Description
Perfectly tender and fluffy apple muffins filled with finely diced apples and warm cinnamon, then finished with a buttery brown sugar crumble topping. These easy muffins make a comforting breakfast, brunch treat, snack, or simple apple dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- CRUMBLE TOPPING:
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 2½ tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- APPLE MUFFINS:
- 1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 cups peeled, finely diced Golden Delicious or yellow apple
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease muffin pans and line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.
- Make the crumble topping by stirring together ⅔ cup flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, sea salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- Add the cold butter cubes and cut them into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture resembles damp sand with a few pea-sized crumbs. Refrigerate while preparing the batter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1¾ cups flour, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the whole milk and vanilla extract.
- Slowly whisk in the melted, slightly cooled butter until evenly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a sturdy spoon or spatula just until the batter comes together. Do not overmix.
- Toss the finely diced apples with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.
- Gently fold the flour-coated apples into the muffin batter until evenly distributed.
- Fill each prepared muffin liner about three-quarters full.
- Top each portion with a scant tablespoon of the chilled crumble mixture.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops look golden and a toothpick inserted into the muffin portion comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Measure the flour with the spoon-and-level method to prevent dry, dense muffins.
- Keep the crumble butter cold so the topping forms crisp, distinct crumbs.
- Cut the apples into small, even pieces so they soften during the short baking time.
- Mix the batter only until combined because overmixing can make the muffins tough.
- Golden Delicious apples provide a sweet, tender result, but Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Granny Smith apples also work well.
- Store completely cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze cooled muffins in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Nutrition information is estimated per muffin.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 259
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 39
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 48