Apple Streusel Muffins Recipe

Apple streusel muffin with cinnamon crumb topping and maple icing, with apples softly blurred in the background.

Tender, buttery apple muffins filled with warm cinnamon and fresh apple, topped with a generous brown sugar streusel and finished with an optional maple icing.

Prep Time20

Cook Time23

Cooling Time10

Total Time53

Servings: muffins

Calories: 336kcal

Author: Sandra

Ingredients

For the streusel topping

½ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter melted

For the apple muffins

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar packed
2 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup buttermilk room temperature
1 ½ cups apples peeled, cored, and diced, cut into about ¼-inch pieces (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work well)

For the maple icing

1 cup powdered sugar sifted
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons whole milk plus more as needed
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Add the ½ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the 3 ½ tablespoons melted unsalted butter and stir until the mixture forms coarse, chunky crumbs. Refrigerate while you prepare the muffin batter. (Note 1)
Add the 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg to a medium bowl. Whisk until evenly combined and set aside.
Add the ½ cup softened unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, and ½ cup light brown sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Beat in the 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract mix just until combined.
Pour in the ¾ cup buttermilk and mix on low speed just until combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this point; this is normal. (Note 2)
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently until just a few streaks of flour remain. Add the diced apples and continue folding just until the apples are evenly distributed and no dry flour remains. (Note 3)
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. The cups will be almost full.
Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of the chilled streusel over each muffin. Gently press the streusel into the batter with the back of a spoon to help it stay in place as the muffins bake. (Note 1)
Bake on the center rack at 425 F (220 C) for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 375 F (190 C) and continue baking for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with a few moist crumbs. (Note 4)
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. If adding the maple icing, let the muffins cool for about 10 minutes before drizzling so the icing doesn't melt completely into the warm muffins.
Add the 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 2 teaspoons whole milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, and pinch of salt to a small bowl and whisk until smooth and thick but pourable. If the icing is too thick, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. If it is too thin, add powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. (Note 5)
Drizzle the maple icing over the muffins. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

The streusel should resemble coarse, chunky crumbs rather than a fine, sandy mixture. Chilling it while you prepare the batter helps the crumbs hold their shape during baking. Gently pressing the streusel into the batter helps keep it attached to the muffins.
The mixture may look slightly separated after you add the buttermilk. This is normal. Don't keep beating it in an attempt to make it perfectly smooth.
Don't overmix. Fold the batter only until the dry ingredients are incorporated and the apples are evenly distributed. Overmixing can make the muffins dense instead of tender.
Starting the muffins at 425 F (220 C) gives them an initial blast of heat that helps create tall, bakery-style tops. Reducing the temperature to 375 F (190 C) allows the centers to finish baking without overbrowning the streusel.
The icing is optional. The muffins are also delicious without icing, or you can substitute a simple vanilla icing.

Storage

Store uniced muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For the best texture, line the container with a paper towel and place another paper towel over the muffins to absorb excess moisture.

Store iced muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring them to room temperature before serving or warm them briefly in the microwave.

To freeze, cool the uniced muffins completely, wrap them individually, and place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm from frozen in a 300 F (150 C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes. For best results, add the maple icing after thawing.

Nutrition