These vegan apple cider muffins are soft, fluffy, and full of chunky apples and cinnamon spice, finished with a crunchy oat streusel. They’re the kind of fall bake that makes the whole kitchen smell like an orchard, and they’re a good excuse to visit a local farm for fresh apples and cider.
Baking is one of the joys of living, and veganism only opens opportunities for new recipes. These Vegan Apple Cider Muffins are soft, fluffy, and full of chunky, tart apples and cinnamon spice. They are delicious fresh out of the oven and even better finished with a streusel topping!
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Apple Cider Muffins
They’re seasonal. Fresh apples and apple cider are at their best in fall, and both are easy to find at orchards, farm stands, and farmers markets. They’re simple. The batter is a stir-together mix, with no mixer needed, and it needs no eggs. They’re impressive. Each jumbo muffin is topped with a crumbly cinnamon-oat streusel and packed with apple pieces. And they get better with time. You can eat them once they’re cool, but if you let them rest for 2 hours, they taste even better, which makes them easy to bake ahead.
What Is an Egg Replacer?
Egg replacers in vegan recipes create a binding agent without coming from an animal. Often you can find an egg replacer in powder form, which you mix with water, at your local grocery store. If you’re looking for something a little more organic, there are other substitutes you can use. Just note you may have to adjust the amount to keep the dry and wet ingredients balanced.
You can use 1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water to form a gel-like substance that binds ingredients and adds moisture. Chia seeds are similar to flaxseed and also form a gel when mixed with water, making them another good substitute. Lastly, if you purée ¼ cup silken tofu, you can use it to add moisture and richness in baked goods like these Vegan Apple Cider Muffins.
Where to Find Apples and Cider from Local Farms
For the best flavor, use fresh cider and apples from a local orchard or farmers market in the fall. Orchards, cider mills, and farm stands across Western Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and other apple-growing regions press cider and sell apples in season, and buying from them supports the growers. Since the cider goes into the batter and is baked, this recipe is a good place to use fresh cider.
Ingredient Notes: Egg Replacer and Apple Cider
Ener-G Egg Replacer. This recipe uses Ener-G Egg Replacer, a powder made from potato starch and tapioca flour with leavening. Ener-G Foods has focused on baked goods for people with dietary restrictions since 1962. The package directions call for 1½ teaspoons of the powder mixed with 2 tablespoons of warm water to replace one egg, which is what this recipe uses.
Apple cider. Fresh cider is typically unfiltered and cloudier than clear apple juice, and it brings a mellow apple sweetness and a little tang to the batter. Use plain, non-alcoholic cider. See our apple cider recipes for more ways to use it.
Tips for Making Vegan Apple Cider Muffins
Let the egg replacer rest. Whisk the egg replacer with the water and set it aside for 5 minutes so it can thicken before you use it.
Use two bowls. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, and mix the wet ingredients in the large bowl you used for the egg replacer.
Cut the apples small. Slice the apples into small pieces so they spread evenly through the batter.
Don’t overmix. Stir the dry mixture into the wet just until combined. Overmixing makes the muffins less fluffy and soft.
Fill the tins. Scoop a little less than ⅔ cup of batter into each extra-large muffin cup. The recipe fills 6.
Make the streusel crumbly. Use a fork to mix the streusel ingredients into a crumble, then sprinkle it over each muffin.
Be patient. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool the muffins completely. They’re good then, but a 2-hour rest makes them taste even better.
Storing Vegan Apple Cider Muffins
Once cooled, store the muffins in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Looking for more? Try our Apple Cider Pumpkin Bread and Vegan Mexican Chocolate Tart, and browse TABLE’s Fall recipes, Breakfast and Brunch, and Dietary Needs recipes.
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Vegan Apple Cider Muffins
- Total Time: 60 min approximately
- Yield: 6 extra-large muffins 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Soft, fluffy egg-free muffins full of chunky apples, apple cider, and cinnamon spice, topped with a crunchy oat streusel.
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 1½ cups apple cider
- 1½ tsp Ener-G egg replacer, mixed with 2 tbsp water
- ¼ cup melted vegan butter
- ⅓ cup applesauce
- 1 cup sliced apples (Granny Smith or other tart variety preferred)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ginger
- ⅛ tsp cloves
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the cinnamon streusel topping:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup old-fashioned oats
- 2 tbsp vegan butter, melted
Instructions
Make the batter:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an extra-large muffin pan with parchment paper or liners.
- In a large bowl, mix the egg replacer with the water, whisk, and set aside for 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
- In the large bowl used for the egg replacer, combine the wet ingredients: apple cider, applesauce, butter, brown sugar, cane sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Slice the apples into small pieces and add them to the large bowl with the cider mixture.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir just until combined. Be careful not to overmix, or the muffins will be less fluffy and soft.
- Scoop a little less than ⅔ cup of batter into each extra-large muffin cup. Continue until all 6 are filled.
Make the streusel and bake:
- In a small bowl, combine the streusel ingredients: brown sugar, cane sugar, cinnamon, old-fashioned oats, and melted vegan butter. Mix with a fork until crumbly.
- Sprinkle the streusel over the top of each muffin.
- Bake for 32 to 38 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely. The muffins can be eaten at this point, but if you let them rest for 2 hours, they taste even better.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Rest Time: Cool completely, then optionally rest 2 hours for the best flavor
- Cook Time: 32 to 38 minutes (extra-large muffin pan)
- Category: Breakfast, dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 500
Vegan Apple Cider Muffins FAQs
What can I use instead of eggs in these muffins?
The recipe uses Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with water. You can also try ground flaxseed, chia seeds, or puréed silken tofu, but you may need to adjust the amount to keep the batter balanced.
How many muffins does this recipe make?
Six extra-large muffins, using a little less than ⅔ cup of batter each.
How long do the muffins bake?
Bake at 350°F for 32 to 38 minutes in an extra-large pan, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Why should the muffins rest before eating?
You can eat them once they’ve cooled completely, but they taste even better after a 2-hour rest.
Why shouldn’t I overmix the batter?
Overmixing makes the muffins less fluffy and soft, so stir just until the dry and wet ingredients come together.
About the Recipe Author and Photographer
Mikyla Meckelson is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Flax & Sugar, a vegan recipe blog dedicated to simple, satisfying recipes “sprinkled with sugar.” She contributes vegan recipes and photography to TABLE Magazine, including these muffins and the Vegan Mexican Chocolate Tart.
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