These apple cider spice muffins have deep apple flavor and a moist texture thanks to a triple-dose of apple: apple cider, applesauce, and shredded apple. A medley of warming spices shines through, while a roll in cinnamon-sugar adds the sweetest touch. They’re like fall-favorite apple cider donuts, but in muffin form!
Hello, apple season! This is one of the best times of year for baking, and you better believe I was buying apple cider as soon as I saw it at the store. Was it still August and a balmy 95°F outside? Yes. Was I going to bake with apple cider anyway? Also yes.
Apple Cider Spice Bread opens the Quick Breads & Muffins chapter in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101. It was such a favorite during testing that I couldn’t resist creating a muffin version too. With a few simple tweaks, you can enjoy both versions all season long.
(The biggest difference is that the bread version highlights orange zest for a citrusy note, while the muffins lean into a stronger spiced flavor without it! You also need baking powder in addition to baking soda for the muffins.)
Why You’ll Love These Apple Cider Muffins
- Tons of pure, fresh apple flavor from 3 different sources of apples
- Warmly spiced with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves
- Extra soft & moist thanks to shredded apple, applesauce, and oil
- A buttery cinnamon-sugar topping gives apple cider donut vibes
- No mixer needed
- Dairy-free recipe (if you skip the melted butter in the topping)
- Very adaptable recipe—add nuts, raisins or dried cranberries
One reader, Rebecca, commented: “These delightful muffins are all the best flavors of fall for me! The flavors are well-balanced and such a wonderful way to start or end the day! ★★★★★“
One reader, Erin, commented: “Wow! My family and I couldn’t wait for these to cool before we had to try them. They were delicious! Super moist, so much apple flavor, and an amazing mix of spices. Can’t wait to whip these up again. ★★★★★“
One reader, Kerri, commented: “These muffins turned out perfectly—a lovely soft and springy texture, beautifully moist without being oily, and so much apple goodness infused with cinnamon and warm fall spices. I also loved the bit of crunch the sugar coating gives it—it’s a nice pop of sweet texture. This recipe is a keeper for sure. ★★★★★“
Ingredients You Need:
- Apple Cider: Be sure to use fresh apple cider, the kind sold at farm markets or in a refrigerated case in the grocery store’s produce section. Not hard (alcoholic) cider… and definitely not apple cider vinegar!
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Helps the muffins rise.
- Salt: Balances all the other flavors.
- Spices: Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves—the same mix you’ll find in salted caramel apple pie
- Oil: The muffins taste dry and rubbery without some fat. Just as if we’re making apple zucchini bread, use vegetable oil. Avocado oil is a great choice, too.
- Brown & White Sugars: Using half white and brown sugars provide enough sweetening, and the brown sugar lends additional flavor.
- Eggs: Provide structure.
- Applesauce: Even more apple flavor!
- Shredded Apple: You need about 1 and 1/2 regular-size apples. Peel and then shred them with a box grater. I like to use a mix of some tart and some sweet, such as 1 Granny Smith and 1/2 a Honeycrisp. For more suggestions, see this post on the best apples to use for baking.
- Optional Walnuts: I LOVE the added texture these give the muffins, but if you have an allergy or simply don’t want to use them, just leave them out.
Reduce the Apple Cider First
Apple cider, either store-bought or this homemade apple cider, is certainly delicious to drink but it won’t add enough flavor to baked goods. The trick to apple cider spice muffins is to flavor them with concentrated apple cider. Apple cider that has been reduced down on the stove is potent, adding big flavor without excess liquid.
Reducing a liquid ingredient down on the stove to concentrate its flavor is nothing new, and perhaps you’re familiar with the concept from one of these recipes: strawberry cake, apple cinnamon oatmeal cookies, or Guinness chocolate cake.
You can reduce the cider a day or two in advance and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the muffins. That will save you cooling time, too, because the cider must cool for a few minutes before you add it to the batter.
To reduce your apple cider, simply follow these simple steps:
- Pour 3/4 cup (180ml) apple cider into a small saucepan.
- Simmer on medium heat and set a timer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Begin checking at 10 minutes, and then every 3-5 minutes after that until you have 1/4 cup (60ml) of cider reduction (approximately 20 minutes).
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before using in the batter. Pour it into a heat-safe glass liquid measuring cup or bowl and refrigerate it to speed up the cooling process.
After that, the remaining steps are super simple. Whisk together dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet ingredients in another, then combine them. You don’t even need a mixer!
Spoon the batter into the muffin pans, filling each liner all the way up to the top.
My No. 1 Trick for Tall Muffins
Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C), then reduce the temperature down to 350°F (177°C) for the remaining bake time. This initial high oven temperature lifts the muffin top up quickly and creates a tall dome, which is why filling the muffin liners to the top is imperative.
Most muffins bake between 350°F–375°F for the entire time. Setting the oven to 425°F initially and then lowering the temperature after 5 minutes guarantees muffins with tall domes on top. I do this in all my muffin recipes, both on my website and in my cookbook.
The crown on top of these apple cider spice muffins is a brush of melted butter, then a roll in cinnamon-sugar, like the coating on these homemade cruffins and these Nutella-stuffed muffins.
Leftover Apple Cider?
If you’re not drinking it, I have some ways to use it up!
- Apple Cider Spice Bread in Sally’s Baking 101
- Skillet Apple Cider Chicken
- Baked Apple Cider French Toast
- Honeycrisp Apple Sangria
- Baked Apple Cider Donuts
- Apple Cider Sangria
Or freeze apple cider in an ice cube tray, so you can make any of these delicious recipes even when it isn’t in season!
Be sure to check out the apple cider spice bread in Sally’s Baking 101—page 213—which features an apple cider glaze on top!
Apple Cider Muffins
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes (includes cider)
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These apple cider spice muffins have deep apple flavor and a moist texture thanks to a triple-dose of pure apple: apple cider, applesauce, and shredded apple. Like fall-favorite apple cider donuts, in muffin form! Be sure to use fresh apple cider, not hard cider and not apple cider vinegar.
Ingredients
Muffins
- 3/4 cup (180g/ml) fresh apple cider (NOT apple cider vinegar)
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (113g/120ml) vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup (100g) light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) peeled and shredded apple (about 1.5–2 apples)
- 3/4 cup (90g) chopped walnuts (optional)
Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Reduce the apple cider: In a small saucepan, bring the apple cider to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced to 1/4 cup (60g/ml), about 20 minutes. It won’t necessarily be any thicker, but it should be a bit darker. Pour the reduced apple cider into a heat-safe bowl or glass liquid measuring cup, and set aside (or refrigerate to speed things up) to cool to room temperature before using in step 4.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use muffin liners. Set aside.
- Make the muffins: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, applesauce, and reduced apple cider until combined. Pour the oil mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until combined. Fold in the shredded apple and chopped walnuts (if using).
- Divide the batter evenly among the muffin liners, filling all the way up to the top.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Continue to bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15–16 minutes more. Cool the muffins in the pan set on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then transfer the muffins from the pan to the rack.
- Make the topping: Whisk the sugar and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Lightly brush the top of a warm muffin with melted butter then dip the top into the cinnamon-sugar. Peel off the liner and roll the entire muffin in the cinnamon-sugar to fully coat. (Or coat just the tops.)
- Cover lightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The sugared coating draws out moisture, so the muffins become a bit sticky by day 2.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can reduce the apple cider in step 1 up to 3 days in advance. Cool, cover, and refrigerate until you’re ready to make the muffins. For longer storage, freeze the muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Small Saucepan | 12-count Muffin Pan | Muffin Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Box Grater | Pastry Brush
- Apple Cider: Use fresh apple cider, the kind sold at farm markets or in a refrigerated case in the grocery store’s produce section. Not hard (alcoholic) cider and not apple cider vinegar.
- Applesauce: If you do not have applesauce, you can replace with mashed banana, sour cream, or plain yogurt. I haven’t tested the muffins using apple butter instead of applesauce.
- Mini Muffins: For around 30 mini muffins, line mini muffin pans with liners or spray with nonstick spray. Prepare batter as directed and fill liners to the top. Bake at 350°F (177°C) the entire time (skip the initial high temperature) for 11–13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Loaf: If you have a copy, see Apple Cider Spice Bread in Sally’s Baking 101 for the loaf version.
- Why the initial high oven temperature? Like I do for most muffin recipes, bake the muffins for 5 minutes at a very hot temperature. Then, keeping the muffins in the oven, switch to a lower temperature for the remaining bake time. This initial high temperature will quickly lift the muffin tops so they’re extra high, then the centers will bake during the lower temperature bake time. This trick makes beautiful bakery-style muffins every time.
Reader Comments and Reviews
These muffins are absolutely delicious!!!!! Just the right amount of sweetness and they’re so moist!!!! Yummy
Great recipe, tender crumb.
TYVM Sally!
These were delicious and tasted like fall! The hot oven trick really does make the muffins super tall and beautiful!
