Cinnamon Streusel Apple Muffins

Name: Cinnamon Streusel Apple Muffins
Prep time: 37 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 1 h 1 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour; ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar, packed; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon; ⅛ tsp (0.7 g) fine salt; 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 2 tsp (9 g) baking powder; ½ tsp (3 g) baking soda; ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt; 1½ tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon; ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed, any lumps broken up; 2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature; ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm; 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract; 2 cups diced (280 g) firm baking apples (about 2 medium), peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender buttermilk muffins packed with diced apple and warm cinnamon, crowned with a crunchy brown sugar streusel. They bake up tall with domed tops and keep beautifully for days.

Prep: 37 min
Cook: 24 min
Wait: 35 min
Total: 1 hr 36 min
Makes: 12 standard muffins

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

12 servings

For the streusel
½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar, packed
½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp (0.7 g) fine salt
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes
For the muffins
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
2 tsp (9 g) baking powder
½ tsp (3 g) baking soda
½ tsp (3 g) fine salt
1½ tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon
¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed, any lumps broken up
2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
2 cups diced (280 g) firm baking apples (about 2 medium), peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice

Equipment (10)

12-cup standard muffin tin (½-cup / 120 ml cups)
12 paper muffin liners
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Small bowl for streusel
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Ice cream scoop or ¼-cup measure plus spoon for portioning (about ⅓ cup / 80 ml scoop ideal)
Wire cooling rack
Measuring cups and spoons or kitchen scale

Steps

Before you start

Take the eggs and buttermilk out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead so they mix smoothly and don't re-solidify the melted butter.
Cut the streusel butter straight from the fridge; it must be cold for a crumbly, crunchy topping.
Choose a firm, tart-sweet baking apple such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Braeburn. Soft apples turn mushy.
Have a 12-cup standard muffin tin ready with paper liners or a thorough grease. Cup capacity should be about ½ cup (120 ml).

1
Heat oven, prep tinOven 375°F / 190°C
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
- Line all 12 cups of a standard muffin tin with paper liners (or grease the cups and the top surface of the pan well).
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Oven reads 375°F (190°C) on an oven thermometer or preheat signal.
Tip: Many ovens run hot or cool; an inexpensive oven thermometer helps muffins dome properly.
2
Make the streusel
- In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup (63 g) flour, ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon and the pinch of salt.
- Add the 4 tbsp (57 g) cold butter cubes.
- Pinch and rub the butter into the dry mix with your fingertips until it forms clumpy, pea-sized crumbs with some larger pieces.
- Refrigerate for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Mixture holds together in clumps when squeezed and no dry flour remains loose.
Tip: Work quickly; warm hands soften butter. If the mixture looks greasy, chill it longer.
3
Dice the apples
- Peel, quarter and core the apples, then cut into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces to make 2 cups (about 280 g).
- Keep the pieces fairly uniform so they cook through in the time the muffins bake.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Pieces are roughly ½ inch (1 cm), not larger.
Tip: Larger chunks release moisture and can make the muffin bottoms gummy.
4
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups (250 g) flour, the baking powder, baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 1½ tsp cinnamon and ¾ cup (165 g) brown sugar for about 30 seconds, pressing out any sugar lumps with the back of a spoon.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Mixture is an even tan color with no visible streaks of cinnamon or sugar clumps.
5
Whisk wet ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth, then whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla and the melted, slightly cooled butter until fully combined.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Mixture looks uniform with no visible egg streaks or separate pools of butter.
Tip: If the butter is hot it can scramble the eggs; let it cool until comfortable to touch.
6
Fold batter together
- Add the diced apples to the dry ingredients and toss to coat.
- Pour in the wet mixture.
- With a rubber spatula, fold just until no dry flour is visible, about 15 to 20 strokes.
- The batter will be thick and lumpy.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: No dry flour pockets remain; batter is thick and chunky with apples evenly distributed.
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and gives tough, tunneled muffins. A few small lumps are fine.
7
Fill the muffin cups
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cups using a scoop or two spoons, about ⅓ cup (80 ml) each.
- Fill the cups nearly to the top so the muffins rise high.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Each cup is filled to just below the rim with a mounded top.
Tip: Scrape the bowl to make sure the last cups get their share of apples.
8
Top with streusel
- Remove the streusel from the fridge.
- Sprinkle it generously over each muffin, about 1 heaping tablespoon per cup, and gently press it down lightly so it sticks.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Batter is fully covered with a thick layer of crumbs.
Tip: Don't press hard or the topping sinks into the batter.
9
Bake the muffinsOven 375°F / 190°C
- Bake on the middle rack at 375°F (190°C) for 22 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan front to back after 15 minutes, until the tops are deep golden and the streusel is crisp.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: A toothpick inserted into the center (avoiding apple chunks) comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs, and the tops spring back when lightly pressed.
Tip: Don't open the oven during the first 15 minutes or the domes may collapse.
10
Cool and serve
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then lift them out and transfer to a wire rack.
- Cool for at least 20 minutes more so they set and the apples are no longer scalding.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Muffins release easily from the pan and feel only warm to the touch.
Tip: Leaving them in the hot pan longer will steam the bottoms and make them soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Use a scoop and fill the cups nearly full; this is what gives bakery-style tall domes.
Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling, or weigh it. Packed flour makes dry, heavy muffins.
Pat diced apples with a paper towel if they seem very juicy so the batter stays thick.
For extra-high domes, bake 5 minutes at 425°F (220°C), then reduce to 350°F (175°C) and bake 14 to 16 minutes more.

Make ahead

Dice the apples and make the streusel up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate the streusel airtight and toss the apples with 1 tsp lemon juice in a covered container. Mix the batter and bake right away for the best rise. Baked muffins can also be made the day before.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: store airtight, in a single layer or with paper towel between layers, up to 2 days. Refrigerator: up to 5 days in an airtight container. Freezer: wrap individually and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat room-temperature or thawed muffins at 325°F (160°C) for 8 to 10 minutes, or microwave a refrigerated muffin for 15 to 20 seconds.

Substitutions

buttermilk → Plain whole-milk yogurt thinned with milk, or milk soured with lemon juice. Use ¾ cup (180 ml) total: 1 tbsp lemon juice plus milk to the ¾ cup line, rested 5 minutes; or ½ cup (120 g) yogurt plus ¼ cup (60 ml) milk.
unsalted butter → Neutral oil such as canola or avocado. Use ½ cup (120 ml). Muffins will be a bit moister but less buttery in flavor.
light brown sugar → Granulated sugar. Use ¾ cup (150 g) for a lighter flavor with less caramel depth.
all-purpose flour → White whole wheat flour for up to half. Replace up to 1 cup (125 g); muffins will be slightly denser and nuttier.