I finally nailed what I call the Best Apple Muffins, a moist cinnamon muffin studded with chopped apples, crowned with a buttery crumble and finished with a glossy glaze after more kitchen experiments than I expected.
I broke my ‘no new recipe’ rule and made Easy Apple Crumble Muffins that actually lived up to the name. I add a pinch of ground cinnamon and fold in peeled, cored and chopped apples so every bite has sneaky pockets of fruit, then the tops crisp into a sweet crumble with a glaze that pulls it all together.
I won’t call them the Best Apple Muffins but people kept stealing them straight from the cooling rack, and they’re my favorite Muffins With Apples when I want something quick but impressive. Try one warm, you’ll see why.
Ingredients
- Apples: provide fiber, natural sweetness and gentle tartness, keep muffins moist.
- All-purpose flour: gives structure, carbs, makes crumb tender when not overmixed.
- Brown sugar: adds molasses flavor, keeps batter moist, contributes brown color.
- Unsalted butter: rich flavor, fats add tenderness and golden crust, can be melted.
- Eggs: bind, add protein and lift, give muffins structure and color.
- Sour cream or yogurt: adds tang, fat for richness, keeps crumb extra tender.
- Cinnamon: warm spice, aromatic, pairs with apple, makes it smell amazing.
- Powdered sugar glaze: adds sweet finish, draws into cracks, optional cinnamon makes it cozy.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour (for batter)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, it’s fine if you use whole or 2% milk
- 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup (65 g) all-purpose flour (for crumble)
- 1/3 cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar (for crumble)
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar (for crumble)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (for crumble)
- 1/4 tsp salt (for crumble)
- 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed (for crumble)
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar (for glaze)
- 1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream (for glaze)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (for glaze)
- Pinch of ground cinnamon, optional (for glaze)
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or lightly grease the cups.
2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg and 1/2 tsp salt until evenly mixed.
3. In another bowl beat 2 large room temp eggs, then whisk in 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter (cooled a bit), 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth.
4. Pour the wet into the dry and fold with a spatula just until combined, small lumps are ok, do not overmix or muffins get tough. Fold in the chopped apples (peel and core 2 medium apples first). If you want them to not sink, toss the apples with about 1 tablespoon of the batter flour before folding in.
5. Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
6. Make the crumble topping by mixing 1/2 cup flour, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp salt, then cut in 4 tbsp cold cubed unsalted butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until pea sized crumbs form. Sprinkle crumble generously over each muffin.
7. Bake 18 to 22 minutes at 375 F until tops are golden and a toothpick in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (apples will add moisture so don’t expect bone dry). Let muffins cool in the pan 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
8. While muffins cool make the glaze: whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla and a pinch of ground cinnamon if you like, adjust milk to get a pourable drizzle consistency.
9. Drizzle glaze over warm but not piping hot muffins so it sets, serve after glaze firms a bit. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days or freeze for longer.
Equipment Needed
1. 12-cup muffin tin (liners or lightly greased)
2. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Whisk and rubber spatula
5. Knife and cutting board (for peeling/coring apples)
6. Pastry cutter or fork (to cut in cold butter for crumble)
7. Spoon or small ice cream scoop (to divide batter evenly)
8. Wire cooling rack and a toothpick for doneness testing
FAQ
Easy Apple Crumble Muffins Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour (batter): Swap with whole wheat pastry flour one to one for a nuttier, slightly denser muffin, or use a gluten free all purpose flour blend one to one if you need gluten free. If you only have regular whole wheat use half whole wheat and half white flour so the crumb stays light.
- Unsalted butter (batter and crumble): In the batter use a neutral oil like canola or melted coconut oil one to one, note coconut oil will add a faint coconut note. For the crumble use cold coconut oil or cold vegan butter cut into cubes and rub or pulse into the flour and sugars until crumbly.
- Eggs: Make flax eggs for each egg with 1 tbsp ground flaxseed plus 3 tbsp water, let sit five minutes for binding. Or replace each egg with 1/4 cup applesauce or 1/4 cup mashed banana for extra moisture, muffins will be a bit denser and sweeter.
- Powdered sugar (glaze): If you dont have powdered sugar drizzle maple syrup or honey over warm muffins. Or whisk a little cream cheese with 1 to 2 tbsp milk and 1 tbsp maple syrup until smooth for a tangy quick glaze to spoon over the tops.
Pro Tips
– Don’t overmix the batter, seriously. Fold until you just don’t see big streaks of flour, small lumps are fine. If you keep stirring the gluten wakes up and the muffins get tough, so stop early even if it looks a bit uneven.
– Keep the crumble butter super cold, and make clumps not dust. Grate the cold butter on a box grater or cut it into tiny cubes, then rub or pulse with the flour and sugars until you get pea-sized bits. If you want extra big crunchy chunks chill the crumble for 10 minutes before sprinkling it on the muffins.
– Stop the apples from sinking and getting soggy: dice them small and toss them with about a tablespoon of flour or a teaspoon of cornstarch, and pat off any excess juice. Using a firm apple (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp) helps, or quickly sauté the apples with a little butter to concentrate flavor, then cool before folding in.
– Glaze and storage hacks: make the glaze a touch thicker than you think so it sets faster, thin with milk only if needed. Drizzle when muffins are warm not piping hot so it adheres, then let them sit until it firms. Store at room temp in an airtight container up to 2 days, or freeze individually wrapped if you want to keep them longer, thaw then warm for a few seconds in the microwave before eating.
Easy Apple Crumble Muffins Recipe
I finally nailed what I call the Best Apple Muffins, a moist cinnamon muffin studded with chopped apples, crowned with a buttery crumble and finished with a glossy glaze after more kitchen experiments than I expected.
10
servings
455
kcal
Equipment: 1. 12-cup muffin tin (liners or lightly greased)
2. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Whisk and rubber spatula
5. Knife and cutting board (for peeling/coring apples)
6. Pastry cutter or fork (to cut in cold butter for crumble)
7. Spoon or small ice cream scoop (to divide batter evenly)
8. Wire cooling rack and a toothpick for doneness testing
Ingredients
-
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour (for batter)
-
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
-
1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
-
2 tsp baking powder
-
1/2 tsp baking soda
-
1 tsp ground cinnamon
-
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
-
1/2 tsp fine salt
-
2 large eggs, room temp
-
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
-
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, it's fine if you use whole or 2% milk
-
1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream or plain yogurt
-
1 tsp vanilla extract
-
2 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
-
1/2 cup (65 g) all-purpose flour (for crumble)
-
1/3 cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar (for crumble)
-
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar (for crumble)
-
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (for crumble)
-
1/4 tsp salt (for crumble)
-
4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed (for crumble)
-
1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar (for glaze)
-
1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream (for glaze)
-
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (for glaze)
-
Pinch of ground cinnamon, optional (for glaze)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or lightly grease the cups.
- In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg and 1/2 tsp salt until evenly mixed.
- In another bowl beat 2 large room temp eggs, then whisk in 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter (cooled a bit), 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the wet into the dry and fold with a spatula just until combined, small lumps are ok, do not overmix or muffins get tough. Fold in the chopped apples (peel and core 2 medium apples first). If you want them to not sink, toss the apples with about 1 tablespoon of the batter flour before folding in.
- Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Make the crumble topping by mixing 1/2 cup flour, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp salt, then cut in 4 tbsp cold cubed unsalted butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until pea sized crumbs form. Sprinkle crumble generously over each muffin.
- Bake 18 to 22 minutes at 375 F until tops are golden and a toothpick in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (apples will add moisture so don’t expect bone dry). Let muffins cool in the pan 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- While muffins cool make the glaze: whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla and a pinch of ground cinnamon if you like, adjust milk to get a pourable drizzle consistency.
- Drizzle glaze over warm but not piping hot muffins so it sets, serve after glaze firms a bit. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days or freeze for longer.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 120g
- Total number of serves: 10
- Calories: 455kcal
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.6g
- Monounsaturated: 4g
- Cholesterol: 76mg
- Sodium: 200mg
- Potassium: 100mg
- Carbohydrates: 73.3g
- Fiber: 1.6g
- Sugar: 48.3g
- Protein: 4.9g
- Vitamin A: 200IU
- Vitamin C: 0.6mg
- Calcium: 25mg
- Iron: 0.65mg
