Tasty Apple Muffins with Crumb Topping

If you ask me, apple muffins with a crumb topping are pure comfort food.

These bakery-style muffins are packed with fresh apple chunks and crowned with a buttery, cinnamon-sugar crumb topping that bakes up nice and crispy. The muffins themselves are soft and tender with just the right amount of sweetness.

They’re easy to throw together on a weekend morning when you want something homemade but don’t want to fuss too much. The crumb topping adds that special touch that makes them feel a little fancy without any extra work.

They’re perfect for breakfast, snack time, or tucked into lunchboxes. Your kitchen will smell amazing while they bake.

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What Kind of Apples Should I Use?

For apple muffins, you’ll want to stick with apples that hold their shape when baked and won’t turn to mush in the oven. Granny Smith apples are a classic choice because they’re tart and firm, which gives you a nice contrast to the sweet muffin batter. Honeycrisp apples are another great option if you prefer a sweeter apple with a good crunch. You can also mix both varieties together for a balance of tart and sweet flavors. Whatever you choose, make sure to dice your apples into small, even pieces so they distribute well throughout the muffins and bake evenly.

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Options for Substitutions

These muffins are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Sour cream: Greek yogurt works perfectly as a substitute, or you can use regular plain yogurt if that’s what you have. Both will give you that nice moist texture.
• Apples: While Granny Smith and Honeycrisp are great choices, you can use any baking apple you prefer. Fuji, Gala, or even Pink Lady apples work well too. Just avoid Red Delicious as they get too mushy when baked.
• Milk: Any milk works here – whole, 2%, almond, or oat milk will all do the job. Just make sure whatever you use is at room temperature.
• All purpose flour: You can substitute up to half the flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier muffin, but don’t go beyond that or they’ll become too dense.
• Unsalted butter: If you only have salted butter, go ahead and use it but reduce the added salt in the recipe by half.
• Nutmeg: The nutmeg is optional, but if you want to skip it, you could add a pinch of ground ginger or allspice instead for extra warmth.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake you can make with apple muffins is overmixing the batter once you add the flour – stir just until the dry ingredients are barely combined, even if you see a few lumps, because overmixing leads to tough, dense muffins instead of light and fluffy ones.

Another common error is skipping the step of bringing your eggs, milk, and sour cream to room temperature, which can cause the batter to curdle and result in uneven baking.

To keep your apple pieces from sinking to the bottom, toss them with a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter, and make sure to dice them into small, even pieces about ¼-inch in size.

Finally, don’t overbake these muffins – check them at the 18-minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the center, and remove them as soon as it comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, since they’ll continue cooking slightly as they cool.

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What to Serve With Apple Muffins?

These apple muffins are perfect for breakfast or brunch alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea. I love serving them with a pat of salted butter that melts right into the warm crumb topping, or you can spread on some cream cheese for extra richness. They also pair really well with scrambled eggs and crispy bacon if you’re making a full breakfast spread. For an afternoon snack, try them with a glass of cold milk or apple cider, especially during the fall months when apples are at their best.

Storage Instructions

Store: These apple muffins stay moist and delicious for about 3-4 days at room temperature in an airtight container. If your kitchen is really warm, you can keep them in the fridge for up to a week, though they taste best at room temperature.

Freeze: Apple muffins freeze really well, which makes them perfect for busy mornings. Let them cool completely, then wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. The crumb topping holds up great in the freezer!

Enjoy: To enjoy a frozen muffin, just let it thaw on the counter for about an hour, or pop it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. If you want to bring back that fresh-baked taste, warm it in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2300-2500
• Protein: 28-32 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-370 g

Ingredients

For the crumb topping:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the apple muffins:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream or greek yogurt, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups chopped granny smith or honeycrisp apples

Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Muffin Tin

Preheat your oven to 400° F (200° C).

Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set it aside so it’s ready for the batter later.

Step 2: Make the Cinnamon Crumble Topping

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

In a bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional).

Pour in 4 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and mix until the mixture forms small clumps.

Set the crumble aside for topping the muffins later.

I like to use my fingers at the end to pinch the crumble into even chunkier pieces.

Step 3: Combine Dry Muffin Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional).

Set this mixture aside.

Step 4: Prepare the Wet Muffin Base

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add in 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Mix until well combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Step 5: Combine Batter and Fold in Apples

• dry ingredients from Step 3
• wet ingredients from Step 4
• 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups chopped Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples

Add half of the dry mixture from Step 3 into the wet ingredients from Step 4 and mix just until combined.

Pour in 1/2 cup milk (room temperature) and mix again.

Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix gently, being careful not to overmix.

Finally, fold in 1 1/2 cups chopped Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples by hand.

I like to use tart apples for a nice contrast in flavor and texture.

Step 6: Assemble Muffins and Add Streusel Topping

• batter with apples (from Step 5)
• crumble mixture from Step 2

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.

Generously sprinkle the crumble mixture from Step 2 over each muffin, ensuring all the streusel is used.

Step 7: Bake and Cool the Muffins

Bake the muffins at 400° F (200° C) for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with little to no crumbs.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

I like to enjoy these muffins slightly warm, when the topping is extra crisp.

Tasty Apple Muffins with Crumb Topping

Delicious Tasty Apple Muffins with Crumb Topping recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 13 minutes mins

Cook Time 27 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2400 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the crumb topping:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the apple muffins:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups chopped Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400° F (200° C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set it aside so it's ready for the batter later.
• In a bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional). Pour in 4 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and mix until the mixture forms small clumps. Set the crumble aside for topping the muffins later. I like to use my fingers at the end to pinch the crumble into even chunkier pieces.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional). Set this mixture aside.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add in 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix until well combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
• Add half of the dry mixture from Step 3 into the wet ingredients from Step 4 and mix just until combined. Pour in 1/2 cup milk (room temperature) and mix again. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix gently, being careful not to overmix. Finally, fold in 1 1/2 cups chopped Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples by hand. I like to use tart apples for a nice contrast in flavor and texture.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Generously sprinkle the crumble mixture from Step 2 over each muffin, ensuring all the streusel is used.
• Bake the muffins at 400° F (200° C) for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with little to no crumbs. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. I like to enjoy these muffins slightly warm, when the topping is extra crisp.