These Apple Crumb Muffins are fluffy and filled with chunks of apples. The crumb topping is perfectly crunchy and sweet. Make them in just 3 easy steps!
If you enjoy sweet treats with apples, you may also like my apple fritters or the popular apple crumb cake. Perfect for apple season!
Best apple muffins with crumb topping
Apple season is here and I am sharing my favorite apple muffin recipe with the most delicious crumb topping! These muffins are soft, fluffy, and filled with chunks of apples and cinnamon. My fail-proof recipe for crumb topping takes them to a new level! Add them to lunchboxes, serve for an after-school treat or on an afternoon with tea or coffee.
Ingredients:
- apples: Granny Smith, fuji, or other
- flour
- sugars: granulated and brown
- baking powder, baking soda
- cinnamon
- salt
- buttermilk (use my homemade version)
- egg
- vanilla extract
- oil: canola or vegetable
- unsalted butter
How to make Apple Crumb Muffins?
- Mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Whisk wet ingredients in another mixing bowl.
- Add chopped apples to flour mixture.
- Add wet ingredients and fold in until incorporated.
- Combine dry ingredients for crumb topping in a bowl.
- Add melted (and cooled!!) butter and stir in with a fork.
- Scoop muffin batter into muffin pan.
- Top with crumb topping.
- Bake until golden brown.
Tips for the best apple muffins:
- Make sure you are using proper measuring cups for dry ingredients and for the wet ingredients. Glass ones with a spout are for wet. Fluff the flour with a whisk, then spoon into a measuring cup.
- Start by preheating the oven so it's ready to go when your muffins are ready for baking. You don't want the batter to sit in the muffin pan for too long.
- Cut the apples into chunks no bigger than 1/4" chunks. Bigger ones can cause raw center because they will have too much moisture. You can also shred the apples. Just make sure to squeeze out the moisture before adding them to the flour.
- It is very important to cool the butter after melting. It should not be warm to the touch, just room temperature. If you add hot or too warm butter to the flour mixture, it will cook it and the "crumbs" will melt during baking.
Storing:
Store muffins in a container with a lid to prevent drying out. I keep them on the counter. No need to refrigerate.
Can I freeze these muffins?
Yes, these muffins can be frozen. Cool them completely before placing them in a freezer-safe bag or a container. Just keep in mind, the crumb topping will not be as crunchy after thawing.
More muffin recipes:
For more recipes like this one, feel free to browse our Baking category.
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment!
Apple Crumb Muffins
Ingredients
for the muffins:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup buttermilk see note to make it
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 apples see note
for the crumb topping:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 ½ cup all-purpouse flour
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line muffin pan with baking liners. I recommend parchment paper liners, not the colorful cupcakes ones.
- Peel apples and cut into ¼" chunks.
- Melt butter for crumb topping. Cool it completely, do not chill it.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla.
- Add apple chunks to flour mixture and stir in.
- Add wet ingredients to flour apple mixture. Fold in with a spatula until incorporated. Do not overmix!
- Scoop batter into muffin liners.
- Mix flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Add melted and cooled butter and stir in with a fork until coars crumbs form.
- Sprinkle crumb topping generously over each muffin.
- Bake muffins for 7 minutes. Then, without opening the oven door, lower the temperature to 375° F and bake muffins for another 13 to 15 minutes. The magic number for me was 14 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes in the pan. Then remove onto a cooling rack.
Notes
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
- Make sure you are using proper measuring cups for dry ingredients and for the wet ingredients. Glass ones with a spout are for wet. Fluff the flour with a whisk, then spoon into a measuring cup.
- To make buttermilk, mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and as much half and half or whole milk to make 1 cup of liquid. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes. Use as directed in the recipe above.
- You should use 2 cups of apple chunks in this recipe.
Helena says
Sooooooooooo goooooood!!!!
Easy and delicious 🙂
Helena says
Heads up for European viewers, it's around 500 grams of apples at least
Allyssa says
Thank you so much for this apple crumb muffins recipe! It's super easy to make and tasted really amazing, will have this again for the fam! Highly recommended!
Lily says
These muffins were divine!! They screamed fall, I love the crumbly top and the moist inside, these were the perfect thing to start off fall with.
Valentina says
These homemade apple crumb muffins are so delicious! The muffin is so fluffy and moist! LOVE THIS RECIPE!!!