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Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Apple cinnamon muffins with a domed, golden top and visible apple chunks baked into a tender crumb. Finished with a crunchy brown sugar streusel crown for a classic cinnamon apple breakfast muffin texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 290
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apple Cinnamon Muffins
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.667 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.5 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup diced apple about 2 small apples
Streusel
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1.5 tbsp cold butter cut in pieces

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners, so the muffins bake right away once filled. Make sure the oven reaches temperature before mixing the batter.
Make the streusel
  1. Mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon for the streusel until evenly combined. Use a crumbly mixture as your visual cue.
  2. Cut in cold butter until crumbly, with no large wet butter pieces visible. Set aside at room temperature while you mix the batter.
Mix the batter
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl. Break up any spice clumps so the dry mix looks uniform.
  2. Beat brown sugar, large eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract together until smooth. The mixture should look glossy and fully blended.
  3. Fold in diced apple until the pieces are evenly distributed. You should see small apple chunks throughout the batter.
  4. Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir just until no dry flour remains, avoiding overmixing. Stop as soon as the flour disappears to keep the muffins tender.
Fill and bake
  1. Divide batter among muffin cups and top each with streusel for a crunchy brown sugar crown. Use a small mound of streusel on every muffin.
  2. Bake at 375°F for 18–22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Look for domed, golden-topped muffins with streusel that turns darker brown.

Notes

For the best domed tops and tender crumb, under-mix: stop stirring as soon as the dry flour disappears. Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months. For a lighter option, swap sour cream with plain Greek yogurt using the same amount.