If you’re craving cozy fall flavors (or just love a good bakery-style muffin), these Apple Cinnamon Muffins are a must-bake. Each one is soft, moist, and packed with tender chunks of apple and warm cinnamon spice. Add a buttery crumb topping and a drizzle of sweet vanilla icing, and you’ve got yourself a muffin that feels like it came straight out of a coffee shop bakery case.
They’re perfect for chilly mornings, weekend brunches, or anytime you want your kitchen to smell amazing.
Why You’ll Love These Muffins
These muffins are more than just a sweet treat—they’re like mini apple cinnamon cakes with the fluffiness of a cupcake and the heartiness of a breakfast muffin. A little yogurt (or sour cream) in the batter keeps them soft and rich, and the crumb topping? Let’s just say don’t skip it. It adds a subtle crunch and extra cinnamon-sugar flavor that makes them feel extra special.
And while they’re perfect as-is, a light drizzle of vanilla icing really takes them to the next level.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Muffins:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder + baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Butter
- Brown sugar + granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Plain yogurt or sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
- Fresh apples (peeled and diced)
For the Crumb Topping:
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Cinnamon
- Melted butter
- Flour
Optional Icing:
- Powdered sugar
- Cream or milk
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Start by heating your oven to 425°F and lining a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly greasing it. This recipe makes about 14 muffins, so you may need a second pan or to bake in batches.
Step 2: Make the crumb topping
In a bowl, combine both sugars and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter, then gently mix in the flour with a fork until large crumbles form. Don’t overmix—it should stay chunky.
Step 3: Mix the muffin batter
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugars until creamy, then mix in eggs, yogurt, and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients along with the milk, mixing just until combined. Fold in the diced apples.
Step 4: Fill and top
Spoon the batter into muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top. Sprinkle with crumb topping, gently pressing it into the batter so it sticks.
Step 5: Bake
Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then without opening the oven, lower the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 15–18 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 6: Add icing (optional)
Whisk together powdered sugar, a splash of cream or milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled muffins and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Muffins
- Use firm apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith—they hold up best during baking.
- Don’t skip the high-heat start—that initial 5 minutes at 425°F helps create those beautiful tall muffin tops.
- Make it ahead: You can freeze baked muffins (without icing) for up to 3 months. Just thaw and drizzle before serving.
Apple Cinnamon Muffin
Ingredients
Crumb Topping:
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 4 tbsp melted butter
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
Muffins:
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup softened butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup yogurt or sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk
- 1½ cups diced apples about 2 medium
Icing (Optional):
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp cream or milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a muffin pan or grease well.
- Make the crumb topping and set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients in one bowl. In another, beat butter and sugars. Add eggs, yogurt, and vanilla.
- Gradually mix in dry ingredients and milk until just combined. Fold in apples.
- Fill muffin cups to the top. Add crumb topping and press gently.
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 15–18 more minutes.
- Cool slightly, then drizzle with icing if using.
I converted this recipe to gluten free cup 4 cup flour and added chopped pecans to the crumb topping they baked great and taste fantastic!