Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Crumb Topping

5 from 2 votes

Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Crumb Topping

These easy apple cinnamon muffins with crumb topping are an essential fall treat! They are tender, light, and moist. Packed with fresh honeycrisp apples and topped with a crunchy and buttery streusel topping.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Baked Goods

Cuisine: American

Servings: muffins

Calories: 300kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

Muffin pan

Ingredients

Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
¼ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled equiv to 1 stick
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups peeled and small-diced honeycrisp apples gala or fuji apples work too

Streusel crumb topping

⅔ cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
⅓ cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-muffin pan with muffin or cupcake liners.
Make the streusel topping: In a bowl, whisk the streusel topping’s dry ingredients (flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt). Then, gradually drizzle in the melted and cooled butter, whisking with a fork to form moist crumbles. Tip: Make sure the melted butter is cooled. Don’t overmix, otherwise it will turn into a paste.
Mix dry muffin ingredients: In a bowl, whisk flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until evenly combined. Set aside.
Mix wet muffin ingredients: In a separate large bowl, mix the melted butter, Greek yogurt, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. Set aside.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined and no pockets of flour remain. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the diced apples into the batter. Set aside.
Evenly fill the prepared muffin pan with the batter, all the way to the top (but don’t overfill). Sprinkle the prepared streusel on top, gently pressing it down just slightly. Tip 1: Filling all the way to the top will help the muffins rise tall. It won’t spill over since the batter is thick. Tip 2: I use a large cookie scoop to add the batter into the pan. It’s convenient, easy, and it fits just the right amount of batter.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy! Tip: Do ensure the muffins rise properly, avoid opening the oven as they bake - sudden changes in temperature can cause baked goods to collapse.

Notes

Choice of apples: Use firm and sweet apples. Honeycrisp is my favorite. Other great options are fuji, or gala.
I like to use muffin liners for ease and convenience, but they are not necessary. If not using, spray the muffin pan with cooking oil spray or grease it with unsalted butter.
How to make tall muffins: Fill the batter all the way to the top, but without overfilling. It won’t spill over since the batter is thick. Also, avoid opening the oven while they are baking. Sudden changes in temperature can cause baked goods to sink in the middle.
Make-ahead and storing: Bake them up to 5 days in advance and store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Freezing: Wrap each muffin (cooled down) with aluminum foil and transfer to a resealable freezer-friendly bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Substitutions and variations:

Greek yogurt: Regular plain yogurt or sour cream.
Whole milk: 2 percent milk, skim milk, or your favorite type of milk.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition