Apple Muffins with Oil

Name: Apple Muffins with Oil
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 32 min
Total time: 47 min
Ingredients: 1½ cup canola oil; 1½ cup sugar; 3 eggs (room temperature); 2 cups all purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp cinnamon powder; ½ tsp nutmeg (freshly grated); 1½ cup apples (peeled and grated); 1 cup walnuts (shelled and coarsely crushed )

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While my apricot and cherry trees blossom in early spring, I have the pleasure of watching the velvety peach-white colored apple blossoms on the apple trees. These sun-loving trees produce succulent, yet tangy Granny Smith apples that are perfect in apple muffins made with oil. My golden delicious apples are slightly sweeter to be consumed raw as a fruit. However, the Granny Smith apples are so juicy that they complement these muffins that are made with oil and not butter. Additionally, they are great in salads and are incredibly flavorful in baked goods. Apple muffins are moist due to the use of canola oil that are baked with a generous scoop of crushed walnuts.

Apple Muffins that are inspired by the Apfelkuchen:

Carrot cakes with cinnamon were my favorite for a long time until I stumbled upon the Apfelkuchen (or Apple cake) from one of my besties who was from Heidelberg, Germany. Being an excellent baker, she had inspired me to make several of her baked goods without having to prepare a day ahead. I modified her Apfelkuchen using green apples and rounded off with nutmeg. I adapted her recipe to make it more American using canola oil instead of butter or margarine. Voila! These apple muffins have always turned out moist, fragrant with freshly-picked and grated apples, and a hint of nutmeg to heighten the taste buds.

Baking is both a science and an art:

Baking is both a science and an art. It is a science since the methods that you follow will result in accurate results that can be replicated to achieve consistent outcomes. Baking involves chemical reactions of the ingredients, mostly, under the influence of heat. Like any chemistry project, the methods and measures must be accurately replicated to achieve a consistent and predictable outcome. In order to create a flavorful good, it is essential to take the weighing of ingredients into consideration. Weighing must be done with precision, lest cakes can collapse or the cookies will spread. To present a baked good calls for some artistic skill. It takes a bit of creativity to make an edible baked good look aesthetically appealing.

Description of Ingredients in Apple Muffins:

Apples: One of the main advantages of using Granny Smiths are that they are commonly available. But from a baking perspective, their inherent firmness means that they will not become mushy when shredded and baked, lending the muffins a nice firm texture.
Oil: One main advantage of oil is that its chemistry produces airy and light muffins, whereas butter tends to make muffins slightly denser. While butter tends to alter the flavor of the muffin, oil (especially Canola) has a neutral profile, its principal purpose being to moisten the batter. Finally, oil has no water content, therefore, it extends the shelf life of the muffin.
Nutmeg: Native to Indonesia (known as ‘pala’), I grew up eating food made with nutmeg. Its fresh, rich, bittersweet aroma adds warmth in a baked good. While you can use the related mace as a substitute, I find that a pinch of nutmeg provides a subtle woodsy contrast to an otherwise sweet muffin.
Walnuts: Adding crushed walnuts adds a subtle buttery flavor when baked, which is why, I did not use butter in my apple muffins. Their health benefits have been well documented. In addition to having higher antioxidant activity than other nuts, walnuts are a source of plant-based Omega 3s.

Below are some tips that I wanted to share with you to ensure success in baking these muffins. These tips are based on my past experiences through trial and error.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How to measure flour?

Gently scoop out the flour into a measuring cup. Do not pack the flour into the cup but instead, gently scoop the flour into the cup and level off with a butter knife or the scoop. The key is to measure the cup precisely- too much flour and the muffins will be dry.
Sieve the flour to “aerate” it so that the flour is not clumping together. Then, add the salt and the leavening agents per the recipe.

How to fold the flour?

Flour must be folded in gently, usually by hand using a wooden spatula. You could use the cake mixer but do so by briefly using the “stir” mode.
The flour must be added little by little and not in one large addition.
Mixing of the flour simply means that you should fold until combined and not over beat at this stage.

What are the substitutions for apples, oil, and flour:

Carrots or firm pears have been quite good in these muffins. I have liked the taste of Bosc pears or even Anjou pears that we get here in California.
You could use coconut oil or other oils instead of canola oil. Coconut oil has paired well with pears rather than apples.
Whole wheat flour has done the trick too. I consider baked goods to be my indulgences, so I like using bread flour or all purpose flour.

Should the eggs be beaten well prior to adding to the batter?

I like beating the eggs a little with a fork, although this step is not required.

How to make muffins light and fluffy?

Keep the eggs and/or butter at room temperature if the recipe does not specify the temperature. This will enable the mixture to bake evenly in the oven.
The flour must be folded until combined and not beaten.
Measure the leavening agents precisely.

Which apples are ideal for baking?

Pink Lady, Braeburn, Granny Smith, and Honeycrisp have been a few of my favorites for baking. I have also used the Golden Delicious in some of my baked goods.

Have your muffins collapsed?

Precise measuring of leavening agents will promote airy muffins.

Storing Apple Muffins with Oil:

Let the muffins cool on a rack and then store them in an airtight container. Keep in a cool, dry pantry. Apple muffins taste fresh and flavorful for a week and can be refrigerated in an airtight box. I have them for breakfast with a hot mug of coffee.

How to make the Apple Muffins with Oil:

Beat the canola oil with sugar. You will not get a fluffy batter at this stage, so just beat for 5 minutes.

2. Add the eggs one by one and beat until light and fluffy. Beat until there are air bubbles.

3. Sieve the flour with the baking soda and salt and fold into the mixture until combined. Add the peeled and grated apples with the cinnamon and nutmeg and just fold in until combined.

4. Line a muffin tray with baking cups and pour the batter into the cups. Do not fill the cups up to the brim of the baking cups. Sprinkle crushed walnuts on top of the batter in each cup. You could also add some crushed walnuts to the batter.

5. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350⁰ F for 32 minutes. Baking for a longer time or even opening the oven door while baking may cause the muffins to dry out or rise and then collapse.

Apple muffins have never let me down. These have been my “go to” breakfast menu when we have family over. I can make a big batch that lasts us for days, and it does not take up too much time. Some bakers prefer to hand mix the muffin batter although I have enjoyed the muffins made with the cake mixer.

If you like muffins and are looking for other variations, try my Blueberry Muffins!

Apple Muffins with Oil

Description of Ingredients in Apple Muffins: