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    Home » Breakfast & Brunch Recipes » Breads & Muffins » Spiced Apple Butter Muffins

    Spiced Apple Butter Muffins

    Sep 16, 2022 · by Valentina · 16 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Apple Butter Muffins are the essence of fall. Warmly spiced with cardamom and cinnamon, they're loaded with fresh, tender apple slices. These are lovely with coffee for breakfast and brunch, and maybe even more so with vanilla ice cream for dessert.Close up of baked apple muffin in cupcake liner on parchment paper.

    Imagine if you will, something between a luscious apple pie and warm spiced cake.

    That's exactly what these Apple Butter Muffins taste like.

    Maybe make a double batch, because I promise, you won't be able to get enough.

    One Apple Butter Muffin sliced in half on parchment paper.

    Ingredients for Apple Butter Muffins


    (I often suggest brands I love and use — these are only suggestions and this is not a sponsored post.)

    Please don't be daunted by the somewhat lengthy ingredient list. These are easy to put together and you'll be so happy when you pull them out of the oven.

    • apples - I always make these with Fuji apples. While they soften beautifully, they hold their shape when they bake. Choose firm apples without bruising. (More variety suggestions are below.)
    • brown sugar - You can use dark or golden.
    • lemon juice
    • unsalted butter -I always bake and cook with unsalted butter so I can control exactly how much salt is in the recipe.
    • ground cinnamon
    • ground cardamom
    • granulated sugar
    • pure vanilla extract - Nielsen-Massey vanilla is excellent.
    • unsalted butter - It's best to bake with unsalted butter so you can control exactly how much salt is in the recipe.
    • eggs
    • buttermilk - For this recipe either whole or low-fat is fine.
    • apple butter - I use this homemade Cinnamon Apple Butter. If you purchase one, this one is great. (See substitutions below.)
    • all-purpose flour
    • baking powder - If you don’t bake regularly, it’s a good idea to check to be sure your baking powder is still good. To do so, pour a couple of tablespoons of boiling water over about ¼ teaspoon of the baking powder. If it starts to fizz, it’s still good.
    • baking soda - Like the baking powder, If you don’t bake regularly, it’s a good idea to check to be sure your baking soda is still good. To do so, pour a couple of tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice over about ¼ teaspoon of the baking soda. If it starts to fizz, it’s still good.
    • salt - I almost always bake and cook with Kosher salt. (It’s coarse and salts foods in a subtle way that enhances their flavor without making them taste salty.)
    • golden raisins - My favorite are Trader Joe's brand.
    • pecans or walnuts

    Close up of thinly sliced apples with cinnamon on parchment.

    What are the best apples to bake with?


    The best apples to bake with are apples that will keep their structure when heat is applied. Use apples that will stay in pieces, rather then turning into applesauce. Here are a few (of several) that work really well.

    • Braeburn
    • Fuji
    • Granny Smith
    • Honeycrisp
    • Pink Lady

    How to Make Them


    (More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)

    - Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners, preheat the oven to 400°F, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

    - In a large bowl, mix the lemon juice with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Peel, core and slice the apples very thinly and add them to the bowl. Drizzle the melted butter over them and mix gently until all of the slices of apple are well coated. Now add them to the parchment-lined sheet pan and spread them out in a fairly even layer.Even layer of thinly sliced appes with cinnamon and melted butter on parchment-lined baking sheet.- Place the sheet pan back in the oven and bake just until the apples are soft, about 10 minutes. Turn the oven heat down to 375°F.

    - In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter with the sugar and vanilla. Then add the eggs and mix until they're incorporated. Add the buttermilk and apple butter and mix to blend.

    - Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, and use a large spoon or rubber spatula and mix just until you no longer see dry spots. Now fold in the softened apples and the raisins.

    - Fill the prepared muffin cups evenly -- each should be about to the top. Set aside.Muffin tin with paper liners filled with apple butter muffin batter.- Make the topping in a small bowl. To make it, combine brown sugar with the nuts and cinnamon. Then use your fingers to incorporate the butter so the mixture becomes crumbly. Evenly distribute the topping on the surface of the muffins.Muffin tin with paper liners filled with apple butter muffin batter with brown sugar topping.- Place the muffin tin on a sheet pan and then bake until they've risen a bit above the top of the cups and are golden, 30 to 40 minutes. Let them cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.Muffin tin with golden baked apple muffins.

    Recipe Tips and Substitutions


    • Make sure you begin with fantastic apples -- they should be sweet and crisp.
    • Slicing the apples thinly is key. That and keeping them in big pieces.
    • If you're not into nuts with your baked goods, just leave them out.
    • I love nice, plump golden raisins in muffins (and cookies), but you can use any raisins you like.
    • Apple Butter adds a wonderful caramel-like flavor to the muffins. However, if you're in a pinch, you can substitute it with a smooth applesauce.
    • Gluten-free? If you're gluten-free, or baking for someone who is, use Cup4Cup gluten-free all-purpose flour. It’s an equal substitution.
    • It will seem like a lot of batter per muffin cup -- and it is. It will rise above the tin and maybe spread a bit onto the top of it. The muffins will separate from each other easily if this happens. (If you want, use a pastry brush to add a bit of melted butter or a neutral oil, to the top of the muffin tin, just around each opening -- for insurance.)
    • When the apple butter muffins are done baking, the cupcake liners will be greasy. It's nice to place them in a second, dry liner, so they can be held easily.

    Close up of baked apple muffin in the muffin tin.

