Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Crumb topping: 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon fine salt, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- Dry ingredients: 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- Wet ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled 5 minutes, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup whole milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Apples: 1 1/2 cups peeled finely diced apple, about 1 large apple or 2 small apples
Do This
- 1. Heat oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- 2. Stir crumb topping ingredients together until clumpy and set aside.
- 3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in one bowl.
- 4. Whisk melted butter, sugars, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla in another bowl.
- 5. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, then fold in the diced apples just until combined.
- 6. Divide batter among 12 muffin cups, add crumb topping, and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.
- 7. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, bakery-style texture: Sour cream and melted butter make the muffins tender, moist, and rich without being heavy.
- Cozy apple-cinnamon flavor: Fresh diced apples bake into sweet little pockets while cinnamon and nutmeg add classic warm spice.
- Golden crumb topping: The buttery brown sugar crumble bakes into a crisp, sweet topping that makes these feel like dessert for breakfast.
- Simple pantry ingredients: Everything comes together with everyday baking staples and one good apple.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 large crisp apple or 2 small apples, such as Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or Granny Smith
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, sour cream, whole milk, large eggs
- Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, fine salt, vanilla extract, paper muffin liners
Full Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Crumb Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Apple Cinnamon Muffin Batter
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups peeled finely diced apple, about 1 large apple or 2 small apples
Best Apples to Use
- Honeycrisp: Sweet, juicy, and firm, with a bright apple flavor.
- Granny Smith: Tart and sturdy, excellent if you like a less-sweet muffin.
- Gala or Fuji: Sweet, easy to find, and softens nicely without becoming mushy.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the oven and muffin pan
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or grease each cup lightly with butter or nonstick baking spray. Set the pan aside while you make the topping and batter.
Step 2: Make the cinnamon crumb topping
In a medium bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Pour in the 4 tablespoons melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture forms moist crumbs. The texture should look like clumpy wet sand with some pea-size pieces. Set the topping aside while you make the muffin batter.
Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 3/4 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisking well helps evenly distribute the leavening and spices, so every muffin rises properly and tastes warmly spiced.
Step 4: Mix the wet ingredients
In a separate large bowl, whisk the 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/3 cup brown sugar until smooth and glossy. Add the 2 eggs and whisk until fully combined. Whisk in the 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup whole milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until the mixture is creamy and even.
Step 5: Combine the batter
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using a flexible spatula, fold gently just until the flour is almost incorporated. The batter will be thick, which is exactly what you want for tall, soft muffins. Avoid vigorous stirring, because overmixing can make muffins tough.
Step 6: Fold in the apples
Add the 1 1/2 cups finely diced apple and fold just until evenly distributed and no dry streaks of flour remain. Small apple pieces work best because they soften in the short bake time and give every bite a tender apple flavor.
Step 7: Fill the muffin cups and add the crumb topping
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling each cup nearly to the top. A large cookie scoop or a 1/4-cup measuring cup makes this easy. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the muffins, gently pressing a few crumbs into the surface so they stay in place while baking.
Step 8: Bake until golden and set
Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until the crumb topping is golden, the muffin tops spring back lightly when touched, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Avoid overbaking; the muffins will continue to set slightly as they cool.
Step 9: Cool and serve
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer them to a wire rack and cool for at least 10 more minutes before serving. They are delicious warm, especially when the crumb topping is crisp and the apple pieces are soft and fragrant.
Pro Tips
- Dice the apples small: Aim for pieces about 1/4 inch wide. Smaller pieces bake through quickly and keep the muffins tender.
- Use room-temperature dairy and eggs: Room-temperature sour cream, milk, and eggs blend more smoothly into the batter and help the muffins rise evenly.
- Do not overmix: Stop folding as soon as the flour disappears. A few small lumps in muffin batter are normal.
- Make tall muffin tops: Fill the muffin cups nearly to the top and bake at 375°F for a nicely domed, bakery-style muffin.
- Keep the crumb topping clumpy: If the topping looks too sandy, squeeze it gently with your fingers to form larger buttery crumbs before sprinkling.
Variations
- Apple walnut crumb muffins: Fold 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts or pecans into the batter with the apples for a nutty crunch.
- Caramel apple muffins: After cooling, drizzle each muffin with 1 teaspoon thick caramel sauce for a dessert-style finish.
- Whole wheat apple muffins: Replace 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour in the batter with 1/2 cup whole wheat flour for a slightly heartier flavor.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. To keep the crumb topping from getting too soft, place a paper towel in the bottom of the container and another paper towel loosely over the muffins before sealing. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days, then warm individual muffins in a 300°F oven for 8 minutes or in the microwave for 12 seconds. To freeze, wrap cooled muffins individually and place them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1 hour or warm from frozen in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes. The crumb topping can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated; the apples are best diced right before mixing so they stay fresh and bright.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 286 kcal | Carbs: 39g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Sodium: 224mg | Cholesterol: 66mg
