These Apple Cheddar Muffins are the perfect fall snack or light breakfast! With a hint of sweetness, these muffins are deliciously unexpected!
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After a few months of avoiding baking due to the hot summer temperatures, I am now happily turning my oven on for some fall baking. I've particularly been enjoying making muffins, as they're easy to make, and my family likes having them around as snacks and treats.
What's also great about muffins is that you can really make them any way you want. There are so many flavor options, as well as the option to make them healthy or not-so-healthy (it's no secret that some are thinly veiled mini-cakes).
Muffins can be sweet or savory, or in the case of these Apple Cheddar Muffins, a little bit of both. Made with a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flours, these muffins feature shredded apple, cinnamon, and cheddar cheese for flavor.
They're lightly sweet, with a fall-friendly cinnamon flavor, and a salty, savory kick thanks to the cheddar cheese. While the combination may sound unusual, I think these muffins might be one of my new favorites!
How to make Apple Cheddar Muffins
Mixing the muffin batter
Making these fluffy muffins starts like making all muffins: whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Then whisk the wet ingredients together in a smaller (medium) bowl or large measuring cup.
Before you mix the two bowls, prepare the apple. Peel two medium apples and grate them using a box grater. You will need 1 ½ cups of shredded apple, so if you're short of this amount from two apples, peel and grate a third.
Pour both the wet ingredient mixture and the shredded apple into the bowl of dry ingredients. Fold everything together with a spatula, mixing just until the flour is incorporated. Note that the batter will seem very thick, and you might think you need to add more liquid. You don't - it will be okay.
The importance of resting muffin batter
Though it's optional, I highly recommend letting the batter rest in the fridge for at least an hour before baking your muffins. This allows the starch to absorb moisture which will result in taller, fluffy, bakery-style muffins.
I left mine in the fridge overnight and baked in the morning. But if you need them right away, you can bake them right after mixing.
Baking the muffins
When you're ready to bake, turn on the oven and prepare your muffin pan by lining the cups with paper liners or greasing them generously. Fold the cheddar cheese into the batter, and divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups.
Bake the muffins for about 20 minutes, until the tops are browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it. Cool the muffins for 10 minutes before serving.
Apple Cheddar Muffin Storage
Like with most muffins, these apple cheddar muffins can be stored in an airtight container or plastic zipper bag for up to two days at room temperature, or in the freezer for a couple of months. Defrost them at room temperature or in the microwave as needed.
Apple Cheddar Muffins Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Plain or vanilla Greek yogurt - either regular or fat-free will work
- Milk - any milkfat percentage will work
- Canola oil or another neutral-flavored cooking oil like avocado or grapeseed oil
- Large eggs
- Apples - I used granny smith apples, but any variety will work
- Grated cheddar cheese - use sharp cheddar for maximum flavor, but medium or mild would work too.
Want more Muffin Recipes?
Apple Cheddar Muffins Nutrition Notes
The nutrition information in the recipe below is for one muffin if the recipe is used to make 12 muffins.
The calculations use 1% milk and low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt. If you use different types of milk and yogurt, the nutritional contents of your muffins may vary slightly.
Apple Cheddar Muffins
Equipment
- Paper Muffin Liners optional
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
- ½ cup milk any milkfat percentage will work
- ¼ cup canola oil or another neutral-flavored cooking oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2-3 medium apples
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese plus a little extra for sprinkling on top of the muffins, if desired
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt until combined. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together ½ cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt, ½ cup milk, ¼ cup canola oil, and 2 large eggs until combined. Set aside.
- Peel two of the apples and grate them using the large holes of a box grater until you have 1 ½ cups of shredded apple (peel and grate a third apple if you don't have enough after the first two).
- Add the liquid ingredients and the shredded apple to the large bowl of dry ingredients and fold to combine just until there are no pockets of flour. Note that the batter will be very thick.
- Optional: I highly recommend resting your muffin batter for at least an hour in the fridge before baking, or up to overnight. However, you can bake them right after mixing if needed.
- When you're ready to bake, turn on the oven to 375°F and prepare a 12-cup muffin pan by lining the cups with paper liners or greasing them generously.
- Remove the muffin batter from the fridge and fold in 1 cup grated cheddar cheese. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups, and sprinkle a little extra cheddar cheese on the tops of the batter if desired.
- Bake the muffins for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before serving. Store any leftover muffins in a zipper bag at room temperature for up to 2 days, or for a couple of months in the freezer.
Nutrition
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