This post contains affiliate links.

My vegan apple streusel muffins are soft, fluffy, and loaded with cinnamon-spiced apple chunks under a buttery brown-sugar crumble. They’re made with simple baking staples (no eggs, no dairy) and they rise beautifully every time thanks to some serious testing in our team’s kitchen.

Four vegan apple muffins with crumb topping and white glaze are shown in a muffin tin on a green tiled surface.
save this recipe!
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

These vegan apple muffins are the kind of recipe that wins over skeptics. Buttery, tender, perfectly spiced, and tested to perfection.

Whether you’re baking for brunch, gifting a batch, or just treating yourself to a cozy morning, these muffins deliver every single time. They’re:

  • Tested with multiple leavening and binding options for perfect lift
  • Freezer-friendly and easy to make ahead
  • Ready with just 20 minutes of hands-on time

P.S. For your next vegan baking project, try these chewy vegan oatmeal cookies or vegan banana crumble muffins!

A close-up of a muffin with a crumb topping and white icing, sliced in half on a muffin wrapper, showing a moist apple filling inside. Other muffins are blurred in the background.

The Testing

These muffins went through so many rounds of testing by three members of our team (and then a taste-test with friends and family who all swore they couldn’t tell they were a vegan recipe). After many batches (and a few sugar crashes), these muffins are officially foolproof.

  • Various vegan binders: We compared applesauce, flax egg, and vegan yogurt. Applesauce added moisture and sweetness, while yogurt gave structure. The final recipe uses both for perfect balance.
  • Peeled vs. unpeeled apples: Both work! Leaving the peel adds fiber and a hint of texture; peeling makes for a softer bite.
Vegan apple muffins with crumb topping and glaze sit on a metal cooling rack on a wooden surface, illuminated by natural light.
A hand holds a square piece of cake with visible apple chunks and a golden, moist crumb—reminiscent of vegan apple muffins—wrapped in brown parchment paper.

Key Ingredients

Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

  • Apples: We love Honeycrisp or Granny Smith for the ideal balance of sweet and tart. Dice them small so they distribute evenly.
  • Vegan Butter: Miyoko’s or Earth Balance are our favorites.
  • Applesauce + Vegan Yogurt: The dynamic duo for egg-free structure and moisture.
  • Oat Milk: Adds mild sweetness and lightness without overpowering the apple flavor.
  • Streusel: A chilled crumble of oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon that turns irresistibly crisp. Keeping it cold prevents melting during baking.
  • Icing: Optional, but it gives that coffee-shop finish when drizzled over cooled muffins.

Apples that don’t sink

Apples (and fruit in general) tend to sink in a batter. To prevent this, we toss the apples in flour so the easy vegan muffin batter can essentially hold onto them. The flour creates just enough friction to keep them suspended while baking.

A close-up of a muffin with crumb topping and white icing drizzle, resting on a peeled-back paper liner. A muffin tin is blurred in the background.

Serve them for vegan brunch alongside tofu “egg” scramble and eggless French toast!

Six vegan apple muffins with crumble topping and white glaze, arranged in a metal muffin tin.
rate pin print remove ads

Vegan Apple Muffins With Oat Streusel

By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 16 muffins
These soft and fluffy vegan apple muffins are packed with cinnamon-spiced apples and topped with buttery streusel.

Ingredients 

Streusel

  • 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour, 35 g
  • 2 Tbsp rolled oats, 16 g
  • 2 tsp packed brown sugar, 10 g
  • 1 ½ Tbsp melted unsalted vegan butter, 20 g
  • ⅛ tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

Muffin Batter

  • ½ cup melted unsalted vegan butter, 112 g
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar, 163 g
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed, 56 g
  • ½ cup applesauce, 130 g
  • ⅓ cup oat milk, 75 mL
  • ⅓ cup vegan yogurt or vegan sour cream, 70 g
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract, 10 mL
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, 243 g, plus 2 Tbsp flour set aside for apples, 40 g
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder, 5 g
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt

Apples

  • 2 cups diced apple cubes, peeled or unpeeled, about 3 to 4 small apples, 220 g
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Icing

  • 1 cup powdered sugar, 95 g
  • 2 Tbsp oat milk, 30 mL
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2.5 mL
  • pinch of salt
Save this recipe!
Enter your email & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!

Instructions 

  • Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease it with oil.
  • Make streusel: In a small bowl, mix 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 Tbsp rolled oats, 2 tsp packed brown sugar, 1 ½ Tbsp melted unsalted vegan butter, ⅛ tsp cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. You will see small chunks within more of a “sandy” mixture. Put this in the fridge until it’s time to cover the muffins.
    A glass bowl containing a mixture of oats and sugar, with a black spatula resting inside, placed on a green tiled surface.
  • Mix wet ingredients: In a stand mixer, mix together ½ cup melted unsalted vegan butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, and ¼ cup light brown sugar on high until well incorporated, about 3 minutes. You can expect it not to dissolve fully.
    Add ½ cup applesauce, ⅓ cup oat milk, ⅓ cup vegan yogurt or vegan sour cream, and 2 tsp vanilla extract into the sugar mixture and beat on medium/high until combined, about 3 more minutes.
    A metal mixing bowl containing sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and what appears to be cream cheese sits on a green tiled surface beside a whisk and small bowl.
  • Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, and ¼ tsp salt.
    A glass bowl filled with flour mixture and a metal whisk, placed on a green tiled surface.
  • Fold batter: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Be sure not to over mix.
    A metal mixing bowl containing thick, beige batter is placed on a green tiled countertop, with a black spoon resting inside the bowl.
  • Add apples: Toss 2 cups diced apple cubes in 1 lemon (zest and juice), 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp sugar. Toss in 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour. Fold apples into the batter making sure they’re evenly distributed.
    A metal mixing bowl with apple cake batter and a black spatula on a green tiled countertop.
  • Scoop and top: Divide the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup just under full. Remove the streusel from the fridge, gently breaking apart the pieces if they are stuck together, then sprinkle generously over each muffin.
    A close-up of a muffin tin filled with unbaked muffins topped with crumbly oat and nut streusel, ready to be baked.
  • Bake: First bake at 425°F (218°C) for 6 minutes to brown the streusel and then lower to 350°F (176°C) and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean:
    Standard muffins: 24 to 26 minutes
    Large bakery-style muffins: 32 to35 minutes
    A muffin tin with six baked muffins topped with a crumbly oat streusel, resting on a green tiled surface.
  • Cool and drizzle: Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp oat milk, ½ tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth, then drizzle over cooled muffins.
    A metal muffin tin with freshly baked muffins drizzled with glaze sits on a green tiled surface beside a glass bowl with leftover glaze and a spoon.

Notes

If your muffins stick to the liners, be sure to let them cool fully before trying to unpeel them.
Don’t over mix the batter: We want to just fold the batter together until combined. If it’s too mixed, the muffins can turn out dense and gummy. 
If your icing is too thick or thin: If it’s too thick, add a splash more milk. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
The best apples to use: I prefer to use crisp apples like Granny Smith or Honey crisp. 
Storage: You can freeze these muffins, after they’ve cooled, for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Or, you can refrigerate them for up to 5 days. Because of the apples, I wouldn’t leave them out at room temperature. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2.6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!

more apple-tastic recipes

Eat vegetarian cookbook.

Let's eat more plants!

Packed with over 100 reader-favorite vegetarian recipes, my cookbook is your go-to guide for easy, healthy meals that make plant-based eating a breeze.

grab a copy

You May Also Like

Leave a comment

Question? Ask your question here! Sarah personally answers comments every weekday.

Rate this Recipe: