Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Cinnamon Apple Muffins, featuring tender pieces of cinnamon-coated apples folded into a spiced batter. Topped with an optional buttery cinnamon streusel, these muffins deliver a perfect balance of sweetness and warmth, ideal for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Apple Mixture
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) peeled & diced Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apple
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour (to coat apples)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (to coat apples)
Wet Ingredients for Muffin Batter
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk or buttermilk (2–3 %)
Streusel Topping (Optional)
- ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (65 g) packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons (56 g) melted unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat & prep: Set your oven to 425 °F (218 °C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and lightly grease them to prevent sticking.
- Prepare streusel topping (optional): In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup flour, ⅓ cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir until clumps form. Chill this mixture while you prepare the batter.
- Toss apples: In a separate bowl, toss the diced apples with 1 tablespoon flour and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. This coating helps the apples stay suspended in the batter during baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
- Cream butter and sugars: In another large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for about 2 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the pure vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Incorporate dairy: Mix in the Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and milk. The batter may look slightly curdled, but that’s normal.
- Combine wet and dry: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no streaks of flour remain. The batter should be thick to help create tall muffin domes.
- Fold in apples: Carefully stir in the cinnamon-coated apple pieces to distribute evenly.
- Fill muffin cups and top: Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them to the brim. If using, sprinkle the chilled streusel topping evenly over each muffin.
- Bake in two stages: Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425 °F (218 °C). Without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 350 °F (177 °C) and bake for an additional 15–17 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and serve: Let the muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. For an extra touch, brush warm tops with melted butter and dust with cinnamon-sugar if desired.
Notes
- Using tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp adds a nice contrast to the sweetness of the muffins.
- Coating the apples in flour and cinnamon prevents them from sinking to the bottom.
- The two-stage baking helps create tall, domed muffins with a crisp exterior and tender crumb.
- You can substitute sour cream for Greek yogurt for a slightly different tang and texture.
- Brush warm muffins with melted butter and dust with cinnamon-sugar for an attractive glossy finish and extra flavor.
- Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze them for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-22 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
