Apple Donut Mini Muffins – Bite sized mini muffins that taste just like cider mill cinnamon sugar donuts filled with bits of apple!
I’m a big fan of apple desserts. Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread, Apple Filled Pull Apart Bread, Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins, and these Apple Donut Mini Muffins.
One of my favorite parts of fall is going to the cider mill.
I feel sorry for you if you don’t have them in your part of the world.
You get warm cinnamon-sugar donuts and cider slushies. I don’t even like cider, but cider slushies? All day.
Why you’ll love this easy mini muffin recipe
So good! – They have the consistency of a cake donut but they’re little mini muffins – something like a donut hole.
Bite sized – Perfect for little fingers, if you have kids, or perfect to have, 5, if you’re a grown up. I won’t judge you.
Good year-round – They’re perfect for apple season but since apples are so readily available, you can make them any time of year. They make a great back-to-school treat in lunchboxes or after school.
Tools you’ll need
- Mini Muffin Pan – you can also use this to make my Peanut Butter Brownie Bites.
- Small cookie scoop – to portion out the batter easily.
- Grater – you’ll need to grate the apple. Either a box grater or my favorite cheese grater will work.
- Pastry Cutter – to incorporate the butter into the flour/sugar mixture.
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
- Flour – I’ve only tested with all purpose white flour.
- Baking Powder – For rise.
- Salt – For balance.
- Nutmeg – Nutmeg is a warm, nutty spice that pairs beautifully with cinnamon.
- Cinnamon – Try to use a high quality cinnamon like ceylon for the best flavor.
- Butter – You’ll need butter both for the batter and melted to roll the finished muffins in. I use unsalted but salted will work as well.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
- Apple – I use a Gala apple. You need one cup grated, which depending on the size of the apple, should be about one apple.
- Egg – A large egg.
- Milk – I use 2% because that’s what we always have on hand.
How to make Apple Mini Muffins
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- STEP ONE: In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and whisk together. Cut in the butter until incorporated.
- STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, add the egg, milk, and grated apple and whisk together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together.
- STEP THREE: Use a cookie scoop to portion out the batter evenly to 24 wells of a mini muffin tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until just golden, at 375 degrees.
- STEP FOUR: While they’re baking, melt butter in a small microwave safe bowl. In another bowl, mix together the cinnamon & sugar to make the coating.
- STEP FIVE: Once the muffins are done and slightly cooled, dip each one first into the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture, fully coating each. ENJOY!
What to serve with Mini Apple Muffins
These mini muffins really do well on their own, but you could take them up a notch by serving them warm with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of caramel.
Oooh, I’m liking the sound of that…
Tips & Suggestions 🍎
Use a cookie scoop to easily portion out the batter into the mini muffin tin. I use a small scoop (#60) which is 2 teaspoons. This portion perfectly makes 24 muffins.
If you don’t have a pastry cutter, a fork will work just fine.
Use your favorite apple. I like Gala but Granny Smith, Fuji, or Braeburn would also be good.
How to store leftovers
Leftover mini muffins should be stored covered at room temperature. They’re best within 3-4 days.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, muffins freeze well. Once cooled, put them on a plate and move them to the freezer. Once frozen solid (or at least an hour later), move the frozen muffins to a freezer bag. They’ll be best within 3 months.
Thaw them at room temperature and then enjoy!
FAQs
Yes, I suggest peeling the apples first.
No, a mini muffin is about 1/3 the size of a regular muffin.
That means, if you want to make this recipe full size muffins, you’ll get about 8.
I don’t typically use paper liners when I make mini muffins but you certainly can. If you don’t, just make sure to spray the pan, fairly generously, with non-stick spray.
Mini Apple Muffins
Need more muffin recipes? Try these:
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins
Apple Donut Mini Muffins
Ingredients
For the Muffins
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (99 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅓ cup (76 g) unsalted butter cubed into small pieces, at room temperature
- ½ cup (60-70 g) grated apple I used a Gala
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup milk + 1 Tablespoon (I used 2%)
For the Cinnamon/Sugar Coating
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and whisk together.
- Add the cubed butter and use a pastry cutter, or a fork, to cut in the butter to the flour mixture until incorporated.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, add the egg, milk, and grated apple and whisk together.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together until just combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to evenly fill all 24 wells of the mini muffin pan with approximately 2 teaspoons of batter.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just golden.
- While they’re baking, in a small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter.
- In another small bowl, add the cinnamon and sugar and mix together.
- Once the muffins are done and slightly cooled, dip each one first into the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture, fully coating each.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Originally published October 23, 2014
We have a local apple orchard and I love getting apple slushies! These donuts look soo good!!
These were so yummy! I added some sugar to the wet ingredient, a little more apples, and some extra cinnamon 🙂 thanks for this recipe!!
I’m so glad you liked them – thank you for reporting back!
I panicked at first because my mix was very thick, not sure if that’s the normal consistency? So I added a touch more milk, but they turned out AMAZING! I added vanilla and extra cinnamon. Thanks for an amazing recipe, definitely a keeper! 24 mini muffins gone in 3 hours🙊 will be making a double batch tomorrow!
Ohhh gosh, I just made the batter & realized that I didn’t add any sugar in the batter 😬😬 I see in the ingredients it calls for 1/2 C, but I never noticed where to add it in the instructions. I have it all portioned out in the mini muffin pan. Should take it all out, add sugar to the batter & then put it back in the muffin pan??
Alright, I just went for it & put them in the oven without adding any sugar to the batter & they are PLENTY sweet with just the cinnamon sugar rolled on the outside! Thanks for the yummy recipe! I will definitely make again & pass it along!
Oh, I’m glad it worked out! Thanks for reporting back 🙂
I’m a home ec teacher. Could this batter be made in advance and cooked the next day?
I haven’t tried that. Is it possible to mix the dry ingredients and keep the wet components separate until ready to assemble & bake?
I made these mini muffins for a breakfast at our golf course and everyone loved them. My husband said they were his favorite for sure. I worried about the muffin not coming out of the baking pan cleanly so I used little muffin papers, and then just dipped the top in butter and then cinnamon sugar. Delicious!! It was plenty of coating and I think less messy to eat than dipping the entire muffin. Also, my grater was in the dishwasher and I didn’t want to wait for it so I minced the apples rather than grating them and it was still just right.
Happy to hear that!