Cinnamon Apple Muffins Recipe
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Cinnamon Apple Muffins are so scrumptious and full of warm cinnamon and crisp apple bits and finished with a cinnamon sugar topping. Favorite bakery style muffins recipe with amazing flavor and aroma, perfect to enjoy anytime.
And believe me, when autumn rolls around, these babies are in high demand.
In reality, they are perfect as a year-round breakfast treat, but for some reason, I immediately associate them with cool autumn mornings with all that cinnamon and apple deliciousness they have in their favor.
And luckily, these babies definitely have lots going on in their favor!
These cinnamon apple muffins use just one apple to make a dozen muffins, but if you prefer more apple bits in your muffins, by all means, I’d increase it to two. Dice them small so that the pieces of apple aren’t overwhelming when you take a bite of muffin. You want every single bite to be well-balanced in flavor and texture.
What Apples to Use for Cinnamon Apple Muffins?
You can use whichever baking apple you prefer. I like to use Braeburn, Rome, Jon Gold, Gala, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, and SweeTango apples in these muffins. I also like that when I bite into the apple pieces, I still know that it is apple and not make me think it is applesauce or apple butter included. Don’t you?
Along with apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla, you’ll just need some butter, milk, baking powder, salt, and eggs. The classic ingredients for a cinnamon apple muffin, I think. Nothing weird here.
Once the muffins are in the oven baking, I like to brown a little bit of butter and mix together a bowl of cinnamon sugar. Then, once the muffins have cooled slightly, I dip the tops of the muffins into the slightly warm brown butter and then into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Talk about perfection!
Amazingly enough though, folks don’t just eat the tops of the muffins and then forget about the sweet little base. They gobble the whole thing up it’s so well balanced in flavors.
But, just in case you were wondering, you can skip that indulgent little coating on the top, but I seriously recommend you don’t.
These muffins are so easy to make ahead so you can have this delicious muffin when ever you want.
Freeze instructions: You can make these muffins ahead and store them in an airtight container for a couple of days or freeze them to keep them longer up to 3 months. Just cool the muffins completely, wrap them in 2 layers of freezer wrap so they are airtight and place them in the freezer. You can also freeze them after you add the topping.
To Reheat: You can either let them thaw at room temperature or heat them frozen, unwrapped in the microwave, or wrapped in foil in the oven. If you want, you can wait and add the topping after you reheat them.
Other Favorite Muffin Recipes
More Muffin Recipes
Here’s my Cinnamon Apple Muffins. Make them soon.
Cinnamon Apple Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 +.02 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, for coating apples
- 1½ teaspoons (6 g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons (5 + 1 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for coating apples
- 2 cups (240 g) diced apples
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large (100 g) eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (9 g) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (113.5 g) milk
For the Topping:
- 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (31 g) ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º F. Spray muffin tins with bakers spray or coat well with shortening or butter and flour, making sure to discard any excess flour from the tins after coating.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Mix flour with ground cinnamon used to coat the apples. Toss diced apples with the flour/cinnamon mixture to coat apples in a separate bowl. Set aside.
- Cream together butter and sugar until lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Add an egg, one at a time, taking care to fully incorporate before adding the other. Mix in vanilla.
- Gently fold in flour mixture, alternating with milk. Stir until just combined. Fold in diced apples and scoop mixture into prepared muffin tins, filling about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Prepare topping for muffins while the muffins are baking by melting the butter and allowing to cool slightly. Pour butter into a separate bowl sized easy for dipping tops of muffins. Mix together granulated sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl and set aside.
- Once muffins have baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the muffin tin. Then, remove each muffin and brush the butter on with a pastry brush (or dip into the melted butter) and then into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place onto a plate to finish cooling.
Notes
The original recipe called for a 1 to 1 mixture of sugar and cinnamon. If you prefer a less cinnamon flavor in your topping, reduce the mixture to 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
These muffins turned out EXACTLY like I was wanting an apple muffin to be. I used two honey crisp apples, leaving the peel on. Browning butter didn’t work for me when I’ve tried it before and I was pressed for time, so I just sprinkled sugar and cinnamon on the top before baking. TASTY and easy. Will definitely make again.
Thanks so much, Dana. I’m so glad you liked these muffins.
These were really good and made my house smell divine. I used 1 & 1/2 fuji apples, used cinnamon generously (I love cinnamon!!) and I was out of milk so I substituted coconut milk and it turned out great. I didn’t make the topping but it was delicious nonetheless. Awesome fall flavors.
Thanks so much, Sophie! I’m so glad you loved these muffins. I haven’t tried these with coconut milk yet but that is a great non-dairy option.
These are delicious and kiddo approved! I followed the exact directions and I’ll definitely be adding this to my list of breakfast recipes. ( Although we had a few as a snack tonight! ) Thank you very much for the recipe!
Kiddo approved is the best compliment I could receive for a recipe. Thanks so much, Danielle!
The muffins were delicious however a prep time of 5 minutes is not realistic. If it takes 3 minutes just to incorporate the sugar and butter than clearly one is not able to chop apples and get the remaining ingredients together in 2 minutes.
Jen, I’m so glad you liked the muffins. The standard prep time in recipes is the time it takes for you to follow the instructions prior to cooking. It does not count the time for you to peel the apples, etc. Thanks!
Came Out perfect!
That’s great, Ilene. Enjoy!
I never review recipes, but this one is now a house staple! The first time I made them, I made a double batch. It was enough for 24 smaller muffins and an 8×8 cake. The muffins were good but the cake , even better!! I went a little overboard and brushed butter and cinnamon/sugar on BOTH sides of the cake. Holy cow it was yummy!
Ever since I made the cake, that’s all I make now. The double sided butter and c&s make it extra delicious! And the very best with a cup of coffee!
This recipe is also great for littles to help with. My youngest daughter really enjoys peeling the apples!
My husband will be coming home late tonight from a business trip. It’s ready on the counter for him! As he’s declared it “the best cake ever!”
Thanks for the great & easy recipe!
Oh, what a sweet comment, Ashley. I always loved making desserts with my son and making them with my mother and grandmother when I was little. This sounds absolutely delicious with the butter and cinnamon/sugar on both sides. I’ll have to try that! Thanks!
I never write reviews, however, this apple muffin recipe warranted one. I live in apple country, and a neighbor gave me way too many Gala apples. So, I searched the web looking for just the right recipe. Well, I found it here! I followed the recipe, but add three cups of apples because that’s what I peeled. Also, I just eyeballed the sugar cinnamon topping mix. It made eighteen medium muffins. I plan on making several more batches and sending them with my kids to share with their friends at college. I am sure they will love them as much as I do.
You are so lucky to live where you can get fresh Gala apples. I envy you. I can just imagine how good these were made with those apples. Thanks so much for letting me know how much you loved these, Amy. Hope those college kids enjoy these muffins.
Amazing muffins! Loved them. I made a double batch for my daughters birthday a week ago and they were all gone in two days! Definitely making again. 🙂
I hope your daughter had a very happy birthday. I’m so happy everyone loved them. Thanks, Chassidy!
Good tasting muffins! Prep time is more realistically 25 minutes — not 5 — so make sure to set aside time for peeling and dicing apples, and beating sugar & butter etc.
I’m glad you liked the muffins, Minka. Prep time in recipes is the time it takes for you to follow the instructions prior to cooking. It does not count the time for you to peel the apples, etc. Thanks!
Great recipe after a day of apple picking. For the sugar dip I used 1 tbs gran sugar and 1 tbs brown sugar w/ a pich of salt and 1/2 tsp of cinn. Loved the taste!
I bet these were great with just picked apples. Thanks, Jodee!
Deliciously perfect. I barely ever leave reviews(who has the time:) but these are so perfect – they are going into my hand written recipe collection! Thank you!
Thanks so much, Olena, for taking the time to write this review. So glad you like these muffins!