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Indulge in the flavors of autumn with delectable Apple Spice Muffins. Perfectly spiced, moist, and filled with chunks of fresh apples, these muffins are the ultimate fall treat.
Why Make This Apple Muffin Recipe
- Packed with Fall Flavors. Apple crumble muffins are a quintessential autumn treat, offering a symphony of flavors and textures. The tender crumb of the muffin meets the juicy, slightly tangy bursts of apple, all enveloped in the warmth of spices. These muffins are like a cozy hug for your taste buds.
- Bakery Fresh with Real Apple. These muffins have fresh apples baked right in plus they’re finished off with a delicious and easy streusel topping. The topping adds a great texture and makes them look fresh from a bakery.
- Guaranteed Crowd Pleaser. The muffins are always a HUGE hit with friends and family, I am confident you will be proud serving them too. Also try my FAVORITE fall treat — these Apple Pastries.
If you love fall muffins you’ve got to try my Pumpkin Banana Muffins and these Cinnamon Muffins if you want some more fall flavors.
Ingredients Needed
- Apples. I prefer a mellow, sweet apple like a gala or fiji apple but feel free to use any baking apple you prefer. Granny Smith are always a popular option for baking.
- Spices. These apple streusel muffins use a blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, and apple spice for a complex flavor. You can also use pumpkin pie spice in place of the apple spice if you want.
- Sugar. You will need both brown and white granulated sugar. This combination creates a tender, moist crumb while also improving the flavor with the addition of brown sugar.
- Baking Powder. Be sure the baking powder in fresh, this is the number one reason baking recipes can fail.
- Butter: Creaming the butter with the sugars aerates the muffins and it also adds a rich flavor you don’t get from liquid fats.
- Eggs: Make sure to use room temperature eggs so they mix evenly.
- All-Purpose Flour: The flour provides the structure for your muffins. If you want to make gluten-free muffins you can replace it with a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum and other ingredients that help it behave like regular flour.
- Oats: Used to make the apple streusel topping for the muffins.
Recipe Variations
- Dairy-Free: Replace the butter with a solid dairy-free butter alternative.
- Add Nuts or Dried Fruits: You can add some chopped walnuts or pecans to the apple muffin batter along with the diced apples. Another option is to add them to the streusel topping.
- Gluten-Free: Swap the flour but also make sure your oats are marked gluten-free. While oatmeal is naturally gluten-free it’s often processed alongside wheat so there may be some cross-contamination.
- Whole Wheat Apple Muffins: You can make these apple crumb muffins a little healthier by using whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour adds a nutty flavor and extra fiber.
How to Make Apple Spice Muffins
Remove your eggs and butter about thirty minutes before making your muffins. Preheat your oven and prepare your muffin pan in advance.
- Step One. Cream the softened butter and both sugars together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This will take about 2-3 minutes. Add the apples, eggs and vanilla to the wet mix.
- Step Two. Mix until combined.
- Step Three. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, apple pie spice and ground nutmeg in a medium bow. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture.
- Step Four. Mix them together. Batter will be a bit thick. Do not overmix otherwise the muffins can get ruined with too much air. Add the muffin mix to the muffin liners.
PRO TIP: If you are using regular-sized muffin liners, fill the openings about 1/2 of the way to make 12+ muffins. If you are using large tulip muffin liner (as pictured) this will make about 9 large muffins.
- Step Five. Make the streusel topping.Add the butter, spices, apples, salt, oats and brown sugar to a skillet. Mix together well for about 1-2 minutes just until the butter is melted and everything is evenly mixed.
- Step Six. Add about 1-2 Tbsp of the streusel to the top of the muffin batter. Gently press down if needed to get the streusel to stick. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Check for Doneness. Don’t simply rely on time as an indicator. All oven temperatures may vary so check it’s best to check with a toothpick. When it comes out clean your muffins are ready.
- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container or ziplock and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the muffins for up to 2 months. I like to freeze them individually so I can take out one or two at a time. Thaw them out on the counter in 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight.
- Dice Apples Uniformly. When dicing the apples, aim for uniform pieces to ensure even distribution throughout the muffins. This helps with consistent texture and flavor in every bite.
- Avoid Overmixing the Batter. Over mixing can lead to tough muffins. Stir the wet and dry ingredients until they’re just combined. A few lumps in the batter are perfectly fine.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make mini apple muffins?
Sure, use a mini muffin pan instead. They will bake in less time. I suggest checking them at about ten minutes and then every few minutes after that until they’re done. How do I know when the muffins are done baking?
How do I know when the muffins are done baking?
To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it, the muffins are ready. Be cautious not to over bake, as this can lead to dry muffins.
More Delicious Muffin Recipes To Try
Breakfast
Easy Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins
Breakfast
Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Breakfast
Strawberry Yogurt Muffins
Appetizers
3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
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Apple Spice Muffins
Indulge in the flavors of autumn with Apple Spice Muffins. Perfectly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and apple pie spice, and filled with chunks of fresh apples. They make the ultimate fall treat.
Equipment
- Muffin Tin
- muffin liners
- mixing bowls
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cup apples, chopped, Any apple color of choice will work, just be sure they are chopped in equal sizes. Please note EXTRA chopped apples are needed for the streusel.
- 2 eggs
- 2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp apple pie spice, pumpkin spice will work as well
Apple Streusel Topping
- 1 cup apples, chopped
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar/brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, usually for about 2-3 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it lightly. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, apple pie spice and ground nutmeg. Set this dry mixture aside.
- Add the apples, eggs and vanilla to the wet mix, slowly mix the flour mix into the wet mix. Batter will be a bit thick, do not over mix otherwise the muffins can get ruined with too much air.
- Add the muffin mix to the muffin liners. If you are using regular sized muffin liners, fill about 1/2 of the way (this will make over 12 muffins!) If you are using large tulip muffin liner (as pictured) this will make about 9 large muffins.
- Make the streusel topping. In a skillet, add the butter, spices, salt, apples, oats and brown sugar. Mix together well for about 1-2 minutes just until the butter is melted and everything is evenly spread and mixed.
- Add about 1-2 Tbsp of the streusel to the top of the muffin batter. Gently press down if needed to get the streusel to stick. Place in the oven for 18-20 minutes. *please note all oven temps vary so check that a toothpick comes out clean to ensure it's cooked through.
Notes
- Check for Doneness. Don’t simply rely on time as an indicator. All oven temperatures may vary so check it’s best to check with a toothpick. When it comes out clean your muffins are ready.
- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container or ziplock and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the muffins for up to 2 months. I like to freeze them individually so I can take out one or two at a time. Thaw them out on the counter in 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight.
- Dice Apples Uniformly. When dicing the apples, aim for uniform pieces to ensure even distribution throughout the muffins. This helps with consistent texture and flavor in every bite.
- Avoid Overmixing the Batter. Over mixing can lead to tough muffins. Stir the wet and dry ingredients until they’re just combined. A few lumps in the batter are perfectly fine.
Nutrition
Serving: 16muffins | Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 269mg | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!
I wish i could do 10 stars … so good
that apple toppimg was perfect on my porridge this morning.
perfect for apple season! I used almond flpur and made them gluten free. I just added an extra ½ cup to the flour measurements. Might try them vegan next
fantastic!!
THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE FALL RECIPE!!!
bravo my friend. These were easy and so addicting.
These muffins really get me in the fall spirit and taste soooo good! I am excited to make these a autumn tradition in my house.