You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they’re prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors. Enjoy with or without the crumb top (I recommend with), anytime of the year!

You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.

There’s nothing like a good apple muffin to cozy up to with a warm cup of coffee on a crisp morning of fall, or anytime of the year really. If you agree, these fluffy apple crumb muffins are exactly what you need. The recipe comes together easily and yields fantastic muffins, that are both tall and fluffy, and filled with tender apples spiced with cinnamon and/or vanilla.

You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.
You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.
You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.

Sweet but not overly sweet, these apple muffins can be made with or without the crumb topping. They make a delicious sweet treat for snack, breakfast, or anything in between. Learn how to make them too!

Why you’ll love these apple crumb muffins

  • The recipe comes together easily and in no time
  • The muffins are loaded with tender apples
  • They feature a perfectly moist crumb
  • A classic to make year-round: Spice it up with cinnamon for a perfect cozy fall treat, with vanilla bean paste for anytime of the year.
You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.

How to make these apple crumb muffins

  • Start with the crumb topping (skip if not using). Starting with this step allows the mixture to chill while you’re making the muffins. Simply mix all the ingredients together, creating large crumbs – don’t break them.
  • Dice your apples. There is no need to peel, unless you want it. Simply core the apples and dice into small pieces.
  • Now make the muffin batter. Combine all the dry ingredients first. In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients, then fold in the dry ingredients until combined. Make sure you do not overmix. Add the apples and spread evenly in the batter.
  • Fill the muffin cups all the way to the top, then gently press the crumb mixture on top (if using) and bake!
You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.
You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.
You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.
You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.

What kind of apples should I use for apple muffins?

For these muffins, you’ll need about 2 medium apples. Choose firmer apples that hold their shape while baking. Gala, Granny Smith, Golden, Honeycrisp, Fuji and Pink Lady are all good candidates for these muffins.

How to create the tall muffin top?

For tall muffin tops, you want to make sure the muffin cups are filled with the batter all the way to the top. Then, start baking at a very high temperature (400°F/200°C) to quickly lift up the muffin tops. Then lower the temperature (375°F/(190°C) to allow the muffin centers to bake. I recommend using a timer for the first few minutes, so you don’t forget to lower the oven temperature (it happened to me a few times).

You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.
You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.
You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.

Pro baking tips

  • Do not overmix the batter. Overmixing would result in dense muffins. To avoid this from happening, mix the batter just until the dry ingredients are incorporated to keep the muffins tender.
  • Let the batter rest before using. This is not strictly necessary, but I find that letting the muffin batter rest helps the baking powder to activate and creates fluffier muffins. So if you have 10-15 minutes ahead of you, go ahead and let the batter rest a little.
  • Fill the muffin paper cups up to the top. This is how you get your muffins to rise and create this fluffy dome on top.
  • Dice the apple into small pieces. Big chunks of apples would make the muffins to collapse when eating, while small pieces ensures that they’re nicely spread out through the batter.
  • Create large crumbs and press slightly into the batter. If you’re using the crumb top, you’ll want to ensure they remain large rather than crumbled. Press them slightly into the batter on top of the muffins, so they don’t fall out while baking and remain crispy.

Make them seasonal (or not)

For many of us, apples and apple muffins evoke fall and all the warm and cozy spices that come with it. These apple crumb muffins are loaded with cinnamon and vanilla, making them a good fall treat to enjoy with a warm cup of whipped coffee, vegan spiced beet latte, or tea.

But you can also make these apple muffins without making them too seasonal. Skip the cinnamon in the recipe and use vanilla only instead, and you’ve got a delicious muffin to enjoy anytime of the year!

You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.

Recipe variations

Once you master the recipe, you can create many different variations you like. Replace the apples with diced pears or blueberries, add a few walnuts or pecans to the batter, or simply play with the spices (cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, allspice…).

More apple recipes you’ll love:

You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.
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Apple Crumb Muffins

You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they're prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.
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  • Author: Delphine Fortin
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 18 mins
  • Total Time: 33 minutes
  • Yield: 9 muffins 1x
  • Category: Muffins

You will fall in love with these apple crumb muffins. Easy to make, they’re prepared with tender apples, feature a perfectly moist crumb, and are loaded with warm, cozy flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

For the muffins:

  • 1 ½ cup (180g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (45g) light brown sugar
  • 1 stick (115g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup (120g) plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
  • 2 cups (240g) diced apples (peeled or not), about 2 medium apples**

For the crumb topping:

  • ⅔ cup (80g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (45g) light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ stick (60g) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. For the crumb topping (if using). Mix together flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter, and then gently mix in the flour using a fork. Keep the mixture as large crumbles and do not over-mix. Set aside while making the muffins.
  3. For the muffins. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
  4. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix together sugars and melted butter, until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes (you can also just whisk together by hand). Add the eggs, yogurt and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  5. With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two or three additions, and beat until no flour pockets remain. If you have time, allow the batter to rest for 10-15 minutes for taller, fluffier muffins (this step is recommended but not strictly necessary). Gently fold in the apples into the batter.
  6. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan and fill up to the top of the paper liner. Top each muffin with the crumb topping.
  7. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes, and then lower the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 18 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The muffins should be golden on the side and set in the center. Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving. Keep covered at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week.

Notes

* You can skip the cinnamon and keep the vanilla only, to create a French apple muffins recipe.

** There is no need to peel, unless you want it. If you keep the peel on, prefer organic, non-treated apples.

Apples, Fall, Muffins, Winter, Year Round

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Apple Crumb Muffins, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!