Gorgeous, tall bakery-style muffins with apple pieces in the batter and a finger-licking buttery cinnamon topping. They are ready in 45 minutes and freeze wonderfully. You can make jumbo or regular muffins. I recently tested these again and changed the technique for the crumble topping, so it's now crunchier and better than ever!
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Easy fresh apple muffins
It's apple season, and we have this recipe for apple lovers. That might include the whole planet, give or take, because who doesn't love apple bakes, right?
This apple muffin recipe is easy to make, moist, flavorful and topped with a fantastic crumble that I recently tweaked so it bakes more buttery and crunchy. They are more in tune with a Dutch apple bread, fit for a coffee break, brunch or afternoon cup of tea than, say, these apple oat muffins, which are heartier and more of a breakfast staple.
The beauty of this muffin batter is that it comes together quickly, so you can whip them up at a moment's notice. You have the craving, and 45 minutes later, you're eating these muffins!
I made them in jumbo muffin pans to solve the issue of having a nice amount of apple chunks. For that, I needed more batter per muffin. They turned out tall and beautiful, and we love them for breakfast, brunch and as an afternoon snack.
But you can make them as regular muffins, of course. They're also great for back-to-school.
Our muffin recipe category is growing fast, and it's worth checking out.
Testing notes
Paula's baking tips that make a difference.
Granny Smith apples: the green ones. They're the best (in my opinion) for baking because they're tart and hold their shape well. But any baking apple you like can be used. Red apples will make the muffins a tad sweeter.
Light mixing: you mustn't overmix the batter if you want a tender muffin. This is key for a soft crumb.
I tweaked the way I make the crumble topping, using melted butter (instead of cold). This not only makes it quicker and less messy to mix, but it creates a tall dome, with bits of crunchy crumble in every bite. It must be refrigerated while you prepare the apple muffin batter. Make sure it's cold when you sprinkle it over the batter so it holds its shape as it bakes, and there's little chance of it melting and seeping into the batter.
You can have them frozen and take them out as needed. I let them thaw at room temperature. I highly recommend warming them in a medium oven (350°F/180°C) for 10-15 minutes before eating, so they return to their *almost* original soft crumb and crunchy topping.
Ingredients
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Apple: I use Granny Smith, the green ones, because they're tart and hold their shape very well after baking. But any baking apple (like Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Pink Lady) can be used. Red apples tend to be sweeter, and that will reflect in the muffins.
- Sugars: both white granulated and brown sugar are used. They each add something to the recipe, but you can use only one of them (1 cup total) if that's all you have.
- Vegetable oil: I use sunflower oil, which is neutral, but coconut oil, canola, or even light olive oil can be used.
- Baking powder: make sure it's not expired.
- Apple pie spice: we use homemade apple spice mix, but you can use store-bought.
Variations & substitutions
- Greek yogurt: substitute it for the buttermilk.
- Apple cinnamon muffins: use only ground cinnamon instead of the apple pie spice.
- Nuts: add ⅓ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter.
- Vanilla glaze: use milk and a small amount of vanilla extract instead of lemon juice for the glaze. It will be sweeter.
- Mini muffins: don't use large chunks of apples as I do for these jumbo muffins. Use chopped apples that integrate better with a small amount of batter. The baking time will be less; check for doneness at about 15 minutes.
Troubleshooting common issues
Overmixing the batter can cause the muffins to become tough and dense. Combine the ingredients; don't beat or overmix.
Using the wrong type of flour can affect the texture of the muffins. For example, whole wheat or GF flour instead of all-purpose flour can result in not-as-fluffy muffins.
Using cold ingredients can cause the batter to not mix well and be lumpy. Using ingredients at room temperature is important unless otherwise specified in the recipe.
Not greasing the muffin tin properly can cause the muffins to stick to the pan and be difficult to remove. If not using paper liners, use baking spray or soft butter.
