These Baked Apple Cinnamon Yogurt Puffs (no freezing needed!) are the newest addition to my collection of homemade yogurt melt puffs - after blueberry and strawberry banana, apple cinnamon might just be my favourite yet. Like the others, there's no freezing required, and they're light, puffy, and perfect for on-the-go snacking.
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If you have a toddler, you likely know about their obsession with store-bought yogurt melts.. and my kids are no exception! But my kids can polish off a bag so fast and depending on where you live, they can get pretty pricey.
As a dietitian, I’m a big fan of offering a variety of foods at snack time, including options with protein, fat, and fibre. But puffs and melts can absolutely have a place too, and as a mom, I know they can be incredibly handy for busy days, outings, or those moments when you just need an easy snack.
These Apple Cinnamon Yogurt Puffs are a fun homemade twist on the store-bought version. They’re baked low and slow until light and crisp, making them an easy, portable option for little ones.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love These Homemade Apple Cinnamon Yogurt Puffs
- No freezing, so no mess: baked low and slow until light and puffy, so they don't melt like other homemade versions.
- Made with just five ingredients: applesauce, cinnamon (or apple pie spice), egg whites, vanilla Greek yogurt, and corn starch.
- Warm, cozy flavour: cinnamon and apple taste like fall in a bite-sized snack, without any added sugar.
- Low-mess and portable: easy to pack into a reusable snack container for outings, playdates, or the car.
- A fun texture for little ones: light, airy and crumbly, just like the blueberry and strawberry banana versions before it.
Ingredients for Apple Cinnamon Yogurt Melts
- Unsweetened applesauce - add the classic apple flavour
- Egg whites - are doing all the work in this recipe! They get whipped to stiff peaks which give these melts their light, easily dissolvable texture
- Vanilla Greek yogurt - this really helps round out the flavour
- Corn starch - important to help stabilize the egg whites so that the melts hold their shape
- Cinnamon or apple pie spice - I love these with apple pie spice, but I know cinnamon is a more common ingredient to have on hand - either work!
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here's an overview of how to make these apple cinnamon yogurt puffs. You can also scroll down to the recipe card for full details!
Preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Reduce the applesauce. Add the applesauce to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until it's reduced down to about 1 tablespoon of thick, concentrated apple purée - this usually takes 5 minutes. Let it cool slightly.
Whip the egg whites. In a clean, completely dry metal or glass bowl (plastic can prevent the whites from whipping properly), beat the egg whites with an electric hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
Combine the yogurt mixture. In a separate bowl, stir together the vanilla Greek yogurt, corn starch, and apple pie spice or cinnamon until smooth. Stir in the cooled, reduced applesauce.
Fold together. Add the apple-cinnamon-yogurt mixture beside the whipped egg whites (not on top!). Then gently fold the apple-cinnamon-yogurt mixture into the whipped egg whites using a spatula, being careful not to deflate all that air you just whipped in. I can't stress this enough - be very gentle! It won't look completely mixed - that's okay! It will mix more once in the piping bag..
Pipe. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag, or a zip-top bag with a small corner snipped off. Pipe small, evenly-sized dollops onto your prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 60 minutes, until the melts feel dry to the touch and lift easily away from the parchment paper. If they're still soft or sticky, give them another 5 to 10 minutes.
Cool. Turn off the oven and let the melts cool inside for 20-30 minutes to crisp up further. This step really helps them maintain their crispness.
Top Tips:
- Don't skip reducing the applesauce - it removes the extra moisture so the melts hold their shape instead of spreading flat on the tray.
- Fold gently: Use a spatula to gently fold the apple-cinnamon-yogurt mixture into the egg whites. Avoid stirring or overmixing, which can knock out the air needed to create the puffy texture.
Substitutions
- Yogurt - Vanilla Greek yogurt can be swapped for plain Greek yogurt - for babies, choose a plain, full-fat Greek yogurt to avoid any added sugars.
- Applesauce - no unsweetened applesauce on hand? Cook down a peeled, diced apple until soft and blend it smooth, then measure and reduce it the same way. Definitely a bit more work, but a great option! I'll also in a pinch use a applesauce squeezie pouch if that is all I have on hand.
I know many of you have been wondering about an egg-free version. Unfortunately, I have been unable to get an egg-free version to work. I tried using aquafaba but I cannot get it to hold the texture and they deflate every time. I will update this recipe if I am able to successfully get an egg-free version to work.
Variations
This is the third flavour in my yogurt melts collection so far! You can also try out my Homemade Baked Blueberry Yogurt Melts or these Baked Strawberry Banana Yogurt Melts instead.
For a non-yogurt version, try my Strawberry Apple Puffs.
If you love an apple-cinnamon combination, these Cinnamon Apples for Kids are the perfect side for a toddler lunch or in a lunchbox and these Applesauce Cinnamon Muffins are the perfect muffin to batch prep for busy weeks!
And for more homemade snack ideas, check out my post on Homemade Snacks for Kids - Copycat Favourites!
Equipment
- Electric handheld mixer
- Small saucepan
- Metal or glass bowl
- Zip-top bag or piping bag
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
Storage
Allow the apple cinnamon yogurt puffs to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Because they contain yogurt and egg whites, and the amount of moisture left after baking can vary, store them in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 to 4 days. They may soften slightly over time - if they do, you can pop them back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes and they'll crisp right back up.
You can also freeze these yogurt melt puffs and they hold up great in the freezer!
Toddler Tip
These are such a fun fall snack for babies and toddlers! They aren't the most filling, so I like to pair them alongside some other more filling foods like cheese and crackers, or yogurt and fruit.
Since these are homemade, the texture can vary slightly depending on how long they bake and how well the egg whites were whipped, so give one a quick test before serving to make sure it breaks apart easily, especially for babies who are newer to finger foods.
FAQ
These can be a fun finger food for babies who have started solids and are developmentally ready for finger foods. They can be a fun way to practice their pincer grasp. Always test one first to make sure it breaks apart and softens easily. This recipe contains egg and milk, which are two common allergens, so both should ideally be introduced separately first. You can use a plain, full-fat Greek yogurt for babies.
No! Unlike most homemade yogurt melts, these use whipped egg whites and are slow baked so they are light, dry and no mess! They still need to be refrigerated when storing as they contain yogurt and egg whites.
Yes! This is very important as applesauce contains a lot of moisture. Reducing it helps to remove the moisture and will help maintain the light, puffy, airy texture.
Absolutely! Just take a ziplock bag and cut a small opening on one of the corners.
Recipe
Homemade Apple Cinnamon Yogurt Puffs
Equipment
- 1 Electric handheld mixer
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Zip-top bag or piping bag
- 1 baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce reduced to 1 tbsp
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tablespoon vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1½ tablespoon corn starch
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon or apple pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the applesauce to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, until the applesauce is reduced down to about 1 tablespoon (about 4-5 minutes). Let cool.
- In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, cornstarch, and cinnamon (or apple pie spice) until thoroughly combined. Stir in the cooled applesauce.
- Get ready to whip the egg whites. Separate the egg whites from the yolk and add them to a large, completely dry metal or glass bowl (make sure there is no yolk in the bowl, and don't use a plastic bowl!). Beat with an electric hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form (about 5 minutes).
- Add the apple-cinnamon-yogurt mixture to the whipped egg whites and gently fold in (a spatula works best here). Avoid stirring or overmixing, as this can knock the air out of the egg whites. It may look like it isn't thoroughly combined - that is okay! It will combine more in the piping bag.
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag or zip-top bag. Snip a small opening from one corner and pipe small, evenly sized dollops onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 60 minutes, or until the melts feel dry and lift easily from the parchment paper. If they still feel soft or sticky, continue baking in 5- to 10-minute increments. They should be completely dry and cooked through!
- Turn off the oven and let the melts cool in the turned-off oven for another 30 minutes. This really helps them dry out a bit more and maintain their crispness!
Notes
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