I think next time I’ll do the sugar coating for the muffins we eat that day and leave the others plain because like she said, they do get pretty sticky after a couple days.
These are sooo delicious!! I used King Arthur’s Gluten free flour 1:1 and ghee instead of butter due to food restrictions we have and these are the fluffiest fall flavor bombs!!
Made these this morning as mini muffins. They are tender and sweet with perfect blend of spice and apples. When I make again, I’ll only put the topping on top of the muffins. It was too sweet when I rolled the entire muffin. Just my preference.
I secretly hoped these would not be amazing due to the prep being a little more involved than the average muffin. But, they were incredible…melt in your mouth delicious. This recipe is at the top of my muffin list from now on. Thank you for sharing it with us!
These are absolutely delicious and will be a staple this fall.
These were incredible! I love baking during the fall season.My family loved them and I will definitely make them again for breakfast this fall!
Delicious, great fall recipe! So moist and sweet. Good with peanut butter on top! Thank you!
These are phenomenal! I constantly am trying new recipes and it’s rare when something REALLY amazes me, but these succeeded! I had some extra batter so baked two in my mini Bundt mold. So cute.
Follow the muffin recipe exactly -1/4 cup of sugar turned out very well nice tender crumb hubby said to make these again. Thank you, Sally for another great recipe.
So much fun to make! The in-laws loved them. They ate them so quick, they asked I made another batch
These muffins are so delicious! The sweetness level was perfect and they came out perfectly moist without being dense.
Great recipe. Straightforward, easy to follow and totally delicious just as is.
So delicious! It was fun to have my toddler help me make these and enjoy the apple cores as I shredded them. The cinnamon sugar topping was a fun treat. Definitely made me think of the apple cider donuts were like to get from a farm back home!
Made these into mini muffins, they were tasting.
See my above comments. So excited to comment forgot the stars!
WOW!
Sooo good.
When I looked at the ingredient list I thought so much work. But bought the cider, apples and sauce. Then hubby said he really didn’t like apple cider donuts or even pie! Really? Hmmm.
Well since I had the ingredients and wanted to try them I did!
I’d like to eat the whole batch now!
I’m a pretty good baker but these were so tender, tasty and habit forming. I’m sure he’ll love them . TY for sharing this recipe.
I love these!
If I make these into mini muffins instead of the standard size, how would that impact the baking time? 🙂
Hi Jennifer, The bake time for mini muffins is 11–13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. See the recipe notes below the recipe for more details.
The muffins came together easily and turned out perfectly! The were moist and full of apple cinnamon flavor. I don’t love nutmeg so I omitted it. I will be making these again.
I really liked these. Muffins are about my least favorite baked good, but these aren’t too sweet and the texture is better than a standard muffin.
These muffins were delicious – perfectly moist and spiced! However, I didn’t get a ton of apple flavor. Perhaps that was due to my apple ingredients, but I’d be scared to mess with the qualities since that would impact the moisture content. Absolutely delicious nonetheless!
This muffin recipe was easy to make and tasted delicious. I was worried about to much moisture from the apples but turned out great! I just did the tops with the sugar coating and it was a big hit.
These were simple to make and so delicious!
These were delicious!! Sooo moist even after several days and the apple flavor was really present. I will definitely be making again. The recipe came out perfectly as written.
These muffins are so delightfully fall, very soft and flavorful! I used wheat flour instead of white, and I think it enhanced the flavors! I also couldn’t resist trying one before the butter/cinnamon coating, and it was equally delicious. I made them for sept 2025 SBC, via FaceTime with my brother and sister! We had a fabulous time baking ‘together’, and trying our hand at a new recipe! Definitely adding this one to the regular fall baking rotation, perfect on the go breakfast or anytime snack!!
I’ve been wanting to try out an apple cider reduction muffin. These are delicious. I chose to add toasted walnuts, which I regret, but otherwise, they turned out well following the recipe as written. Thanks for the new fall recipe!
This muffin recipe is so easy and fun to make! Perfect for the fall! These smell so delicious right out of the oven! I will definitely be making these again.
I’m wondering if I could make these with a gluten free flour. Any recommendations on adjustments? Thanks!
Hi Cristen, We haven’t tested a gluten free version, but let us know if you do!
I love your muffin recipes. Starting them with a 425 degree temperature and reducing it to 350 degrees makes a nice puffed muffin. I make muffins every week for my women’s group and I am working my way through your muffin recipes. Thanks
These muffins have a perfect texture and moistness. They were easy to make and an apple overload(in a good way!!)These will be on repeat this fall!