    How to Store Them


    • Room temperature. You can keep them at room temperature if you know the muffins are going to be eaten the next day. The best way to preserve their freshness is to let them cool completely, and then put them in an airtight container. They will last longer this way (two to three days) if you place a dry paper towel below and on top of the muffins.
    • Freezer. The muffins can be frozen for about three months. The easiest method is to place them in Ziploc freezer bags, in a single layer. Let them defrost at room temperature.
    • Refrigerator. Refrigerating muffins is not ideal, as it can change their texture and dry them out.

    I hope you think these Apple Butter Muffins are as amazing as my family and I do.

    Enjoy!

    More delicious fall apple recipes:

    • My Mom's Ginger Applesauce
    • Fall Chai Spiced Apple Cake
    • Caramelized Apple Brie Melt
    • Dutch Apple Bread
    Close up of baked apple muffin in the muffin tin.

    Apple Butter Muffins Recipe

    Valentina K. Wein
    Apple Butter Muffins are the essence of fall. They're warmly spiced, loaded with tender slices of sweet apples, and they're as comforting as can be!
    Print
    Prep Time 40 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Making Homemade Apple Butter (if desired) 50 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Snack, Brunch
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 304 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the apples

    • 1 pound apples (2 to 3 large apples)
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar (golden or dark)
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

    For the batter

    • 1⅓ cup all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 2 large eggs
    • ½ cup buttermilk
    • ½ cup apple butter (click here for the recipe)*
    • ¾ cup golden raisins

    For the topping

    • ⅓ cup brown sugar
    • ⅓ cup raw pecans or walnuts, very finely chopped
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cut into small chunks

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.

    To prepare the apples

    • Preheat the oven to 400°F, and adjust a rack to the center. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
    • In a large bowl, mix the lemon juice with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Peel, core and slice the apples very thinly. You should have 3 cups. Add them to the bowl and then drizzle the melted butter over them and mix gently until they're well coated. Now add them to the parchment-lined sheet pan and spread them out in a fairly even layer.
      Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake just until the apples are soft, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
    • Turn the oven heat down to 375°F.

    For the batter

    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
    • In a medium-sized mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter with the sugar and vanilla. Mix for about 1 minute on high. Then add the eggs and mix until they're incorporated. Add the buttermilk and apple butter and mix to blend.
    • Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, and use a large spoon or rubber spatula and mix just until you no longer see dry spots.
    • Now fold in the softened apples and the raisins. (Be sure to get as much of the butter as you can off of the parchment paper.)
    • Fill the prepared muffin cups evenly -- each should be about to the top. Set aside.

    For the topping

    • In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar with the nuts and cinnamon. Then use your fingers to incorporate the butter so the mixture becomes crumbly.
      Evenly distribute the topping on the surface of each muffin.

    Bake

    • Place the muffin tin on a sheet pan and then place that in preheated 375°F oven. Bake until they've risen a bit above the top of the cups and are golden, 30 to 40 minutes.
    • Let them cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

    NOTES

    * If you don't want to make homemade apple butter, you can buy it jarred. I like this one.
    Calorie count is only an estimate.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 304kcal | Sodium: 237mg
    Keywords desserts for breakfast, apple recipes
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Patricia@FreshFoodinaFlash

      October 21, 2016 at 9:31 am

      Love all the fall apples and love the idea of cake for breakfast disguised as a muffin.

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 23, 2016 at 9:02 am

        Thank you, Patricia! Nothing like dessert for breakfast! 😉

        Reply
    2. nicole

      October 23, 2016 at 9:09 pm

      Love everything about these! These look like autumn in a muffin wrapper! I am pinning these for future reference and I look forward to consuming a dozen! Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 23, 2016 at 11:15 pm

        Autumn in a muffin wrapper -- I LOVE that! Thank you! 😀

        Reply
    3. Judy @My Well Seasoned Life

      October 25, 2016 at 7:13 am

      Showed your picture to my mom and the first thing she said. "you making these Jude?" and yes I am. Thanks for these perfect fall treats.

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 25, 2016 at 7:49 am

        Oh I love that! Hugs to your mom! xo

        Reply
    4. David

      October 27, 2016 at 8:43 am

      They look delicious, Valentina! I love the use of cardamom - that's what really sets them apart!

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 27, 2016 at 6:50 pm

        Thanks David! Love cardamom SO much. Happy fall to you and yours. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

      October 29, 2016 at 7:44 am

      These were epic! I have a crush on them.

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 29, 2016 at 12:02 pm

        Thank you, Dorothy! So happy you got to taste them! XOXO

        Reply
        • Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

          November 03, 2016 at 8:26 am

          In fact, I loved this so much I told all my readers! http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/recipe-crushes-7-great-recipes-from-food-bloggers/

          Reply
          • valentina

            November 03, 2016 at 9:14 am

            Thank you, my friend! 😀 xo

            Reply
    6. Catherine

      November 10, 2016 at 7:35 pm

      Super excited to make these! Do you know if I refrigerate the batter overnight and bake them fresh in the morning, will they still be as good? If I do so should I make the apples in the morning too?

      Reply
      • valentina

        November 10, 2016 at 10:21 pm

        Hi Catherine, Yes, it would work to make the batter ahead of time and refrigerate. You could also roast the apples the night before -- but I'd leave them out, wrapped tightly once they've cooled. I hope you love them and let me know how it goes. Enjoy & thanks for checking out my recipes. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Linger, Kristy Murray

      September 19, 2022 at 9:44 am

      Oh my goodness Valentina. This recipe and these photos have made me so hungry for apple muffins. What a great idea to roast the apples before they are ever added to the batter. I'm obsessed with this recipe now and it is on my Fall recipe rotation now. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 03, 2022 at 1:12 pm

        Thank you so much, Kristy! Cheers to the fall rotation. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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