Description
Scrumptious apple cinnamon crumb muffins deliver sweet comfort with rich seasonal flavors. Homemade bakery-style pastries promise a delightful breakfast treat you’ll savor with each tender, warmly spiced bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large eggs
- 1.5 cups (180 g) apples, peeled and finely diced (about 2 medium apples)
- 0.5 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 1.75 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 0.5 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 0.25 cup (55 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup (65 g) all-purpose flour (for crumb topping)
- 0.33 cup (65 g) brown sugar, packed (for crumb topping)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (for crumb topping)
- 0.25 cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted (for crumb topping)
- 0.5 cup (60 g) powdered sugar (for glaze)
- 12 tbsps milk or heavy cream (for glaze)
- 0.25 tsp vanilla extract (for glaze)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Position oven rack in middle position and preheat to 375F (190C). Prepare muffin tin with paper liners or cooking spray.
- Crumb Topping Creation: Combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Incorporate melted butter and transform into rustic clusters using a fork. Set aside momentarily.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly to ensure even distribution.
- Wet Ingredient Emulsion: Whisk melted butter with granulated and brown sugars until integrated. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla extract, stirring to create a silky, consistent mixture.
- Batter Assembly: Delicately fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, avoiding overmixing. Gently distribute diced apples throughout the batter, ensuring even incorporation.
- Muffin Formation: Fill muffin cups three-quarters full with batter. Generously sprinkle reserved crumb topping across each muffin’s surface for complete coverage.
- Baking and Cooling: Bake for 20-23 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rest muffins in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Optional Finishing Touch: Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to create a smooth glaze. Drizzle elegantly over completely cooled muffins.
Notes
- Prevent Dense Muffins: Fold dry ingredients gently into wet mixture, avoiding overmixing to keep the batter light and airy. Overmixing develops gluten, resulting in tough, dense muffins.
- Apple Selection Matters: Choose firm, slightly tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for best texture and flavor balance. Dice apples into small, uniform pieces to ensure even distribution throughout the batter.
- Crumb Topping Technique: Create irregular, chunky crumb clusters by using a fork to mix melted butter with dry ingredients. Larger, uneven clusters provide a more satisfying crunch and visual appeal.
- Moisture Preservation: Let muffins cool in the tin for exactly 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This prevents soggy bottoms while allowing steam to escape, maintaining the perfect moist interior.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg