These easy One-Bowl Apple Cornmeal Muffins are quick to make and yield a tender, apple studded muffin that makes a great breakfast, afternoon snack, or side to your favorite autumn soups and chilis. Plus they’re naturally gluten-, dairy- and refined sugar-free!
So let me just say upfront, I’m not much of a baker. I think I’ve shared that fact here before. There’s just something about exact measurements that seems a bit fussy to me. I just like throwing things into a pan and tasting as I go.
There’s something about homemade baked goods, though, warm and straight out of the oven, that convinces me to grab my measuring spoons and head into the kitchen. Plus the cinnamony-sweet smell of something baking is worth the effort.
I’m particularly fond of muffins because they are so versatile. A few minutes measuring and stirring results in a tasty, satisfying treat that works equally well at breakfast, as a snack or packed into a lunchbox. Plus they’re freezable so I can make a double batch and then pull out a few at a time to go with stews, chilis, or for afternoon tea.
For this recipe I had in mind a naturally sweet corn muffin bursting with apple flavor. I included just enough cornmeal for texture plus apple pieces, apple sauce and apple cider to really drive the apple flavor home. Oh yeah, and dried apples on top. Let’s just have an apple party.
In addition to the cornmeal, these muffins use oat flour, which can easily be made at home by grinding whole oats in the blender. No need for a fancy high-speed blender, either, any regular blender will workr. If you’d rather skip this step, though, you can purchase pre-made oat flour at well-stocked grocery stores and online (either regular or gluten-free).
I recommend using silicone liners for this recipe, as they allow the muffins to pop right out of the pan with no sticking. If you don’t have them, though, just grease the pan really well before adding the batter. And the best part is that all the ingredients can be mixed together in one bowl, so clean up is minimal. Yay!
KID-FRIENDLY ADAPTATIONS
1 | Invite your child to help make the muffins! He can dump the ingredients into the bowl, stir everything together, and sprinkle the apple chips on top.
2 | If she doesn’t like the apple chunks in the muffins try adding grated apple for a less noticeable apple texture.
THIS RECIPE IS . . .
Naturally Gluten-Free (as long as you use gluten-free oats), Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Nut-Free, and Vegetarian
One-Bowl Apple Cornmeal Muffins
Ingredients
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ¾ cups applesauce
- ½ cup apple cider
- ¼ cup Grade B pure maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups oat flour*
- ½ cup finely ground cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup finely chopped apple
- ¼ cup chopped dried apple chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine the melted coconut oil, applesauce, apple cider, maple syrup, and eggs in a large bowl, whisking to combine.
- To the same bowl, add the oat flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon, stirring until well combined. Add the chopped apple and stir again until well incorporated.
- Grease or line a 12-cup muffin pan with silicone liners. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of batter into each cup. Sprinkle each muffin with chopped dried apple chips (if using).
- Bake the muffins for 25 minutes, or until the tops are slightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a muffin.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Serve warm, or store in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days. Alternatively, freeze the cooled muffins in a tightly sealed container for up to 1 month.
