Cinnamon Apple Muffins Streusel (Printable)
Moist apple muffins with cinnamon and a crunchy streusel topping, ideal for breakfast or cozy snacking.
# What You Need:
→ Muffins
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
08 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1/2 cup whole milk
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 2 cups peeled, cored, and finely diced apples (about 2 medium)
→ Streusel Topping
13 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
17 - Pinch of salt
# How-To:
01 - Set oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk melted butter with sugar until well blended. Incorporate eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition, then stir in milk and vanilla.
04 - Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Fold diced apples into batter until evenly distributed.
06 - Divide batter evenly into muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
07 - In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender or fingers until mixture forms coarse crumbs.
08 - Sprinkle streusel evenly over each muffin.
09 - Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10 - Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- They come together in under an hour and taste like you've been baking since dawn.
- The streusel topping stays crunchy even after a day, which means no stale muffin regrets.
- One batch fills your freezer and your home with the kind of smell that makes people linger in your kitchen.
02 -
- Don't skip the cooling step; overmixing the batter is the biggest reason muffins turn out tough instead of tender.
- Cold butter in the streusel is non-negotiable—warm butter makes it clump and bake into the muffin instead of staying crunchy.
- If your apples are very wet, pat them with a paper towel after dicing; excess moisture can make the centers soggy.
03 -
- Room-temperature eggs mix more smoothly into the batter, giving you a more tender crumb.
- Don't open the oven door during baking; the temperature drop can cause them to sink in the middle.
- Chop your walnuts or pecans finely if adding them to the streusel; large pieces can slide off during baking.