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My apple muffin recipe uses fresh apple pieces and apple pie spice for extra apple flavor! Plus, a buttery crumb cinnamon sugar topping. One of the baked goods to kick off fall baking! Bust out your muffin pan, jump to the recipe, and let’s bake apple muffins!
Bakery-Style Apple Muffins
Ah, fall… aka apple season! No question, this is the coziest time of year for baked goods. From apple scones to apple cake to the cutest mini apple hand pies, there’s so many delicious options. But it’s this humble yet perfect apple muffin recipe that I keep making over and over again!
I drew inspiration for these apple muffins from my super popular apple crisp bars! Packing the muffins with plenty of spice and apple pieces, and then topping them with tons of buttery crumbs. Instead of a glaze, I simply drizzle these apple muffins with honey. But you can totally add a glaze if that’s your thing!
Apple Cinnamon Muffins Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: I don’t suggest subbing this with any other variety of flour!
- Sugar: A combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar make the muffin batter sweet and moist!
- Spices: cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt enhance the apple flavor in these apple muffins!
- Butter: I always prefer unsalted butter, but in a pinch, you can use salted butter. I’d suggest omitting the salt in the muffin batter.
- Baking Powder: Do not sub or confuse baking powder for baking soda! Baking soda will cause the muffins to spread and bake up flat. Baking powder helps them rise in the oven.
- Eggs: Eggs and an egg yolk make the muffins moist and fluffy! Unfortunately I cannot recommend an egg substitute.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the apple flavor and all the other flavors in the muffin batter!
- Buttermilk: I suggest store bought full-fat buttermilk. In a pinch, you can use a homemade substitute.
- Sour Cream: Full-fat plain Greek style yogurt is the best substitute if you can’t find sour cream.
- Apples: I love using granny smith apples, but pink lady and honey crisp apples are also faves. You will need to peel, core, and finely chop the apples before adding them to the muffin batter.
- Honey: I love serving these cinnamon apple muffins warm, drizzled with lots and lots of honey! This is totally optional but recommended. Or you could make a glaze.
How to Make Apple Muffins
- Make the Crumb Topping: I suggest doing this first so you can pop it in the fridge while you assemble the muffins batter. This allows the all purpose flour to absorb some of the butter, helping create large crumbs that hold their shape while baking.
- Fresh Apple Muffin Batter: You’ll need an electric mixer for this recipe. Beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Add wet ingredients then the flour and apple pieces in last.
- Bake in Muffin: Don’t be afraid to fill the muffin liners are the way up with muffin batter! This helps the tops of the muffins puff up in the oven. You can sprinkle the muffin batter with extra apple pieces before baking if desired.
This recipe will yield 12 standard size muffins. But you can easily double this recipe is you need/want more apple muffins!
Baking time varies depending on your muffin pan and oven. But usually they take about 22 minutes. They’re ready when they’re golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
How Long to Cool Apple Muffins
Make sure to let them cool for a few minutes in the muffin pan before removing them. And then a few more minutes before covering them in honey and digging in! They don’t need to cool completely or even to room temperature. But a few minutes will help them retain their structure and cool off a bit.
More Apple Recipes:
- Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Cream Pies
- Brown Butter Apple Crumb Muffins
- Cranberry Apple Coffee Cake
- Salted Caramel Apple Scones
- White Cheddar, Bacon, and Apple Biscuits
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The Best Apple Crumb Muffins
Ingredients
For the Crumb Topping:
- 1/2 cup (57g/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50g/1 and 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (57g/2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
For the Muffins:
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons apple pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (199g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (53g) light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (113ml) buttermilk room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113g) full-fat sour cream room temperature
- 2 medium apples peeled, cored, and finely chopped
- Honey, for serving, optional
Instructions
For the Buttery Crumb Topping:
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Stir in the melted butter, mixing just until combined. Pop in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the recipe. The mixture will absorb the butter as it sits and become more crumbly by the time you’re ready to use it.
For the Muffins:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, combine the butter and both sugars and beat on medium-low speed until light and fluffy; about 3 minutes.
- Add in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly beat in the vanilla, buttermilk, and sour cream. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Be sure not to over mix here.
- Turn mixer off, and using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold in the apples.
- Divide muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups, then crumble up the topping and evenly distribute it on top of the muffins, piling it high in the center. Gently push the streusel into the batter. This helps it stay put as the muffins bake.
- Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan, placed on top of a wire rack, for 15 minutes, then transfer them to a large serving plate.
- Drizzle a little honey on top of each muffin, if desired, and serve warm.
- To store, cool completely, then wrap muffins tightly in plastic wrap, and keep at room temperature, for up to 2 days.
Made these for some friends, I used two Granny Smith apples which I think was more than required but led to three extra muffins (what a shame lol). I had no wholemeal flour so followed your advice and used all purpose instead. The batter was drier than many recipes however I have been baking long enough to have faith in the recipe (cooking = religious experience) And my faith was rewarded. These came up a treat. I embellished with a dash of nutmeg in the batter and oats in the crumble. I think oats or walnuts in the crumble add a nicer texture. Thank you for the lovely recipe. You are a winner.
Can I use the same recipe to make apple bread? Just put the batter into a loaf pan instead??
Hi Angie. I haven’t tried doing this but it should work. You’ll most likely need to increase the baking time.
Made these last night, but I didn’t have Greek yogurt. Substituted with 1/2 cup applesauce and 1/2 cup sour cream. I also swapped whole wheat flour with quick oats. They’re fantastic!
I was glad to see a few others had to add milk to the batter– it was very thick and dry, unlike other muffin batters. I am putting them in the oven now–your final result looks good! Hopefully mine will as well.
instead of butter can i use coconut oil instead?
Hi Leah. Yes, I think that should work just fine! Just melt is first.
I followed the recipe exactly but the batter was way too dry. I don’t think the yogurt and 1/4cup of butter was enough wet ingredients for the 2 cups of flour 🙁 I had to add a good splash of milk to incorporate everything.
Super awesome. Tried them and this is the first time I dint didn’t have any left over for the next day. The apple bits melt and those soft pockets in between are so awesome..
I am so happy to hear it, Aarti! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
im making these right now, this is the stickiest, driest batter. I keep looking at the ingredients hoping I forgot something…
Hi Sarah. The batter for these muffins is thick but not typically dry… how did they turn out?
I had the same issue with sticky, thick batter. They seem cooked but look exactly the same as when I put them in the oven. Seems like they needed more liquid but I wasn’t sure what to add.
Hi Rose. The batter is thick… what was the final baked muffin like?
Amazing recipe!! I just made a batch and they are so yummy! I did modify a bit since I didn’t have whole wheat flour or yogurt on hand. I substituted all purpose flour and sour cream instead. Still super happy with the results. Will definitely do this again in the fall.
SO happy to hear it, Paola 🙂 Thank you for letting us know!
Can any kind of yogurt be used?