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Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
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Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins are moist, fluffy, and bursting with tender chunks of fresh apples and warm cinnamon spice. Topped with a crumbly, sweet streusel, these muffins offer the perfect balance of tart fruit and rich sweetness, making them an ideal comfort treat for breakfast, snack, or dessert. Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients, this recipe delivers a cozy, inviting flavor that everyone will love.

Ingredients

Scale

Muffin Batter

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free baking mix for GF option)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup milk or buttermilk
  • 1 ½ cups fresh apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (Granny Smith or Fuji recommended)

Streusel Topping

  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • Optional: ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (for a nutty twist)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the streusel topping: Combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and cold butter cubes in a bowl. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside to chill while you prepare the batter.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to ensure even distribution of the leavening agents and spices throughout the batter.
  3. Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat softened butter with granulated sugar until creamy and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract. Finally, mix in milk or buttermilk to provide moisture and tenderness.
  4. Bring batter together: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined—avoid overmixing to keep your muffins light. Fold in the chopped fresh apples carefully to distribute evenly.
  5. Fill muffin tins and top: Spoon the batter evenly into a greased or lined muffin tin, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Generously sprinkle the prepared streusel topping on each muffin, ensuring a lovely crunchy layer after baking.
  6. Bake and cool: Bake muffins in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin to prevent breakage.

Notes

  • Use crisp apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp to ensure the apples hold their shape and avoid a mushy texture.
  • Do not overmix the batter; mix just until combined to prevent tough, dense muffins.
  • Chill the streusel topping so it stays crumbly rather than melting into the batter during baking.
  • Check doneness with a toothpick; some moist crumbs are fine but avoid raw batter.
  • Bring ingredients to room temperature before mixing for even batter consistency and fluffy muffins.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cinnamon muffins, streusel muffins, fall muffins, breakfast muffins, comfort food

Find it online: https://ninagourmet.com/apple-cinnamon-streusel-muffins/