Baked Apple Fritter Muffins Recipe

Jan 28, 2015

4.94 from 30 votes

All the classic flavors of an apple fritter baked into a delicious gluten-free breakfast muffin! Get the classic recipe here.

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

I can only think of a few better things than the classic apple fritter baked inside of a muffin. They smell like warm apple pie…but better.

basket of apple fritter muffins with butter

It’s been years since I’ve had a traditional apple fritter. Our first home, a tiny 870 sq ft pink raised house, was just down the street from a local grocery with a huge bakery department. They sold the most amazing donuts and gigantic apple fritters. From time to time, my husband and I would treat ourselves to one on the weekends.

The sweet melt-in-your-mouth glaze, the fried crispy edged pieces of dough, and the almost jelly like pieces of apples inside… Wow. Sometimes it’s nice to take a trip down memory lane, isn’t it?

three side by side images of apple fritter muffin ingredients

Not too long ago, I was determined to make a grain free version; and sadly, the outcome didn’t come close to what I remembered. Tasty yes, resembled an apple fritter…no.

Then I thought: I might as well make a gluten free version and “cheat” with those (I eat gluten free things on occasion). And once I developed the gluten free version, I adapted it for regular baking. It’s a win-win for everyone, right?

You might have noticed that some of the recipes in this website and on MOMables now include a video. Last September, I launched the MOMables channel on YouTube and I am having so much fun creating food videos for you!

I love working with my (small) crew every 4-5 weeks. Clay, my camera man and editor, also eats gluten free; so he is always excited when see sees gluten free recipes in my production sheet. It’s safe to say that we eat a lot between takes.

Watch this video and check out how easy these baked apple fritter muffins are to make. You can see that the ones in the video are gluten free because they are lighter in color. You are not going to want to miss what they look like in the inside!

So back to the recipe. My middle son, who also needs to eat gluten free, misses the classic fluffy texture of many baked. But not with these! These muffins pass the fluffy test. The only caveat is that if I chop the apples too big they don’t cook enough and they are left a little crunchy. He then complains about that (kids!) so keep that in mind if you have picky eaters with texture issues at home.

Today’s photos were taken with a batch where I used whole-wheat pastry flour (or white whole-wheat). Using white-whole wheat flour will give the muffins a golden brown tone. If you use all-purpose white flour or most gluten-free baking flour mixes, they will turn out much lighter (like in the video).

baked apple fritter muffin for breakfast inside a lunchbox with plain yogurt

I typically reserve all baking for the weekends. It’s always nice to sit in our back porch on a Saturday morning and enjoy freshly baked goods with a little yogurt and fresh fruit. But don’t worry, you can make these on weekdays too!

I typically prepare the batter the night before, fill the lined muffin pan, and store the entire thing in the refrigerator. In the morning, all I have to do is bake in the preheated oven while I wait for my coffee to brew and the kids get ready… and enjoy! Bonus: they are perfectly portable for those rushed mornings we are running a little late to school.

Gluten Free Baked Apple Fritter Muffins Recipe {video}

Laura Fuentes

4.94 from 30 votes

All the classic flavors of an apple fritter baked into a delicious gluten-free breakfast muffin! Get the classic recipe here.

Servings: 12 muffins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 22

Total Time 42

Ingredients

⅓ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 apple any variety, peeled and chopped in small even sized pieces
½ cup sugar
½ cup butter softened at room temperature (not melted)
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ⅓ cups all-purpose gluten free baking flour mix*
1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon.
In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until smooth and creamy. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until incorporated; add vanilla extract.
Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl and add to the wet ingredients. Add in the milk and mix until the batter is smooth.
Fill each muffin cup with about 2 tablespoons of batter (halfway full) then distribute the apple pieces between the muffin cup. Top with additional batter, about another 2 tablespoons, covering the apples.
Top each muffin with ½ to 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar mixture. Using the back of a fork, gently swirl brown sugar and cinnamon mixture into the muffin batter.
Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 22 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and serving.

Notes

The type of flour mix you use will make a big difference. I have tried this recipe with King Arthur Flour All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour, King Arthur Flour All Purpose Gluten Free Baking Flour, Cup4Cup (blue bag), Pamela’s Gluten Free Baking Mix (orange bag), Pamela’s All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour Mix (blueish/purple bag), Namaste Gluten-Free Perfect Flour Blend.
Please note that if you make your own mix you must make sure you add xanthan gum to help bind your flour starches together (the mixes above already have it). I can’t advise on other blends since I haven’t tried it. If you use another mix successfully, please leave a comment for others to read.

Equipment

Muffin Pan

Mixing Bowls

Nutrition

Serving: 1 muffinCalories: 194kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 79mgPotassium: 54mgFiber: 2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 301IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 1mg

Like this recipe?Rate and leave a comment below