Apple Muffins

Apple Muffins are deliciously full of warm apple bits and topped with a scrumptious crumble. This is a family favorite bakery style muffin!

Muffins are an easy, filling go-to breakfast and these Apple Muffins are some of the best! If you love these try this mini version twist.

The easiest apple muffins

Muffins are a go to breakfast in our home. They whip up easy, don’t require a ton of ingredients, and are perfect for freezing!

I like to whip up a batch and pull out a few out of the freezer each morning for a quick grab and go breakfast.

Not only are these Apple Muffins easy and delicious, they are SO easy to make. The apple flavor is delicious and not overly powerful. Just mix the batter and top with a simple crumble.

Your home will smell like a fresh baked apple pie, and your appetites will be so happy!

apple tips

You want to make sure that the pieces of apple create a nice balance of taste and texture with the rest of the muffin. The following points will help in adding apples to the batter:

• 3 medium apples yield about 2-2 1/2 cups of chopped apples 
• Be sure to peel the apple, slice into quarters and cut away the core and seeds.
• Slice the quarters in half for 8 wedges.
• Dice the apple into small pieces. This is to your preference, but should be about the size of a blueberry.  
• When adding the apples to the batter don’t use an electric mixer to stir, instead use a spatula to evenly fold the apples into the batter.

What apples are best for muffins?  I usually like Granny Smith apples or Fuji apples for my muffins. You can use your preference of apple for this recipe just make sure it is firmer so that it wont turn to mush when baked.

Some other firm apples include Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious and Piñata apples.

how to make apple muffins

CRUMBLE. Make cinnamon crumble by mixing together sugar, cinnamon, flour, and cubed butter in a small bowl. Use a fork or pastry blender to create crumble (butter pieces should be small). Set aside.

PREP. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease muffin pan with cooking spray or line with cupcake liners.

WET INGERDIENTS. Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat until mixed.

DRY INGREDIENTS. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add this to your creamed mixture, along with the milk, and mix until just incorporated. Fold in sliced apples.

BAKE + COOL. Scoop into muffin cups until ¾ filled. Sprinkle with crumble and bake for 28-30 minutes, or until muffin tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before serving.

Healthy Variations

This apple muffin recipe is not designed to be particularly healthy. The good news is that you can control the type of ingredients that you add to this recipe. 

• Substitute half of the all purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour.
• Reduce the amount of sugar by about 25% with little to no effect on the overall result.
• Add nuts and mix in flaxseed and chia seeds for added nutrition
• Use organic products

Tips for Perfect Muffins

Test for Doneness: Use a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin. When it comes out clean or with only a couple crumbs, then the muffins are done baking. Allow the muffins to cool for a couple of minutes in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack.

Don’t Overmix: Keep the electric mixers put away and mix by hand. You’ll only need 10-12 stirs to mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Don’t worry if the batter is lumpy. 

Use room temperature ingredients, particularly butter and eggs. Not only do they incorporate easier, but they help give a fluffier muffin.

For round muffin tops you’ll want to fill the muffin tins 2/3-3/4 of the way. Use a spoon to evenly spread the batter to the edge of the paper liners.

Once the muffins have completely cooled, they can be STORED in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. They can last at room temperature for 1-2 days, in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

If you want to FREEZE them, you’ll need to wrap each muffin with plastic wrap and then store them together in a freezer safe container. I usually use a freezer Ziploc. Thaw before eating.

for more muffin recipes, check out:

• Chocolate Muffins
• Banana Muffins
• Blueberry Muffins
• Zucchini Muffins
• Chocolate Chip Muffins