The BEST Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
This small batch of Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins are moist and flavorful, packed with small delicious chunks of apple, chopped walnuts, and warm flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg. To bring it all together, pair it with a sweet, crumbly streusel topping and vanilla glaze!
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
Muffins
- 1 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter melted
- 1 Large Egg room temperature
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk or whole milk
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Gala Apple peeled and diced into small chunks
- 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts or chopped pecans (optional)
Cinnamon Streusel
- 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter cold and chopped into small cubes
Vanilla Glaze
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar sifted (more can be added to thicken the glaze, if needed)
- 1 tbsp Whole Milk any dairy type can be used
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the 2nd level mark (just above center), preheat your oven to 425ºF, and line a cupcake/muffin tin with 8 standard muffin/cupcake liners. Tulip style liners can be used as well, if desired.
- For the cinnamon streusel topping, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. With either your clean hands or a fork, blend together with the unsalted butter until you have small streusel crumbles. Having a few big crumbles is perfectly fine too. While you prepare the rest of the recipe, you can keep the streusel topping in the refrigerator.1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour, 1/4 cup Granulated sugar, 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- Peel and chop up the apple. Keep the apple chunks small so more can go into each muffin. Set to the side.1 Gala Apple
- Using either a medium- or large-size mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Fold in your chopped apples and (optional) chopped walnuts.1 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour, 1 tsp Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp Baking Soda, 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg, 1/8 tsp Salt
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, granulated sugar, melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.1/2 cup Granulated Sugar, 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, 1 Large Egg, 1/2 cup Buttermilk , 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Using a spatula, fold in the dry ingredients mixture to the wet until just combined.
- Using a large cookie scoop or 2 spoons, evenly distribute the batter into each muffin liner, filling each one up to the top. If using tulip-style liners, you can fill them up just a bit more.
- Top with the cinnamon streusel topping and, if desired, any additional chopped walnuts (or chopped pecans).1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts
- Bake for 8 minutes at 425ºF, then (keeping the oven door closed) reduce the oven to 350ºF and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes longer or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- For the vanilla glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. If a thicker glaze is preferred, add 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar to the mixture until your desired consistency is achieved. For a brown sugar glaze substitute, see the notes section below.½ cup Powdered Sugar, 1 tbsp Whole Milk, ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- Allow the apple cinnamon streusel muffins to cool in the muffin tin for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool a bit more.
- Serve the muffins either slightly warm or at room temperature with the vanilla glaze drizzled over the top.
Video
Notes
For a brown sugar glaze substitute, bring the following ingredients to a boil in a small- to medium-size saucepan: 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, 1 teaspoon Heavy Whipping Cream, 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, lightly packed, and 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract. Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken. Drizzle over the warm or room-temperature apple streusel muffins.
When using standard cupcake liners, you will yield 8 muffins. Using the tulip-style liners as I have with my Lemon Blueberry Streusel Muffins and Chocolate Chip Muffins, you will yield 6.
Nutrition
Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 185mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 337IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2mg