A Lightly Sweetened Breakfast Muffin
- Servings: 12 muffins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Effort Level: Simple
Made with oatmeal, buttermilk, fresh apples, and cinnamon, these old-fashioned muffins are quick to mix and bake. They’re a good choice when you want a homemade breakfast treat without a lot of fuss.
We tend to favor baked goods that are lightly sweetened, so these muffins rely mostly on the natural sweetness of the apples, balanced by the subtle tang of buttermilk. Buttermilk is one of our favorite baking ingredients because it adds flavor while helping create a lighter, more tender texture – something that works especially well in an oatmeal-based batter.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
We believe that great flavor starts with quality ingredients. Here are the small details that make these choices work. For a full list and measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk brings a gentle tang and helps create a tender crumb by reacting with the baking soda. If you don’t have any on hand, we have tips for making a buttermilk substitute in the recipe notes below.
- Quick-cooking oats – These oats soften quickly in the buttermilk, adding hearty texture without being chewy.
- Apple – We used Honeycrisp for its firm texture and balanced sweet‑tart flavor. It stays crisp in baking and delivers juicy bursts throughout. Granny Smith is more tart but also a great option, and its structure adds contrast to the sweetness.
- Ground cinnamon – Just a teaspoon adds warmth and ties the oats and apple together beautifully. For more complexity, try substituting pumpkin pie spice.
Prep Overview
How to Make Apple Oatmeal Muffins
This is an overview of how this recipe is prepared. Please see the printable recipe card below for detailed step-by-step instructions.
Start by getting the oven going and preparing the muffin tin with a light greasing. Combine the oats and buttermilk in a small bowl and let them sit; this softens the oats and helps with texture later.
While that rests, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, leavening agents, salt, and a bit of cinnamon.
In a larger bowl, whisk the egg with the melted butter, then stir in the oat mixture. Once that’s blended, add the dry ingredients and mix until everything’s incorporated. Fold in the chopped apples last so they stay intact.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds of the way. Bake until the muffins are set and golden. Once out of the oven, transfer them to a rack so they cool properly. Serve warm with unsalted butter or whipped cream cheese.
More Muffin Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed these apple oatmeal muffins with buttermilk, be sure to explore these other recipes. Try our bright and tangy Lemon Poppy Seed Buttermilk Muffins, sweet and tropical Pineapple Lemon Mini Muffins, or cozy Pumpkin Spice Muffins. Each one brings a unique flavor twist while keeping the homemade simplicity we love.
For more baking with buttermilk, check out our cherry scones, and our holiday eggnog scones, and zucchini quick breads, savory pesto and chocolate.
Apple Oatmeal Muffins with Buttermilk
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk, (see notes for substitution)
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped (about 1-1/4 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Prepare your muffin pan by lightly greasing the bottom of each cup.
- Thoroughly combine the buttermilk and oats in a small bowl and set aside.
- Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a medium mixing bowl.
- Whisk the egg and melted butter together in a large mixing bowl and stir in the buttermilk-oat mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly, then fold in the chopped apple.
- Fill the muffin tins about 2/3 full with the batter.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins from the pan and cool on a rack.
Notes
How to Make a Buttermilk Substitute
Buttermilk adds tenderness and a mild tang to baked goods, but it often comes in larger cartons than you need. To make a quick substitute:- Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to a 1-cup measuring cup.
- Fill to the 1-cup line with whole or 2% milk (avoid skim or 1%).
- Stir and let sit for 10 minutes before using.
Storage Tips
Muffins are best the day they’re baked, but they’ll keep for 2 to 3 days at room temperature. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container lined with a paper towel, spacing them slightly. For longer storage, freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature. To reheat, wrap in foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made the muffins with a Granny Smith apple and 3 Tablespoons of sugar. They were good but not sweet enough for me. I would recommend adding more sugar and also more cinnamon. I served them with a slather of honey-butter spread (equal parts honey and butter). That provided the sweetness I desired and accommodated those who preferred a less sweet muffin. They were very easy to make.
Hi Alice,
You could certainly use 1 additional tablespoon of sugar if you like your baked goods a little sweeter. You could also switch to using a Golden Delicious apple instead of Granny Smith. They’re considerably sweeter, but have a very similar texture to the Granny Smith.
I found these muffins to be very moist, but I added 1 more tbsp of butter because I used old fashioned oats instead of the quick cook, and added 1/4 cup of almond flower. I added 1 tsp of vanilla to the sugar mixture and used 1/4 cup brown sugar instead of white. I thought to use maple syrup or maple sugar the next time. With those changed this recipe came out great. I also used 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice instead of the other spices. Just did’t feel like looking for them in the cupboard. I shredded the apple instead of dicing, that added more moisture to the mixture. In all I made my own recipe but had the basics.
Hi Roberta,
Sounds like your adjustments worked out fine. Thanks for sharing!
This looks wonderful, I grew up eating similar muffins and miss them. I wonder what buttermilk is called in Italy..or if they even sell it?
Hi Joshua,
You can substitute buttermilk by combining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar with enough milk to equal 1 cup. Stir and let stand for 10 minutes before using.