Apple crumble muffins are perfectly spiced, filled with fresh apples, and topped with a sweet brown sugar crumble. They make the perfect fall snack and can be ready in about 30 minutes!
Looking for a new fall baking recipe that captures all of your favorite cozy flavors? Give these apple crumble muffins a try. They're filled with warm spices, plenty of chopped apples, and an irresistible brown sugar crumble.
Even if you're a beginner baker, these muffins come together quickly with simple kitchen utensils and pantry staples. In about 30 minutes, you can enjoy a batch of tender, moist and fluffy homemade apple muffins.
Make these muffins for a quick on-the-go breakfast, after school snacking, or as a lighter dessert. Enjoy them as is or slather them with some whipped honey butter for an indulgent treat. It's the perfect way to welcome fall and apple picking season!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Flour - I have only tested this recipe using all-purpose flour. If you need to bake using a different type of flour, I recommend searching for a recipe that is made for the type of flour you have on hand.
- Leavening - You'll need baking powder for this recipe, not baking soda. The two are not interchangeable.
- Spices - Cinnamon, allspice, and salt add flavor to your muffins. I do not recommend omitting any of these ingredients.
- Sugar - You'll need granulated sugar for the muffins, which adds sweetness and moisture, as well as brown sugar for the crumble topping.
- Butter - Unsalted butter can be substituted with salted butter (you'll want to cut the listed salt in half).
- Eggs - Add moisture and structure to the muffins.
- Milk - Adds moisture to the muffins. I recommend using whole milk because it contains the most fat, which keeps your muffins moist. Whole milk can be substituted with any milk you have on hand (skim, 1%, almond milk) if needed.
- Vanilla - Adds depth of flavor to the muffins.
- Apples - I recommend using granny smith apples for baking. Granny smith apples hold their shape after baking and add a tart flavor that contrasts well with the sweetness of the crumble topping.
Tips and tricks
Use melted butter and room temperature eggs - Room temperature ingredients combine evenly to create a homogenous batter. If one ingredient is cold it can seize up and create streaks throughout the batter.
To bring your eggs to room temperature quickly - Add the eggs (in the shell) to a small bowl and cover with warm tap water. Allow them to sit for about ten minutes.
Don't overmix the batter - There's no need to mix the batter for a long period of time. Stir only until the ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing batter once the flour has been added overworks the gluten, resulting in tough muffins.
Mixing the crumble - I find it easiest to use a fork and mash the crumble ingredients together until evenly incorporated. Your crumble should look like thick, clumpy sand.
If using liners, allow muffins to cool completely - Muffins and cupcakes tend to stick to paper liners if they're still warm. Allow your muffins to cool completely before unwrapping to prevent sticking issues.
Frequently asked questions
Homemade muffins will keep for about 3 days at room temperature in a tightly sealed container. After that, they'll begin to dry out.
Yes, muffins freeze well and will keep for about 3 months in a tightly sealed, freezer safe container. To thaw, place on the counter top for about 1 hour.
Granny smith apples are my go-to for baking. They're widely available year round, hold their shape well in baked goods, and add a tart flavor that pairs well with a sweet muffin base. Honeycrisp is a good option if you'd like something a bit sweeter.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Apple Crumble Muffins
Ingredients
Muffins
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (114 g) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (681 g) chopped apples, about one large or two small apples
Crumble Topping
- ⅔ cup (80 g) all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (71 g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin pan with liners (or grease pan) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add chopped apples and stir to incorporate.
- Distribute batter between 12 muffin cups and set aside.
- In a bowl, add crumble ingredients: flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Mash with a fork to combine - mixture should look like wet, clumpy sand. Spoon crumble on top of each muffin, pressing down lightly so that the crumble sticks to the muffin batter.
- Bake muffins for about 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (or with crumbs, not batter).
- Allow pan to cool for 2-3 minutes before removing muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cooled muffins in a sealed container.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Muffins will keep at room temperature in a sealed container for 3 days.
- Baked muffins can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
- If using paper liners, allow your muffins to cool completely before unwrapping or they will stick to the papers.
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