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 all-purpose flour, + 2 teaspoons for coating apples
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, + 1/2 teaspoon for coating apples
- 2 cups diced apples
- ½ cup unsalted butter, , room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
For the Topping:
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup 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 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Mix 2 teaspoons flour with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. 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.Â
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
These are great! I halved the topping and had plenty left over. Next time I may add an extra 1/2 cup of apples. I used Pink Ladies for a nice tart punch but I may use Granny Smith next time. Thanks!
Made it for the first time and it was DELICIOUS! Had to substitute the flour for whole wheat and butter for margarine as that’s what I had so they turned out a bit darker than the photo but still loved the result. I do agree on the topping though: I reduced the sugar and cinnamon and it was just enough to cover them all.
I think I’m missing something. Which step am I supposed to coat the diced apples with the cinnamon?
I just made them for a supervisors basket for 4-H. THEY WERE DELICOUS!!! I made 2 batches.
These were FANTASTIC!! Made them with my 2 yo son and he couldn’t stop eating the batter (and he had never done that before :). However, the yumminess has confused him as he now rushes to the kitchen and grabs a spoon every time we make pancakes, etc. to eat the batter! He’s sooooooo disappointed when it’s not your muffins Lol.
It was also my first time making a topping and it was sensational. My picky husband polished off more muffins than I’ve ever seen him eat!
I made mini muffins and regular muffins, and it made lots. Considered sharing with the neighbor but didn’t want to part with them.
Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
This is an amazing muffin – I made it and both of my picky kids love them! My coworkers were also hooked. Thanks for sharing this recipe – I highly recommend it!!! And it’s easy too so even better – I doubled the batch and used 1 c. of white wheat flour.
I am so glad everyone loved it!
Really tasty, but I think next time I’ll try increasing the butter just a tad to add a little more “moisture.”
My topping doesn’t look like the picture. My tops are the color of dark, melted cinnamon. I am not a baker!!! The muffins were delicious, but what did I do wrong on the topping?
Absolutely amazing….the best muffin I’ve ever eaten…I did use half the amt of butter for dipping …and definitely less cinnamon.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe. My kids were raving about them! I made it with 50% whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup of quinoa flour instead of all white flour and used 3/4 cup sugar. Even though I attempted to make them “healthier”, they loved them.