Vegan Coconut Flour Apple Muffins (Grain-Free, Oil-Free)

Make a batch of vegan coconut flour apple muffins–they are everything a fall muffin should be! They are grain-free, gluten-free, oil-free and so satisfying!

Grain-Free Vegan Apple Muffins

This morning my husband loaded suitcases, snacks, a sleepy son, a scatterbrained wife, and two large travel mugs of coffee into the car. We were off on a whirlwind visit to my in-laws in another state.

It took 6 hours of cartoons and Wiggles CDs to get there.

Kitchen-made, grain-free apple muffins made it possible.

I try to be straightforward on myself when it comes to travel food. I plan ahead as much as I can, and pack nourishing snacks. But sometimes life gets too busy/crazy, so if we need to stop at a gas station along the way, so be it (I can track down nourishing foods in most gas stations, including bananas, apples, water, dried fruit, milk, granola bars, nuts and more…).

But I lucked out this week in that I was testing a number of muffin recipes already, so I had made–and frozen– these beauties several days ahead of time. Reliable for grabbing and stowing in the car for our trip.

What makes these muffins a bit different in that, not only are they nourishing and naturally gluten-free, they are also grain-free. They are made with coconut flour and chickpea flour, the combination of which works much like all-purpose flour.

The resulting muffins are moist, fragrant, and irresistible! Loaded with apples and cinnamon, they will rise to the top of your list of go-to muffins.

Recipe Benefits

• Vegan (dairy-free, egg-free)
• Gluten-free
• Grain-free
• Oil-free (no coconut oil, vegetable oil, or plant butter)
• Nut-free
• Straightforward to make
• Loaded with apple flavor
• High fiber

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.

To make these muffins, you will need the following ingredients:

• coconut flour
• ground cinnamon
• salt (adjustable / optional, as needed)
• chickpea flour (also known as garbanzo bean flour, or besan)
• whole psyllium husks (not psyllium husk powder)
• baking powder (certified gluten-free, as needed)
• unsweetened applesauce (store bought or kitchen-made)
• coconut sugar (see notes in the recipe card and FAQ for options)
• vanilla extract
• 1 medium tart-sweet apple (e.g., Gala, Braeburn, or Golden Satisfying)

Step by Step Instructions

Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.

• Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Line the cups of a 12-count standard muffin tin with paper, silicone or foil liners.
• Whisk the coconut flour, chickpea flour, psyllium husks, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
• Add the applesauce and vanilla and stir until blended (the batter will be thick). Stir in the apples.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let the vegan coconut flour apple muffins cool for 20 minutes in the muffin tin before removing. Transfer muffins to a wire rack and cool completely.

Storage

Store the cooled vegan coconut flour apple muffins in an airtight container for:

• two days at cool room temperature
• one week in the refrigerator, or
• up to six months in the freezer.

FAQ

Can I substitute other flours for the chickpea flour and coconut flour?No, this recipe will only work with the combination of these two particular flours. Other gluten-free flours, such as almond flour, cassava flour, oat flour, or all-purpose gluten-free flour will not work.

Can I use different flavoring and spices in the muffins?Yes! you can swap the cinnamon for other spices (e.g., cardamom, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, allspice) or use almond extract in place of the vanilla extract.

Can I bake these muffins into a loaf?No, that will not work. Grain-free, vegan recipes are particular. While that can very often work fine for a traditional muffin recipe, the lack of eggs, grains and gluten make this batter means less structure. The batter will hold together perfectly when baked in smaller cups (muffin cups) but will collapse when made into a loaf.

What can I substitute for coconut sugar?An equal amount of brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, or agave nectar can be used in place of the coconut sugar.

Can I use psyllium husk powder instead of whole psyllium husks?Possibly. I have not tried the recipe with psyllium husk powder. If you do use powder, be sure to use an equal weight (10 grams), not and equal volume measurement. Ten grams of psyllium husk powder is closer to 2 teaspoons (not 2 tablespoons).

Happy baking!

More Apple Recipes to Love:

1. Flourless Apple Millet Muffins {vegan, gluten-free}
2. Apple Almond Flour Cookies {grain-free, oil-free, vegan}
3. Oil-Free Apple Quinoa Salad {vegan, gluten-free}
4. Fresh Apple Pie Granola {vegan, gluten-free}