Inspired by this apple crumb cake recipe, these muffins are full of fall flavor. These muffins pack three delicious layers: a tender and buttery muffin base, tart and sweet spiced apples, and a crispy streusel topping. Featuring all the classic flavors of apple pie, but a much easier baking project!
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This recipe goes out to my fellow lazy friends who crave homemade apple pie but don't crave making homemade apple pie.
These muffins are seriously like apple pie in muffin form! You get three different layers with distinct textures to compliment each other. The bottom layer is a cakey base that's topped with a soft diced apple layer, which is alllllll topped off with a crisp and crumbly streusel for an amazing fall dessert!
ingredients:
• flour: for the streusel and the muffin base
• sugar: for all three components in the recipe. I love using brown sugar in the streusel and apple layers for added flavor, but you can use granulated sugar instead if needed. I prefer to use granulated sugar for the muffin base because we're not creaming sugar with anything else (it just gets mixed into the dry ingredients) and granulated sugar will dissolve much better than brown sugar in the batter
• cinnamon: also for all three layers for the best distribution of cinnamon flavor!
• butter: for the streusel and the muffin base
• apples
• baking powder
• salt
• eggs
• milk
• oil: I used vegetable oil but any similar neutral flavored oil works fine. Some options include corn, canola, or peanut oil
• vanilla extract
how to make apple crumb muffins:
1. Mash together streusel ingredients to make crumb layer. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
2. Mix together apple layer ingredients, and set aside.
3. Whisk together dry ingredients for muffin base.
4. Cut butter into dry ingredients.
5. Whisk in wet ingredients.
6. Layer! Start by portioning the muffin batter into your muffin cups. Top each cup off with some apples, and top THEM off with your streusel!
7. Bake & cool muffins.
8. (Optional) drizzle over some icing for added sweetness!
apple crumb muffin storage:
Keep your muffins stored in an airtight container or plastic bag, and they should keep for about 3 days at room temperature, one week in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer!
If freezing, set the muffins out at room temperature for a few hours or pop into a preheated 350°F oven for 5 minutes to defrost.
If you find the streusel topping has softened anytime during storage, you can place the muffins in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes, or until crisped.
Check out these other recipes!
• Oatmeal Muffins
• Double Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Quick and Easy Carrot Muffins
• Classic Apple Pie
Apple Crumb Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
For the streusel topping:
- ⅔ cups (80g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (70g) packed brown sugar, light or dark
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5 tablespoons (75g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
For the apple layer:
- 1 & ¼ cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced (about 2 medium apples) *see notes
- ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar, light or dark
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the muffin base batter:
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, spoon and levelled
- ⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick / 115g) cool unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (120mL) milk
- ¼ cup (60mL) vegetable oil, or any neutral flavored oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a 12 count muffin tin with paper liners, and set aside.
- Make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine all of the streusel ingredients (flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter). Using a fork or pastry cutter, mash together until you're left with crumbly mixture that sticks together when you pinch it with your fingers. Cover and set aside in your fridge until ready to use.
- Make the apple layer: In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for the apple layer (apples, sugar, and cinnamon). Toss together to coat the apples in the sugar and cinnamon, and set aside to prep the muffin batter.
- Make the muffin batter: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk together, then add in your butter. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients using a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla to the flour / butter mixture. Whisk together until well combined. A few clumps in the batter are totally normal.
- Layer the muffins: Scoop the muffin batter into your prepare muffin tin cups, filling each cup a little over halfway full with the batter. Top each cup with a bit of the diced apple layer (if the apples have let out any liquid - which they usually will do - drain as much out as you can before topping the muffins). Top each muffin with your streusel topping.
- Bake the muffins in the center of your preheated 375°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean of any batter (the skewer may appear wet because of the apple layer though - so just watch out for batter on the skewer).
- Cool the muffins in your muffin tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack and set aside to cool completely. Serve plain or topped with a simple powdered sugar icing!
Notes
Enjoy!
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