rolled oats in these apple cinnamon oat flour muffins. Now, for a few reasons, I recommend making your own oat flour. Why? First off, it’s way cheaper than buying it. It’s also SO easy… it honestly takes less than 5 minutes to make your own! And lastly, you know the source of your oats.

I prefer to use certified gluten free AND organic, and it’s actually really hard to find both of these in oat flour. But, it’s much easier to find these two in regular rolled oats, so I just make my own… and you should too 🙂

For more oat flour recipes, try these oat flour pancakes, oat flour cookies, chocolate protein banana bread, healthier brownies, and pumpkin chocolate chip bread.

Why You'll Love These!

• WHOLE GRAINS – these are made with oat flour and oats - no refined grains or flours here.
• NATURALLY SWEETENED – these are lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup, keeping these oat flour muffins refined sugar free.
• NUT FREE- in a lot of my baked goods I use almond flour, but these only use oat flour, so if you also have a nut allergy, these muffins are perfect for you.
• EASY – these muffins are ready in under 30 minutes!

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

ROLLED OATS – I use certified gluten-free rolled oats, or old fashioned oats (they are the same thing). If you aren’t gluten free, standard oats work too. Quick cooking or steal cuts oats will also work in this recipe. 

• Clean food tip: buy organic to avoid herbicides/pesticides. Like most grains, oats are sprayed with glyphosate (an herbicide that’s been linked to increase cancer risk) prior to being harvested.

OAT FLOUR – I absolutely encourage you to make your own oat flour. It’s so incredibly easy and much cheaper than buying it. Use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free flour. If not gluten free, standard oats work too. And you can just buy your own if you don’t feel like making it.

• Clean food tip: Just like the oats, I recommend organic. It’s hard to find certified gluten free AND organic oat flour, so another reason to just make it yourself.

BAKING POWDER – I recommend using double acting baking powder. This helps in gluten-free baking as it gives it another “boost” when it’s in the oven. Baking powder helps baked goods to rise, and it’s a little tougher without the gluten. But, the double-acting essentially has a second reaction once in the heat to help with the rising of the baked good.

MILK – since I’m mainly dairy free, I typically use almond milk, but any variation of milk works.

• Clean food tip: If using nut-milk, look for one that has just the nuts, water, and/or salt.

PURE MAPLE SYRUP – be sure to use pure maple syrup. You can sub honey in its place if needed.

APPLE SAUCE – look for apple sauce that doesn’t have any added sweetener.

• Clean food tip: Because apples are on the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen List, I opt for organic apple sauce.

APPLES – you can use tart or sweet apples in these apple cinnamon oatmeal muffins. I always use sweet, but either will work.

• Clean food tip: For the same reason for the apple sauce, I always buy organic apples.

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350. Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix until combined.

Step 2: Add the wet ingredients, including the shredded apples, to a smaller bowl and whisk until combined.

Step 3: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

Step 4: Line a muffin pan, or lightly grease with coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil. Scoop batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan. If desired, sprinkle with oats for a pretty top!

Tip: use an ice-cream scoop to scoop batter – it will help form a nice muffin top.

Step 4: Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.

Step 5: Allow to cool slightly before removing from muffin pan. And then enjoy these gluten-free apple muffins.

Notes & Tips

Make large muffins. If you want your muffins to be on the larger side, divide batter between 10 muffins instead of 12.

Use one bowl for less mess. After you’ve mixed the dry ingredients, push the dry ingredients off to the side of the bowl and then add the remaining ingredients to the other side. Whisk the wet ingredients first (to ensure the eggs break up) and then mix all ingredients together.

Don’t overmix. Overmixing can result in a dense/tough texture. Mix just until all ingredients are incorporated. A few small remaining clumps are okay!

Use a cookie scoop. When adding the muffin batter to the muffin pan, use a spring loaded cookie scoop if you have one - helps to form perfectly shaped apple cinnamon oatmeal muffins.

Measuring oat flour. Stir your oat flour before measuring. Oat flour tends to settle as it sits and you want to fluff it up a bit. Then scoop your oat flour and level it off. Don’t pack the oat flour into the measuring cup.

FAQs

More Apple Recipes

If you make this recipe, please let me know what you think! I would so appreciate you leaving a star rating and/or comment below. And don't forget to share a photo on Instagram or Facebook and mention @CleanPlateMama!

Eat Clean.Be Well!
-Sara