These apple cinnamon muffins are the perfect way to start your day! Filled with tender apples in every bite, they are so delicious plus quick and easy to make.
I'm in need of a reminder right now that, despite the freezing cold temperature in Minnesota currently, fall is in the air! And these apple cinnamon muffins are just the thing to do that. They are soft and moist with a crunchy top from the brown sugar, packed with tender apples, and filled with so much cinnamon flavor. These could not be easier to make! The batter comes together so quickly, and then after a short bake time, they are ready to be devoured.
Ingredients for Apple Cinnamon Muffins:
- All-purpose flour: You can also sub whole wheat flour for a slightly healthier batch of muffins.
- Baking powder: The perfect leavener that helps the muffins rise high and makes them extra soft.
- Baking soda: Just a tiny bit to help the baking powder work.
- Salt: Just half a teaspoon to enhance the flavors.
- Cinnamon: A full tablespoon for tons of cinnamon flavor!
- Unsalted butter, melted: Adds great flavor and makes the muffins extra tender and moist. If all you have is salted butter use a quarter teaspoon of salt instead of half a teaspoon.
- Sugar: Brown sugar and white sugar. I tested this recipe using all white sugar and using all brown sugar. Using both gave the muffins the perfect chewy texture and sweetness.
- Eggs: Eggs serve as a binder and give structure and stability. This recipe uses 2 large eggs.
- Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons adds a hint of vanilla that gives the muffins a more complex flavor.
- Milk: Adds moisture, I recommend using whole milk but you can also use reduced-fat or a non-dairy version.
- Apples: 2 cups, peeled, cored, and diced into tiny pieces. For 2 cups you will need 1-2 medium apples.
- More brown sugar, for topping: When the muffins bake the brown sugar becomes caramelized and adds a crisp and sweet crunch to the tops of the muffins. It also makes the tops sparkle which gives them a great bakery-style appearance.
Best Apples for Baking:
Granny Smith apples are my personal favorite to use for baking. Some others that work well are Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Golden Delicious, or Jonagold. Be sure to dice them small so that they become tender during baking.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Muffins:
- Preheat your oven to 350° and line a 12-count muffin pan with muffin liners or spray generously with non-stick spray.
- In a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and set aside.
- In a larger bowl, whisk together the melted butter, both sugars, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth.
- Fold the diced apples into the batter and add the batter to the muffin liners filling them all the way to the top.
- Sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar and bake for 22-23 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
How to Freeze and Reheat Muffins:
Muffins and muffin batter can easily be frozen, perfect for a quick and easy breakfast that you can prepare in advance.
To freeze baked muffins:
- Allow to cool completely to room temperature, then place in the freezer for one hour until mostly hard. Then transfer them to a large plastic bag and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To reheat, microwave frozen muffins for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Or bake in an oven or toaster oven at 325° for 5-10 minutes.
To freeze muffin batter:
- Insert muffin liners into the pan and add the batter. Set the pan flat in the freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours. Once completely frozen, remove the batter-filled liners and place them in a large plastic bag. Keep frozen for up to 2 months.
To reheat, place the frozen muffin batter cups in the muffin pan and bake as directed. Add 3-5 minutes to the baking time.
More Breakfast Recipes:
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 cups apples, peeled, cored, and diced into tiny pieces
- Brown sugar, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners or spray generously with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a larger bowl whisk the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Fold the diced apples into the batter and add to the prepared muffin pan, filling all the way to the top. Sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar and bake for 22-23 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
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