Apple Crisp Muffins are super moist, full of fresh apples, and cinnamon with an amazing crumble topping! They're full of cinnamon apple flavor like an apple pie or apple crisp in muffin form!
Apple pie muffins mash up the comfort of traditional apple pie with the ease and convenience of portable muffins. Just imagine the aroma of warm spices mingling with sweet apples wafting through your kitchen as you bake a batch of these delightful treats.
These muffins are an ingenious spin on a classic dessert! They're full of chunks of apple and crowned with a cinnamon streusel-crusted top. These muffins offer the perfect excuse to enjoy fall's favorite flavors at any time of the year.
Love muffins? Try my Pumpkin Muffins, Coffee Doughnut Muffins and our German Pancake Muffins next. Even better enjoy them with your favorite Fall Coffee Recipes.
Why You Will Love This Apple Muffin Recipe
- Perfect for Any Time of Day. With a hint of spice and tender chunks of apple, these easy, moist muffins can be enjoyed for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or a delightful dessert.
- Sweet and Crunchy Topping. The nuts and streusel topping add a delightful sweet and crisp texture and tons more flavor.
- Everyone Loves Them. These crowd pleasing muffins are enjoyed by both children and adults alike.
Ingredients
Here's a look at the ingredients needed to make these apple pie muffins.
Muffins
- Apples: Choose apples that hold their shape when cooked. I like Granny Smith apples that are tart and sour in desserts like this sweet muffin. Other apples to use include Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Fuji and Gala. Sometimes I love to mix a sweet apples with sour apples to make up the two cups you need for this recipe. Check out the Washington Apple Commission apple list for more about apples. It has pictures and a short description of each apple along with its its best use. It will come in handy when deciding which apple to use.
- Flour: The foundation of your muffins, providing structure.
- Brown Sugar: Makes muffins moist and adds sweetness. We're using it in the muffins and it helps make the crumble topping.
- Baking Soda: This leavening agent help your muffins rise.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Cinnamon brings a warm, sweet aroma that complements apples while nutmeg complements the cinnamon and enhances the overall taste of your muffins.
- Egg: Adds structure and helps to bind ingredients together.
- Buttermilk: Adds a mild tangy flavor as well as moisture and tenderness to your muffins.
- Butter: Adds to the muffins' moisture and texture.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla is a universal crowd-pleaser, but feel free add your desired extract flavor to your batter like almond or maple extract instead for slightly different flavor.
- Add Nuts: Pecans or walnuts go well with the apples to give your muffins and the topping added crunch.
- Raisins: For more natural sweetness to each bite but you can also use other dried fruits including dried cranberries.
- Butter: Necessary for moistening the crumble topping.
See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Variations
- Gluten-Free Apple Muffins: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend instead of regular flour. Just be sure it's a blend which contains ingredients like xanthan gum to help it work like regular flour.
- Whole Wheat Flour: For a healthier twist, substitute half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour may require more liquid so if the batter seems thick add a bit more buttermilk to thin it out.
- No Buttermilk: Pour one tablespoon of vinegar into a liquid measuring cup and then fill up to the one cup line with milk. Let it sit for five minutes.
- Pear Muffins. Swap the apple for pears.
How to Make Apple Crisp Muffins
Here's a look at the simple steps for making apple crumb muffins.
Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry and mix together.
Step 3: Add the apples and raisins if you're using them to the bowl and mix them in.
Step 4: Add the mixture to a muffin pan using liners or well greased openings.
Step 5: Combine the muffin topping in a bowl and mix together until the mixture is crumbly.
Step 6: Add the crumble topping to the muffins. Feel free to pile it on and use up ALL the mixture.
Step 7: Bake the muffins for 25 minutes. Allow them to cool in pan.
Step 8: Serve and Enjoy!
⭐️ Hint: Your batter should be uniform but still somewhat lumpy. Be careful not to over-mix, as this can result in tough, dense muffins.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy our Cream Cheese Stuffed Cupcakes, Apple Dumplings with Crescent Rolls and Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes.
Storage
- Storing: Place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, including the day you made them. You can also refrigerate them for up to 5 days or place them in the freezer for up to three months.
- Reheat: Warm in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or until heated through. Thaw them out before reheating for the best results.
Tips
- Apples Throughout the Muffins. Gently fold in the apple pieces to ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Use Liners or Grease the Muffin Pan. This reduces sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
- Mixing. Mix dry ingredients first and then add wet ingredients. This helps to ensure you don't over-mix the batter. This leads to tough, dense muffins rather than light and fluffy ones.
- Filling the Pan. Go all the way to the top of the opening to achieve that desirable bakery-style dome.
- Doneness: The toothpick test is a simple method to check muffin doneness. Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, your apple pie muffins are done. Begin checking a bit earlier to avoid over-baking.
- Peeling the Apples. Peeling is recommended for the best texture but it's not required.
- Serving: Enjoy your muffins warm spread with butter, rhubarb jam, peach jalapeno jam, or strawberry jam with jalapenos.
Video
Other Delicious Apple Recipes to Try
We just love apples in this house so here are some of my favorite apple recipes! If you're looking for more muffin recipes check out our favorite Fall Muffin Recipes.
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Apple Crisp Muffins
Equipment
- muffin pan with 12 holes
Ingredients
Muffins
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cup apples, diced peeling is recommended but optional
Optional Mix-Ins
- ½ cup raisins if desired
- ½ cup pecans, or walnuts chopped
Topping
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine dry ingredients (flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg) into a large bowl.
- Add wet ingredients (egg, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract) and stir until blended. Do not overmix. If adding raisins or chopped nuts add them now.
- Add apples and gently stir until coated.
- Add to muffin pan, ideally with cups or liners or coated with cooking spray or melted butter. Fill to top edge of muffin pan.
- In a small bowl combine topping ingredients. Use fingers or another kitchen tool to coat everything in butter. Totally cover muffins with ALL of the topping.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Apples Throughout the Muffins. Gently fold in the apple pieces to ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Use Liners or Grease the Muffin Pan. This reduces sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
- Mixing. Mix dry ingredients first and then add wet ingredients. This helps to ensure you don't over-mix the batter. This leads to tough, dense muffins rather than light and fluffy ones.
- Filling the Pan. Go all the way to the top of the opening to achieve that desirable bakery-style dome.
- Doneness: The toothpick test is a simple method to check muffin doneness. Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, your apple pie muffins are done. Begin checking a bit earlier to avoid over-baking.
- Peeling the Apples. Peeling is recommended for the best texture but it's not required.
- Serving: Enjoy your muffins warm spread with butter, rhubarb jam, peach jalapeno jam, or strawberry jam with jalapenos.
Nutrition
This post was originally published October 2018. It has been updated with new images and content.
Anonymous says
So good. Several compliments for them at last evening's party. I also added additional Pecan to apple batter.
Karin and Ken says
You just made my day! Thanks for letting me know. All the best. Karin
Kim GREVIOUS says
Do you peel the apples or just dice them with the skin on? I can't wait to make these tomorrow!
Karin and Ken says
I afraid there is no right answer to this. At the end of the day it comes down to personal preference. I prefer to remove the skin and dice the apples because I prefer the texture of the muffin without the skin on the apples. My close friend leaves the skin on and likes the additional vitamins and the crunch she says the skin brings. She is sitting right beside me and I told her I would let you know that but in my opinion make them without the skin. These muffins are AMAZING in our opinion! Please take a moment to let me know what you think if you have a moment! We can’t wait to hear! All the best. Karin
Kim Grevious says
Made these this afternoon. I made them with peeled diced granny smith apples and they look amazing and are the best tasting apple muffins I have ever had or baked! So moist and so much apple flavor in every bite. I ate bottom up to save the muffin top for last. Husband ate top down. and he thought pecans in the muffins with the apples and rasins would be great too. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe. I can't wait to try more of your recipes. Take care, Kim
Karin and Ken says
Thank you for your kind words. I love these muffins too! I can’t wait to hear what you think of some of my other recipes! I do my best. My husband and I eat them differently too. Too funny. Thank you for making my day. Hope to talk soon. Take care and be well. Karin
Karen says
Can I remove the pecans from the topping and have good results? Nut allergy.
Karin and Ken says
You bet! I have done it myself on several occasions because I made the mistake of thinking I had them. These muffins still turned out great in my opinion! Please let me know what you think after you give them a try. I would love to hear what you think. Take care and be well. Karin
Debbie says
Could you use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
Karin and Ken says
All you need to make a substitute for buttermilk in baking recipes is milk and white vinegar, or lemon juice. I typically use 2% or whole milk and fresh lemon juice, but bottled will also work and work well. Measure one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup. Add in milk until filled to the 1 cup measurement line. Stir the mixture together and let sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, the milk will have thickened and curdled slightly which means success! You can now substitute 1:1 or in equal parts. I have had to do that myself on several occasions and the recipe turned out great! Unfortunately, if using regular milk as is the recipe will not work without adding the lemon juice or vinegar. Hope this helps and you are still able to make these muffins. They are delicious! Take care and be well. Karin
Gina says
I can't t wait to try these!
Do you think it's possible to make it in loaf form?
If so, how long would you recommend baking.
Thanks!
Anonymous says
I'm gonna give that idea a try
Karin and Ken says
I think you will be glad you did! Enjoy! Karin
Marina says
My husband and I love these muffins. I make them often. Thanks.
Karin and Ken says
So happy to hear that you enjoy them. Thank you for taking the time to let me know. All the best. Karin
Arlene says
there is just the two of us. Do these freeze well?
Karin and Ken says
Yes they do! Enjoy every bite! These muffins are delicious! All the best. Karin
Lou says
Love the topping. Best Apple muffins ever. Will make these again. Thank you for sharing this recipe
Karin and Ken says
You are most welcome! I love the topping too! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! Enjoy the rest of your day! Karin
Sandra says
These muffins were excellent. Will definitely make these again. I ate 2 right after they came out of the oven and I highly recommend trying at least one this way!
Karin and Ken says
Glad you loved them! They are so good warm, out of the oven. I’m glad I’m not the only one who tries at least one as soon as they are baked! Can’t thank you enough for taking the time to comment. I am grateful. All the best. Karin
Anette says
Best apple muffins ever and I added pecans. Will make again.Thank you for sharing
Karin and Ken says
So glad to hear you enjoyed them and added more pecans! I bet they were even better! Pecans are my favorite! The more the better! All the best. Karin