Tender, buttery apple muffins filled with warm cinnamon and fresh apple, topped with a generous brown sugar streusel and finished with an optional maple icing.
These apple streusel muffins are everything I want in a fall muffin. They’re soft and buttery inside, packed with chunks of apple, and topped with a generous layer of cinnamon brown sugar streusel.
The muffins bake up tall and bakery-style, while buttermilk keeps them tender. If you love a good crumb-topped muffin, try our strawberry muffins with ginger crumb topping too. And for another tasty apple breakfast, our caramel apple French toast is hard to beat.
I love these warm with a cup of coffee or tall glass of milk, either just as they are or finished with the optional maple icing.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients at a Glance
- All-Purpose Flour. All-purpose flour provides the structure for both the muffins and the streusel topping.
- Light Brown Sugar. Adds moisture and a caramel-like sweetness to the muffin batter and streusel.
- Granulated Sugar. Used with the brown sugar to balance the sweetness and texture of both the muffins and topping.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg. Cinnamon and nutmeg flavor both the muffins and streusel.
- Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt. Baking powder and baking soda help the muffins rise, while salt balances the sweetness. The baking soda also works with the acidity in the buttermilk.
- Unsalted Butter. Softened butter is creamed with the sugars for the muffin batter, while melted butter brings the streusel together into coarse crumbs.
- Large Eggs. Eggs add structure and richness to the muffins. Bring them to room temperature before mixing for easier incorporation.
- Vanilla Extract. Adds flavor to both the muffin batter and the optional maple icing.
- Buttermilk. Keeps the crumb soft and tender and provides the acidity needed to work with the baking soda.
- Apples. Granny Smith or Honeycrisp both work well. Peel, core, and dice them into small pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the batter.
- Powdered Sugar, Maple Syrup, and Whole Milk. These make the optional maple icing. The muffins are also delicious without icing, or you can use a simple vanilla icing instead.
How to Make Them (Photo Tutorial)
Tips for Success
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Let the butter, eggs, and buttermilk come to room temperature before mixing. This helps the batter come together more evenly.
- Keep the apple pieces small. Dice the apples into about ¼-inch pieces so they distribute evenly through the batter without weighing down the muffins. Stick with the full 1½ cups; adding more can make the muffins collapse.
- Mix gently once the flour goes in. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients only until a few streaks of flour remain, then finish mixing as you fold in the apples. This helps keep the muffins tender instead of dense.
- Chill the streusel. Refrigerating the topping while you make the batter helps the crumbs hold their shape in the oven. Press the streusel gently into the tops before baking so more of it stays attached.
- Don’t skip the high-temperature start. The first 5 minutes at 425 F (220 C) help the muffins rise quickly and develop those tall, bakery-style tops. Then lower the oven to 375 F (190 C) so they can finish baking without overbrowning the streusel.
- Let them cool slightly before icing. If you’re using the maple icing, give the muffins about 10 minutes to cool first. They’ll still be warm, but the icing will sit on top instead of melting completely into the muffins.
Make Ahead Tips
- Bake them a day or two ahead. Un-iced muffins keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Line the container with paper towels and place another layer on top to help absorb excess moisture from the apples and streusel.
- Wait to add the icing if you can. For the best texture, store the muffins un-iced and add the maple icing just before serving. If they’re already iced, keep them refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for longer storage. Cool the muffins completely, wrap them individually, and freeze in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then add the maple icing after thawing for the best results.
- Warm before serving. If you like them warm, reheat thawed muffins briefly before serving. Frozen muffins can also be warmed in a 300 F (150 C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Ways to Serve Them
Storage and Reheating
- Room Temperature. Store un-iced muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To retain the best texture, line the container with paper towels and place another layer on top of the muffins to help absorb excess moisture.
- Refrigerator. If you’ve added the maple icing, store the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring them to room temperature before serving, or warm them briefly in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Freezer. For the best results, freeze the muffins without the icing. Once completely cool, wrap each muffin individually and place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheating From Frozen. Thaw the muffins at room temperature, or warm them from frozen in a 300 F (150 C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the maple icing after thawing and reheating.
More Apple and Fall Baking Recipes
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For the streusel topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the apple muffins
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 ½ cups apples peeled, cored, and diced, cut into about ¼-inch pieces (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work well)
For the maple icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons whole milk plus more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
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Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
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Add the ½ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the 3 ½ tablespoons melted unsalted butter and stir until the mixture forms coarse, chunky crumbs. Refrigerate while you prepare the muffin batter. (Note 1)
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Add the 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg to a medium bowl. Whisk until evenly combined and set aside.
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Add the ½ cup softened unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, and ½ cup light brown sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
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Beat in the 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract mix just until combined.
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Pour in the ¾ cup buttermilk and mix on low speed just until combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this point; this is normal. (Note 2)
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently until just a few streaks of flour remain. Add the diced apples and continue folding just until the apples are evenly distributed and no dry flour remains. (Note 3)
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Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. The cups will be almost full.
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Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of the chilled streusel over each muffin. Gently press the streusel into the batter with the back of a spoon to help it stay in place as the muffins bake. (Note 1)
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Bake on the center rack at 425 F (220 C) for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 375 F (190 C) and continue baking for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with a few moist crumbs. (Note 4)
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Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. If adding the maple icing, let the muffins cool for about 10 minutes before drizzling so the icing doesn’t melt completely into the warm muffins.
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Add the 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 2 teaspoons whole milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, and pinch of salt to a small bowl and whisk until smooth and thick but pourable. If the icing is too thick, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. If it is too thin, add powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. (Note 5)
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Drizzle the maple icing over the muffins. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- The streusel should resemble coarse, chunky crumbs rather than a fine, sandy mixture. Chilling it while you prepare the batter helps the crumbs hold their shape during baking. Gently pressing the streusel into the batter helps keep it attached to the muffins.
- The mixture may look slightly separated after you add the buttermilk. This is normal. Don’t keep beating it in an attempt to make it perfectly smooth.
- Don’t overmix. Fold the batter only until the dry ingredients are incorporated and the apples are evenly distributed. Overmixing can make the muffins dense instead of tender.
- Starting the muffins at 425 F (220 C) gives them an initial blast of heat that helps create tall, bakery-style tops. Reducing the temperature to 375 F (190 C) allows the centers to finish baking without overbrowning the streusel.
- The icing is optional. The muffins are also delicious without icing, or you can substitute a simple vanilla icing.
Storage
Store uniced muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For the best texture, line the container with a paper towel and place another paper towel over the muffins to absorb excess moisture.
Store iced muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring them to room temperature before serving or warm them briefly in the microwave.
To freeze, cool the uniced muffins completely, wrap them individually, and place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm from frozen in a 300 F (150 C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes. For best results, add the maple icing after thawing.
Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 412IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2mg
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 336kcal
