These apple cinnamon streusel muffins are soft, buttery, and perfectly moist, just like a good muffin should be! Not only are they topped with a crunchy cinnamon crumb topping, but they're also drizzled with a sweet vanilla icing.
This recipe was originally published in October of 2020, but was updated on September 15, 2021 with newer content and fresh pictures.
These apple crumb muffins are truly the best apple muffins around! They are bakery-style muffins that are made out of melted butter, brown sugar, and plenty of ground cinnamon. I also used a combination of granny smith apples and honeycrisp apples to provide a sweet and tart bite that really compliments the streusel topping.
There's just something about a muffin recipe with fresh fruit baking inside of them that gets you excited for breakfast. Just like with my plum streusel muffins, we are taking full advantage of all those juicy apples and turning them into a muffin you just can't refuse.
Looking for more apple desserts? Then check out these: apple crisp bars, apple pie with graham cracker crust, and caramel apple donuts.
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Why You'll Love These Apples
- They are beyond soft, fluffy, and moist on the inside.
- Every bite is filled with fresh apples.
- The crumb topping is made with melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Homemade vanilla glaze is drizzled right over the top.
- They take less than 30 minutes to make!
Who doesn't love a freshly baked muffin for breakfast? Especially when they're so easy to make and require just simple pantry ingredients.
On top of this recipe being so fool-proof, you don't even need a mixer! Just two mixing bowls, a whisk, and you'll be on your way to baking up a fresh batch of apple cinnamon muffins.
Expert Baking Tips
- Muffin Pan: This recipe will make anywhere between 16-18 muffins, so you will need to use two muffin pans. Either one 12-count and one 6-count pan or two 12-count pans. Then I recommend lining the pans with cupcake liners because it makes removing the muffins a lot easier.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: I recommend pulling out your egg, milk, and yogurt from the refrigerator 1 hour before baking. Having those ingredients at room temperature will help us achieve a soft and tender muffin.
- Folding Ingredients: When you add the dry ingredients into the wet it’s very important that you fold the ingredients together. Folding: to carefully combine ingredients without stirring or beating. We do this by using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the ingredients are just combined with each other, “folding” everything together.
- Muffin Batter: Fill each muffin cup ⅔ full with batter. I like to use my cookie scoop for this process.
- Apples: Feel free to use up to two different apples. I used one granny smith and one honey crisp apple.
Ingredients Needed
Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients we’ll need to make this recipe:
- Unsalted Butter: Used for flavor and helps to create a soft interior. You will need butter for both the muffins and streusel topping.
- Sugars: A combination of both granulated sugar and light brown sugar are used for sweetness.
- Yogurt: Either plain or vanilla yogurt would work great. If you don't have yogurt, you could also substitute it with sour cream.
- All-Purpose Flour: Unless otherwise stated, I always use all-purpose flour in my recipes.
- Leavening Agents: Both baking powder and baking soda are used to help the muffins rise when baking.
- Apples: Peeled (optional) and sliced into chunks. I used both a granny smith and honey crisp apple.
Instructions
- Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and sugar until combined. Add the egg and whisk until fully incorporated. Then add the milk, yogurt, and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
- Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Combine Ingredients: Pour the dry into the wet and use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to fold the ingredients together. Add the diced apples and fold until just combined.
- Muffin Pan: Divide the batter evenly, filling the muffin liners ⅔ of the way full.
- Crumb Topping: In the same medium-sized bowl you used for the dry ingredients, use a normal dinner spoon to combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and mix until combined. Evenly top the muffins with the crumble topping.
- Bake: Bake for 15-17 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Vanilla Glaze: Mix all of the ingredients together and drizzle over the top of the warm muffins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Personally, I like to use granny smith and honey crisp apples in my muffins, but you could use any kind you like, such as: red delicious or pink lady.
Keep any leftover muffins in an airtight container on the counter for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I strongly recommend keeping the muffins stored in the refrigerator and then just reheating them in the microwave for about 20 seconds to make them soft and tender again.
A streusel topping is made out of flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter.
Yes you can! The muffins must be completely cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap or foil, and placed into a zipped-up bag. They can last up to 3 months in the freezer.
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you! Also, please tag me on Instagram and check out my Pinterest for even more recipe ideas.
It brings me so much joy to see you make my recipes. 🙂
Happy Baking!
More Muffin Recipes
📖 Recipe
Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin Pans
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
Ingredients:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
- ⅓ cup vanilla yogurt (or plain), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups peeled (optional) and chopped apples (see note below)
Streusel Topping
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line two muffin pans with cupcake liners (enough for 16-18 muffins). Set aside.
Apple Muffins
- Melt the butter and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and sugar until combined. Add the egg and whisk until fully incorporated. Then add the milk, yogurt, and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into the large bowl and use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet, being careful not to overmix. Add the diced apples and fold until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly, filling the muffin liners ⅔ of the way full, making 16-18 muffins (I use my tablespoon cookie scoop to distribute the batter).
Streusel Topping
- In the same medium-sized bowl you used for the dry ingredients, use a normal dinner spoon to combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and mix until combined. Evenly top the muffins with the crumble topping.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes (use a toothpick to check the center of the muffin, it should come out clean). Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Vanilla Glaze
- As the muffins are cooling in the pan, make the vanilla icing. Mix all of the ingredients together and drizzle over the top of the warm muffins ( I do this once the muffins are on the wire rack). I like to put the glaze into a sandwich bag, cut a small hole in one of the corners, and then pipe the icing over the top of the muffins.
- Store any leftover muffins in an airtight container on the counter for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat the muffins in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
Notes:
Nutrition
I have so many apples to use, these look amazing!