Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins

by Feli Chic'Cuisine

There’s nothing quite like the smell of cinnamon and apples baking in the oven. These Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins are soft, buttery, and packed with juicy apples, finished with a sweet, crunchy cinnamon-sugar topping. They taste like something straight out of a bakery, but they’re incredibly easy to make at home - even if you’re new to baking!

Whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast, a cozy snack with your afternoon coffee, or a homemade treat to share with family, these muffins will hit the spot. Plus, they come together in just a few simple steps with basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. No fancy equipment needed - just mix, bake, and enjoy!

If you’ve never baked before, don’t worry—this recipe is perfect for beginners. Follow along for step-by-step instructions, helpful tips, and a foolproof way to make bakery-style muffins at home. Let’s get baking!

Easy Recipe for Beginners

Simple Ingredients – Everything used in this recipe is a common kitchen staple. No fancy tools or hard-to-find ingredients!

Basic Baking Techniques – If you can mix, chop, and scoop, you can make these muffins. No complicated steps or special skills required.

One-Bowl Mixing – The batter comes together quickly with minimal mess. You don’t need a stand mixer - just a whisk and a spoon!

Hard to Mess Up! – The recipe is forgiving. Even if you slightly overmix, forget to add nuts, or use a different apple variety, they’ll still turn out delicious.

Even if you’ve never baked before, you’ll have warm, fluffy, bakery-style muffins in under an hour!

If you enjoyed this, you may love: Blueberry Lemon Crusted Muffins

Blueberry Lemon Crusted Muffins @Feli Chic'Cuisine

Baking Tips for the Best Muffins

Choosing the Right Apples - Use firm, slightly tart apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji for the best balance of sweetness and acidity. If using sweeter apples (like Gala), reduce the sugar slightly.

Don’t overmix the batter - this can make the muffins dense. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.

Use melted butter instead of softened butter for a richer, more tender crumb.

The muffin batter will initially be thick, but after adding the apples, it will become slightly looser due to the moisture released from the apples.

Make sure the butter is cold to create a crumbly, crunchy topping - If you want an even crispier topping, refrigerate the crumb mixture for 10 minutes before using.

Baking the muffins at a high temperature for the first 5 minutes, then lowering it, helps quickly lift the muffin tops.

Storage & Freezing - Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week.

To freeze, wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds before serving!

How to Prepare Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins

Prepare the Topping

1. Combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the cold, cubed butter. Using a fork (or your fingers), rub the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Do not overmix - the mixture should remain crumbly. Set aside.

Prepare the Muffin Batter

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), add the butter, sugar, and eggs.

3. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute, then increase to high speed and mix until the mixture is light and creamy. Mix in the vanilla extract until combined. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined - the batter will be thick.

4. Using a spatula, gently fold in the chopped apples until evenly distributed.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Evenly sprinkle the crumb topping over each muffin.

6. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C (350°F) and continue baking for 15-20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Here’s a lovely review from one of my readers:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

''So easy and so good! I loved how simple this recipe was to follow, even as a beginner. The muffins had a soft texture, and the cinnamon-apple combo made my whole kitchen smell amazing. I’ll be baking these all fall long!" Rachel

Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins

Better than bakery muffins! The muffins came out soft, flavorful, and perfectly spiced. The crumb topping adds the perfect crunch.

Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 25 min

Total time: 45 min Serves: 12

Ingredients

Cinnamon-Sugar Crumb Topping

75g (⅓ cup) packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
15g (1 Tbsp) cold butter

For Batter

2 large apples, peeled and chopped
270g (2 cups) flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
One pinch of salt
115g (½ cup; 4 oz) butter
175-200g (¾ - 1 cup) sugar
2 eggs
1½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (for extra crunch)

Method

Prepare the Crumb Topping

1. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the cold, cubed butter. Using a fork (or your fingers), rub the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Do not overmix - the mixture should remain crumbly. Set aside.

Prepare the Muffin Batter

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease the cups. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), add the butter, sugar, and eggs. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute, then increase to high speed and mix until the mixture is light and creamy. Mix in the vanilla extract until combined.

Note: If the mixture does not look fully smooth, don’t worry! Once you add the dry ingredients, it will become creamy.

5. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined - the batter will be thick. Using a spatula, gently fold in the chopped apples until evenly distributed.

Assemble & Bake

6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Evenly sprinkle the crumb topping over each muffin.

7. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C (350°F) and continue baking for 15-20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.