These Apple Muffins are serving up delicious, bakery-style vibes with crumbly cinnamon streusel. The muffins are incredibly moist, full of warm spices, and packed with bits of fresh apple pieces strewn throughout. A sweet and luscious apple cider cinnamon icing is the (optional) finishing touch on these irresistible muffins!

spoon icing apple muffins on wooden platter

Y’all, I love me a good muffin. A super moist, flavorful muffin that hits. My blueberry muffins are one of my favorite things to bake on repeat. With us being in the thick of the fall season, I’ve had these apple muffins in my drafts just waiting for their moment. Every single time I make a batch, they’re gone within minutes to happy family, friends, neighbors…you name it, ha.

ingredients for apple muffins in bowls

The Best Apple Muffins 🍎

If you love apples, well, these muffins are right up your alley! Let’s start with the fact that there is maximum apple goodness throughout these babies.

Fresh chopped apples, apple butter, and apple cider make an appearance in the recipe…yum! The apple muffins are super moist and full of warm spices that make ’em so fragrant. Lastly, the bakery-style vibe, hello!

apple muffin batter in large bowl with whisk
apple pieces on top of batter in large bowl with spoon
apple muffin batter in bowl
cinnamon streusel in bowl with spoon

How To Make These Apple Muffins:

(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners. Then set aside.
  • Build the apple muffin batter. Bring together the dry ingredients, then bring together the wet ingredients, and then combine. Then gently fold the chopped apples into the muffin batter.
  • Make the streusel topping. In a medium bowl, combine the streusel ingredients and mix until you get sand-like crumbles.
apple muffin batter with streusel in muffin pan
apple muffins with cinnamon streusel in muffin pan
baked apple muffins in muffin pan
glazed apple muffins in muffin pan

Muffin Assembly & Baking:

  • Use a large, spring-loaded scoop or spoon to fill the muffin liners/wells with an even amount of batter, filling each all the way to the top. Then sprinkle a generous amount of streusel topping onto the top of each muffin, gently pressing it down so it sticks.
  • Bake the muffins for 25-27 minutes. Then let the muffins cool.
  • Make the icing & finish. In a bowl, combine the icing ingredients and mix until silky smooth. Drizzle the icing over the apple muffins. Serve, stat 👅!
glazed apple muffins on parchment paper in wooden bowl

Tips + Tricks & More:

  1. Apple varieties. I use honeycrisp apples here, but go for whatever variety you desire!
  2. Apple butter note. These apple muffins call for apple butter in the muffin batter; however, you can substitute it with applesauce!
  3. Gluten-free needs? Swap the all-purpose flour for any gluten-free baking flour as a 1:1 ratio (we love Bob’s Red Mill gf flour!).
  4. To glaze or not. Listen, the icing here is optional, but highly recommended to fully experience the magical goodness of these apple muffins!
sliced apple muffin with butter on plate

These delectable Apple Muffins are quite possibly the greatest thing, ever. Apple lovers, tap into this recipe, you’ll love! Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾

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spoon icing apple muffins on wooden platter

Glazed Bakery-Style Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel

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  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 12
  • Category: Breakfast, Brunch
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

These Apple Muffins are serving up delicious, bakery-style vibes with crumbly cinnamon streusel. The muffins are incredibly moist, full of warm spices, and packed with bits of fresh apple pieces strewn throughout. A sweet and luscious apple cider cinnamon icing is the (optional) finishing touch on these irresistible muffins!

Ingredients

For the streusel topping:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted & slightly cooled

For the apple muffins:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup full-fat sour cream
  • ½ cup apple butter (or applesauce as sub)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla essence (extract or paste)
  • 1 large honey crisp apple, cored & finely chopped (skin-on or off)
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, to coat chopped apples

For the icing (optional but recommended):

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider beverage (not vinegar!)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla essence (extract or paste)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners. Alternatively, you can spray the wells with nonstick cooking spray. Then set aside.
  2. Make the streusel topping. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon and whisk to combine. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture resembles coarse, sand-like crumbles. I like to use my hands to form the streusel. Then set aside until ready to use.
  3. Build the apple muffins. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and whisk the dry ingredients well to thoroughly combine and set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, brown sugar, oil, sour cream, apple butter, and vanilla essence and whisk the wet ingredients well to fully combine. Add the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet mixture and mix until just combined with no remaining flour streaks.
  5. In a medium bowl, combine the chopped apple pieces and 1 tablespoon of flour. Toss the mixture together until the apples are well coated in flour. Then gently fold the flour-coated apples into the muffin batter.
  6. Use a large, spring-loaded scoop or spoon to fill the muffin liners/wells with an even amount of batter, filling each all the way to the top. Then sprinkle a generous amount of streusel topping onto the top of each muffin, gently pressing it down so it sticks. Place the muffins into the oven and reduce the heat to 375°F.
  7. Bake the muffins for 25-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
  8. Make the icing & finish. In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, apple cider beverage, and vanilla essence. Whisk the mixture until well combined and silky smooth. Drizzle the icing over the slightly cooled muffins. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Gluten-free needs? Swap the all-purpose flour for any gluten-free baking flour as a 1:1 ratio (we love Bob’s Red Mill gf flour!).
  2. Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.

Recipe by: Quin Liburd- Butter Be Ready

Photography by: The Mindful Hapa