wild thistle kitchen

  • Home
  • about
  • recipes
  • newsletter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Newsletter
  • About
  • Contact
  • All recipes
  • Sourdough
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Newsletter
  • About
  • Contact
  • All recipes
  • Sourdough
×
Home » recipes » breakfast

Apple Butter Muffins

Modified: Apr 15, 2025 · Published: Sep 23, 2022 · by anita | wild thistle kitchen · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

  • 14
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 3 reviews

Apples are a true sign of fall in Virginia. We are surrounded by so many beautiful orchards and every year we head to one of our favorites and come home loaded with apples, fresh apple cider, kettle corn, and of course - apple cider doughnuts. A few years ago I started making slow cooker apple butter and applesauce and it has become one of my favorite fall traditions. It is so easy and makes the house smell incredible. This year I decided to come up with some recipes that featured apple butter as an ingredient, and this easy apple butter muffin recipe was first on the list.

Pile of Apple Butter Muffins on wire rack

These apple butter muffins come together in a flash with a few pantry staples

  • Flour - I like to use regular all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour when I have it but I would be careful using 100% regular whole wheat as it will result in a very dense muffin. You can replace ¼ of the flour with whole wheat but I would not go more than that.
  • Baking powder and soda - for a nice lift and some tenderness.
  • Kosher salt - for balance and flavor enhancement.
  • Cinnamon - to boost that fall flavor and make the house smell amazing.
  • Apple Butter - the star of the show! Use store bought or whip up a batch of my Slow Cooker Apple Butter. If you are not familiar with apple butter, it is like a thicker, slightly sweeter and more spiced, concentrated version of apple sauce. Very good spread on toast as you would use jelly or jam.
  • Light Brown Sugar - For a hint of molasses and a little extra moisture. It was a no-brainer to use brown sugar in this apple butter muffin recipe.
  • Butter - I always use salted but you can swap unsalted here - either is fine. You can also sub an equal amount of a neutral oil if you don't use or have butter.
  • Eggs - for moisture, structure, and lift. Room temperature is best but I've broken that rule more times than I can count with excellent results.
  • Vanilla - because I love it and it pairs so well with apples and cinnamon.
  • Toppings - very thinly sliced apples (I used the cutest mini apples in these photos) and/or cinnamon sugar make great toppers but these need no adornment and I pretty much just do the toppers for the photos, full disclosure.
overhead of apple butter muffins topped with thin apple slices

My tried-and-true muffin tips and tricks

I know I sound like a broken record, but I will never stop telling you this: Do not, I repeat, DO NOT over-mix your batter. Lumps are good. Even itty bitty bits of flour still showing is fine. Muffin batter should be lumpy and ugly. Your self-restraint will be rewarded when you bite into a tender, fluffy muffin. If you over-mix you will have a tough, dense, heavy muffin. These apple butter muffins are sturdy already, overmixing will make them very dense.

There are all kinds of tips and tricks on how to get the tallest, most domed muffin tops. I'm not a fan of starting at a higher temp and then lowering. I like to just toss them in the oven and walk away. My trick? Let your batter sit for 20 minutes once you scoop it into the pans. This allows the baking powder to start doing its magic. Use this time to scurry around and clean up the mess you've just made and put a pot of coffee on.

My last tip: Don't over-bake your muffins. I err on the side of underdone as they will have a little bit of carry-over cooking. Around the 15 minute mark, press the tops just lightly with your finger. If they spring back, they are done. If they leave an indentation, give them another minute or so. You can also check with a toothpick; just insert and if you see a few moist crumbs they are done. If you see wet batter, give them a little more time. I found 15 minutes to be just right for these apple butter muffins but all ovens vary.

I hope you'll give these tasty little apple butter muffins a try - let me know if you make them by leaving a comment and rating below. Happy Fall! xo - Anita

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Apple Butter Muffins

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Tender, sturdy little muffins made with apple butter and plenty of cinnamon - a true taste of Fall and so easy to whip together! Serve warm with butter and extra apple butter. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, and lunch boxes.

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour or whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup apple butter
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 stick, ½ cup melted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners or grease the muffin tin very well with butter or baking spray.
  2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix apple butter, sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla - set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix gently until no visible flour is left but do not overmix - it should still be a little lumpy. (see my tips above)
  5. divide evenly between muffin tins.
  6. Top with very thinly sliced apples and/or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar if desired.
  7. Allow batter to sit at room temp for 20 minutes for more domed tops or bake right away if you can't wait!
  8. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly but not too long - they are best enjoyed fresh and warm! To reheat simply place in microwave for 10-15 seconds or in a warm oven for 3-5 minutes.
  • Author: anita | wild thistle kitchen
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: muffins
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?

Share a pic and tag @wild.thistle.kitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #wildthistlekitchen and make sure to leave a comment and star rating! Thank you!

  • 14

About anita | wild thistle kitchen

Hi, my name is Anita! Welcome to Wild Thistle Kitchen. This is where I share rustic, comforting, seasonal recipes (both sweet and savory!) as well as nostalgic food memories. I'm so happy you're here! xo - Anita

Comments

  1. Nicole says

    January 26, 2025 at 8:45 pm

    These are delicious and so most! One muffin is 11 weight watches points, but they are worth it.

    Reply
  2. Marcy says

    September 29, 2024 at 9:15 am

    So moist and tender - delicious!

    Reply
  3. Debby says

    September 19, 2024 at 9:15 am

    These are my new favorite muffins. I will beg a friend for another jar of her homemade apple butter. I’ll share the recipe with her, too.

    Reply
    • anita | wild thistle kitchen says

      September 27, 2024 at 2:31 pm

      I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! I love these muffins too - they really taste like fall to me! Thanks for the great feedback!

      Reply
  4. Cristina says

    October 15, 2023 at 8:52 am

    Oh my. These are SO delicious!! Quick and easy to throw together - everything was done in 25ish minutes. I decided to top them with cinnamon sugar - these do not disappoint!

    Reply
    • anita | wild thistle kitchen says

      October 15, 2023 at 10:29 am

      I'm so happy you made these!! I love seeing all of your comments but the apple butter ones are my favorite! lol. I appreciate you!!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Welcome!

Hi there! My name is Anita - welcome to Wild Thistle Kitchen - where I share lots of sourdough and sourdough discard recipes as well as seasonal sweet and savory comfort food and baking recipes.

More about me

Trending Now

  • Sourdough Discard English Muffins

  • tray of sourdough discard biscuits
    Sourdough Discard Biscuits

  • Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls (no yeast)

  • Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust

Start Your Sourdough Journey!

  • bubbly sourdough starter in glass jar
    How to Make a Sourdough Starter

  • Sourdough Discard Crackers

  • a full pan of glazed sourdough discard cinnamon rolls
    Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls

  • sourdough tortillas rolled up next to one another in a pan
    Sourdough Tortillas (discard or active starter)

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Photography Portfolio

As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Wild Thistle Kitchen