Overbaking the muffins can cause them to become dry and hard. Check the muffins a few minutes before the end of the suggested baking time with a cake tester or toothpick, and remove them from the oven as soon as they are cooked through.
How to make apple streusel muffins
This is an old-fashioned muffin recipe made by mixing the wet ingredients in a bowl and the dry ingredients in another large mixing bowl and then combining the two. Easy and quick.
- Sifting dry ingredients: it's important to add air to the batter and dissolve any clumps.
- Stir the dry ingredients together. Make sure they're well combined and distributed, especially the baking powder and salt.
Paula's tip
This is not the recipe to use an electric or stand mixer as it will overmix the batter. Use a whisk and two bowls, and then a spatula to fold in the fruit.
Baking muffins
- Muffin tin: I like to use paper liners (paper cups or muffin liners) because it's easier to clean afterward; they keep the muffins moist and are great if you want to transport them. But you can simply butter or use baking spray for the muffin pan.
- When are the muffins done? Take the baking time in the recipe as your guide, check five minutes earlier, and see if the tester or toothpick comes out clean. All ovens are different, so it might take a few minutes more or less than specified.
- Filling the pan: make sure you distribute the fruit throughout the batter. I like to use an ice cream scoop to fill each muffin pan with the same amount. Don't go over ¾ of their capacity.
- Streusel topping, also called crumble, is sprinkled on top of the muffins before baking.
Powdered sugar glaze
This is the perfect finish for apple crumble muffins. It adds sweetness and freshness with a touch of lemon juice. We like it so much there's a whole post on how to make powdered sugar glaze.
Two ingredients: powdered sugar and lemon juice. You can also use milk or orange juice. That's all it takes to make this finger-licking glaze. This step can be omitted, but why would you, right?
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Apple Crumble Muffin Recipe with Quick Glaze
Ingredients
For the crumb topping:
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and lukewarm, not hot
For the apple muffins:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup white granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice, or ground cinnamon
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature, or whole milk with lemon juice; see Notes below
- ½ cup vegetable oil, I use sunflower or a light olive oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups chopped Granny Smith apples, about 2 medium
For the glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
For the crumble topping:
- In a medium bowl, stir together ⅔ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ⅓ cup white sugar.
- Drizzle ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and lukewarm, and stir with a fork, spatula or spoon to integrate. The mixture will be crumbly and irregular, with flour patches.
- Refrigerate while making the muffin batter.
For the apple muffins:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°C).
- Line 6 jumbo muffin pans or 12 regular muffin tins with paper liners, or butter/spray the pans.
- In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup white granulated sugar, ⅔ cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon apple pie spice. Stir to combine.
- Whisk 2 eggs, ¾ cup buttermilk, ½ cup vegetable oil, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Do not beat, but mix well until no streaks of egg whites remain.
- Add the wet ingredients at once to the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Mix until you barely have streaks of flour, but do NOT overmix. It will be lumpy and not completely mixed and that is fine.
- Add 2 cups chopped Granny Smith apples and stir lightly to combine with a rubber spatula.
- Divide the apple muffin batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups or liners. Don't go over ¾ of their capacity. Sprinkle the cold streusel topping over each muffin. If necessary, break up large clumps. You might not use it all.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is dry and golden brown, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake.
- Let cool down completely before glazing. Or eat warm without glaze.
- They are best eaten the day they are made, but you can keep them for a day at room temperature, covered or wrapped. Store leftovers, covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen for a month.
For the lemon glaze:
- Mix ½ cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. It should be like thick honey. If needed, add more lemon juice, ½ teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
- Drizzle over the cooled muffins and let them set before eating.
George O'Niel says
I haven't made any of these yet but that's next time shopping list is to buy the ingredients that I need cuz I love to bake and I love muffins especially right out of the oven and I love the smell that goes through my apartment when I do that thank you so very much y'all have a pleasant day. Gunny El Paso Texas