Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins (Easy Lightened Up Recipe)

Name: Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; ½ teaspoon nutmeg; ½ teaspoon ground ginger; ½ teaspoon cloves; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 cup canned pumpkin puree ((not pumpkin pie filling)); 2 eggs; ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce; ½ cup granulated sugar; ½ cup brown sugar

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Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins are a deliciously moist and lightened-up muffin recipe made with canned pumpkin, applesauce, and cinnamon. Ready in just 20 minutes!

5-STAR REVIEW: Made your pumpkin applesauce muffins with Stevia-based sugar substitutes and added no sugar chocolate chips. Oh my!!

pumpkin applesauce muffins on a white counter.

One taste and you’ll agree that this is the best pumpkin muffin recipe ever! Seriously, no exaggeration, these muffins are moist, flavorful, and stay fresh for days.

If you love muffins, be sure to check out my other favorites like Blueberry Ricotta Muffins or Tropical Muffins. And, for another seasonal baking favorite, don’t miss this Italian Apple Cake or Pumpkin Biscotti! If you love granola, try my easy Granola Recipe without Nuts!

Table of Contents

Why this Recipe is the Best!

Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins are a great way to get your pumpkin fix! These simple muffins come together fast with just a few ingredients.

To keep these muffins light and moist, use applesauce! The original version of this recipe used oil, but I found that applesauce made these extra flavorful with less calories.

These are a great recipe to make ahead and have on hand for the week for breakfast or a midday snack. They also freeze beautifully and stay fresh for days.

The combination of spices here make the muffins extra special. Here, use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for a truly delicious muffin.

I’m obsessed with pumpkin recipes! Moreover, I never relegate them for the fall. For me, pumpkin is a year round cooking item. So if you’re a pumpkin super fan, be sure to give these Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins a try!

Ingredients and Substitutions

overhead photo of ingredients including eggs, flour, cinnamon, and sugar.

The ingredients for Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins are: flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, canned pumpkin, eggs, applesauce, baking soda, salt, and spices.

Canned Pumpkin: be sure you are using 100% pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
Sugars: a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar help to keep these pumpkin applesauce muffins moist and flavorful.
Applesauce: use plain unsweetened applesauce in this recipe.
Spices: the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, work great in these muffins. You can also substitute with an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice.

How to Make Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins

To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12-well muffin tin with cooking spray or use cupcake liners.

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process shots showing how to make recipe including mixing the batter and filling the tins.

Step 1: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. (For the spices you can substitute equal amounts of pumpkin pie spice if desired.)

Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, applesauce, eggs, and sugar. Mix until well combined; use a handheld mixer if desired.

Step 3: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until well combined. Use a rubber spatula to make sure all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Step 4: Use a muffin to scoop to portion our equal amounts of batter into the prepared muffin tin.

Pumpkin applesauce muffins on a cooling rack.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the muffins comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about three minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Recipe Tips

This recipe calls for a combination of four spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Feel free to substitute an equal amount (2 ½ teaspoons) of pumpkin pie spice if you happen to have that on hand.
Using applesauce is a great substitute for oil in baking. If you don’t have applesauce, you can substitute vegetable or canola oil instead.
You can dress up these muffins with a quick streusel before baking. Just mix together 1 cup of flour, ½ cup of brown sugar, and 4-5 tablespoons softened butter. Spoon over muffins before baking.
Store Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month.

Pumpkin applesauce muffins on a wire baking rack.

Recipe FAQs

Do I need to use a muffin liner?

Muffin liners are a great way to ensure that your muffing doesn’t stick to the pan. They are most useful for muffins that have fruit in them like blueberry muffins. For basic muffins or pumpkin muffins, liners are not necessary. Just be sure to spray your muffin tin well with nonstick cooking spray before scooping in the batter.

Can you substitute applesauce for oil in muffin recipes?

Applesauce is a great oil substitute in muffin recipes. Just use equal amounts of unsweetened applesauce in place of the oil. This substitution will lower the fat and calories in the muffin while keeping it moist.

What are good add-ins for pumpkin applesauce muffins?

Change up the flavor of your pumpkin muffins by adding in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped nuts or dates, or ½ cup of pumpkin seeds. Use whatever flavor variations you like in the batter, or just sprinkle the top with a streusel or brown sugar/cinnamon mixture before baking.

Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins on a white countertop.

More Pumpkin Recipes

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