Full of brown sugar-coated apples and warm spices, these soft Apple Muffins are the perfect thing to bake during apple season!
I’ve been craving simple recipes lately. And by “simple” I don’t mean boring or bland. I’ve been craving recipes that I can make easily in between moments of being mom, or business owner, wife or friend. A recipe in which the process of baking is less technical and more peaceful. And that’s exactly why I made these apple muffins. They’re simple, lovely to make, and have a comforting warmth to them. I really enjoyed this recipe for lots of reasons.
Anyhow, more on apple muffins. These are seriously good and perfect for chilly fall days when apples are in season!
I’m loving these muffins for lots of reasons. From the crisp, sugary streusel topping to the fluffy, perfectly spiced muffin, to the brown sugar-coated apples- these are muffin perfection.
I use the creaming method for this recipe, which means you’ll beat the softened butter together with the sugars until light and fluffy before continuing on with making the muffin batter. This method makes the muffins light and fluffy instead of potentially claggy (which can sometimes happen if you use melted butter). I also used applesauce, sour cream and whole milk in these muffins to keep them extra soft and moist without making them dense. Oh and all the little pieces of apple studded throughout? Those are coated in brown sugar and cinnamon. Have I convinced you to make these yet? If I haven’t, then maybe the streusel topping will do it.
I really love these apple muffins, and felt all sorts of warm and cozy whipping these up. Here’s hoping you feel the same!
Happy baking!
What you’ll need to make apple muffins:
Flour: All-purpose flour gives the muffins structure. To ensure soft, fluffy muffins, be sure to measure your flour correctly, either by weight or by the spoon and level method.
Baking soda + baking powder: Leavening agents make these muffins rise in the oven, making them light and fluffy.
Kosher salt: For balance.
Ground cinnamon + nutmeg: Because warm spices pair perfectly with apples and make these muffins extra cozy.
Butter: For moisture and flavor. Creaming softened butter together with the sugars keeps these muffins soft and light.
Granulated sugar + brown sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness and tenderness, while brown sugar adds moisture and deep flavor.
Eggs: For structure and binding.
Applesauce: A little applesauce of course adds more apple flavor, but also makes these muffins tender and moist! I prefer unsweetened applesauce for this recipe.
Sour cream: Sour cream is high-fat and acidic, which is perfect for baking! Sour cream makes these muffins incredibly soft and moist, without weighing them down or making them dense. Be sure to use full-fat sour cream.
Vanilla extract: For added flavor.
Milk: A little milk ensures a light and fluffy crumb with a little added moisture. For best results, use whole milk.
Apples: You’ll need 2 cups of diced apples for this recipe, which is about 1 ½ to 2 medium-sized apples. Use tart, firm baking apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady apples. Before mixing into the batter, the diced apples are tossed with a little brown sugar and cinnamon- YUM.
Flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, kosher salt and butter for the crumbly sweet streusel topping.
FAQs:
Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!
Can I use yogurt instead of sour cream? Yes, yogurt will also work in this recipe. Just be sure it’s full-fat, plain yogurt.
What kind of apples should I use? Tart, firm, baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples are best for this recipe. Avoid sweet, softer apples like Red Delicious. You’ll need 1 ½ to 2 medium-sized apples.
A few notes before you bake:
For best results, be sure to dice the apples into small, ¼-inch pieces. This ensures that you get lots of apple in every bite!
You’ll notice the recipe instructs you to start baking the muffins at 400°F for 6 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F for the remainder of the baking time. That initial blast of heat makes the muffins rise taller, making them lighter and fluffier. When reducing the oven temperature, be sure to leave the oven door closed, otherwise you’ll reduce the heat too quickly.
This recipe makes 18 muffins, but if you only have 1 muffin pan, that’s no problem! You can batch bake with this recipe. Just don’t forget to increase the oven temperature back to 400°F before baking your second batch. Also, be aware that your second batch might be a bit taller than the first, as the baking powder will have become more reactive.
Apple Muffins
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 18 muffins 1x
- Category: Breakfast & Brunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
Description
Full of brown sugar-coated apples and warm spices, these soft Apple Muffins are the perfect thing to bake during apple season!
Ingredients
For the streusel topping:
- 63 gm (1/2 cup, spoon and leveled) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 67 gm (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 56 gm (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
For the apples:
- 227 gm (2 cups) apples, peeled, cored and diced into 1/4″ pieces (about 1 1/2 to 2 medium-sized apples)*
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the muffins:
- 250 gm (2 cups, spoon and leveled) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 113 gm (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 67 gm (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
- 160 gm (3/4 cup, lightly packed) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 85 gm (1/3 cup) unsweetened applesauce
- 120 gm (1/2 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 mL (1/4 cup) whole milk, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line 18 standard-sized muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.
- Make the streusel. Stir the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and kosher salt together in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Place in the fridge to chill while you make the muffins.
- Prepare the apples. Toss the diced apples, brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl, until the apples are coated. Set aside while you start the muffin batter.
- Make the muffin batter. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a large bowl; set aside.
- Add the butter, sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (you can also use an electric hand mixer). Cream the butter and sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, being sure that the first is fully incorporated before adding the next. Next, add the applesauce, sour cream, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture to the batter, and mix on low speed until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the batter in 2 additions, mixing on low speed after each addition until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Add the milk and mix until combined. Add the diced apples and gently fold into the batter using a rubber spatula, again being careful not to overmix.
- Top with streusel and bake. Remove the streusel from the fridge and use a spoon or your fingers to break it up into crumbly pieces. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full (TIP: I like to use a cookie scoop for this!). Sprinkle each with a generous amount of streusel.
- Bake for 6 minutes at 400°F, then without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in their tins for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
*What kind of apples to use: Tart, firm, baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples are best for this recipe. Avoid sweet, softer apples like Red Delicious.
Storage: Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Gently rewarm in the microwave before serving.
