Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Content… Which Apples Are Best? Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions What to Serve More Heavenly Muffins Recipes to Try Watch How to Make It

Which Apples Are Best for Apple Cinnamon Muffins?

My favorites are Granny Smith, Gala, Honeycrisp, and Golden Delicious because they hold up well in baking. However, these apple muffins will be fabulous with whatever apples you have.

In fact, if you have some apples lingering on the counter, this is an excellent opportunity to use them! Just cut away any soft spots and use the rest in the muffins.

Recipe Ingredients

1. Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour provides structure, while baking soda and powder give your muffins a lift.
2. Flavorings – Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract lend warm fall flavors. You can replace the vanilla with maple extract for deeper caramel notes.
3. Butter – Unsalted butter adds richness. You can use salted butter, but you may want to cut the salt to ¼ teaspoon.
4. Sugars – The combination of white and brown sugar adds sweetness and moisture.
5. Eggs – Room-temperature eggs help thicken the dough, add structure, and hold things together.
6. Sour Cream – The secret ingredient for super moist, melt-in-your-mouth muffins! The acidity activates the baking soda and delivers a decadent tang.
7. Apples – The superstars of this recipe, apples add fall flavor and guilt-free pleasure.
8. Crumb Topping – Brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter blend to provide a crunchy texture that balances the soft muffin.

How to Make Apple Cinnamon Muffins

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line your muffin pan wells with paper liners.‌
• Apples – Wash, peel, and chop apples. (Photos 1-2)
• Dry Ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined.‌ (Photo 3)
• Wet Ingredients – Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer with paddle attachment until light and fluffy.‌ Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.‌‌ (Photo 4)
• Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, half at a time, until just combined. Next, gently fold in the diced apples. ‌Please don’t overmix. (Photos 5-8)
• Divide the batter among the muffin wells.‌ (Photo 9)
• Streusel – Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and softened butter with a fork. Don’t overmix, and try to create large crumbles. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of the muffin batter.‌‌ (Photos 10-12)
• Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the muffin’s center comes out clean.
• Cool – Remove from the oven. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Then, take them out and put them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Variations

1. Fruit Swap – Pears, mangoes, and quince make great muffins. Or swap out half of the apple and replace it with another fruit for a custom combo!
2. Sour Cream Swap – You can use regular or Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Or you can reduce the fat content by replacing the sour cream with unsweetened applesauce.
3. Crunchy Additions – Add ½ cup of chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the topping or directly to the muffin batter for texture and crunch.
4. Eat Your Veggies – Add grated carrot or zucchini to the batter to get kids to eat veggies! 😉
5. Mini Muffins – You can divide the batter into a mini muffin pan and decrease the baking time to about 12-15 minutes.

Tips and Tricks

1. Dice the apples so you get the perfect amount in every bite. Or grate them into the batter.
2. Be careful not to overmix the batter for tender muffins. Mix until just combined for best results.
3. No paper liners on hand? Just grease your muffin tin well.
4. Fill the muffin wells halfway or barely over half full so they have room to rise without spilling over. Speaking from experience.🤦🏾‍♀️
5. Room-temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and rise better because they trap air more efficiently.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

If you need a grab-and-go breakfast:

• Double the muffin recipe and freeze them on a baking sheet until solid.
• Store them in a large freezer ziplock bag.
• Thaw what you need for a couple of days overnight in the fridge, then warm them up in a toaster oven.

You could also keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.

What to Serve With Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Start your morning with these apple cinnamon muffins and a warm, cozy ginger tea or homemade apple cider. Or whip up a luxurious chai tea latte or pumpkin spice latte for an epic teatime treat.

More Heavenly Muffin Recipes to Try

1. Banana Bread Muffins
2. Sweet Potato Muffins
3. Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
4. Cornbread Muffins

Watch How to Make It