These apple crumble muffins are filled with chopped apples, topped with a buttery crumble, and topped with a delicious glaze.
These muffins are packed with juicy, chopped apples, giving them a moist and fruity center.
The top of each muffin is adorned with a buttery crumble, which adds a satisfying crunch and extra sweetness. To make these muffins even more irresistible, they're finished with a drizzle of smooth, sugary glaze.
The result is a perfect balance of flavors and textures – soft and tender muffin, crisp and sweet crumble, and a luscious glaze that ties everything together.
These muffins are ideal for breakfast, snack time, or as a comforting dessert, offering a taste of homemade goodness in every bite.
If you like apple recipes, check out our apple cinnamon rolls, apple crumble cake, apple fritters, apple crumble muffins, easy apple cake, apple crumble pie, and apple pie cookies.
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Why this recipe works
- Texture- the muffins have a perfect balance of textures, with a soft, moist interior contrasting beautifully with the crunchy crumble topping. They are made with melted butter and greek yogurt which makes these muffins extra moist and tender.
- Flavor- the rich, sweet taste of apples is complemented by warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, creating a comforting flavor. The buttery crumble and sweet glaze add layers of indulgence to every bite.
- Crumble topping-the buttery crumble on top adds a delicious contrast to the soft muffin base. It provides a satisfying crunch and an extra layer of flavor.
- Fresh apples- using chopped fresh apples in the muffin batter ensures a burst of natural sweetness and a slightly chewy texture. The apples also adds moisture, keeping the muffins fresh for longer.
- Time- These come together in under an hour from start to finish and are perfect when you are short on time but want to make a delicious muffin.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Flour– I used all-purpose flour for this recipe, self-rising flour, and cake flour will work great as well.
Baking powder and baking soda- to allow the cookies to spread. Make sure that your baking powder and baking soda are not expired.
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work for this recipe, no margarine, and no coconut oil. Margarine has a weird taste and can ruin the flavor of this dessert.
Greek yogurt- get your Greek yogurt to room temperature. Any percent of fat will work for this recipe.
Milk- use whole milk for this recipe.
Brown sugar- adds a nice texture to the muffins and compliments the cinnamon flavor.
Sugar- I used granulated sugar for this recipe. You can use caster sugar as well.
Cinnamon- I love adding cinnamon to apple-flavored desserts, it adds so much flavor that compliments the apple flavor.
Eggs- you will need 2 large eggs for this recipe. Make sure that you use room-temperature eggs in this recipe.
Vanilla extract- for vanilla flavor. I used vanilla paste, but you can use a whole vanilla bean or pure vanilla extract.
Kosher salt- you will need about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
Apples- we like to use green apples for this recipe, they are a little bit less sweet, but any kind of your favorite apples will work!
Crumble topping
Flour– I used all-purpose flour for this recipe, cake flour will work great as well.
Cinnamon- we love adding cinnamon to the topping.
Melted butter- use unsalted butter for this. melt your butter in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Instructions
Preheat an oven to 180c (350f) and prep a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Into a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, yogurt, milk, cinnamon, eggs, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Mix with a whisk until the mixture is well combined.
Add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder, and mix until almost combined.
Add the peeled, and chopped chunks of apples, and mix until just combined.
Pour the batter into the muffin tins filling almost to the top.
Make the crumble topping
Into a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Mix with a spoon until the mixture is well combined.
Top the muffins with about 1 tablespoon of the streusel topping and press the streusel topping onto the muffin batter so it sticks and does not fall off while baking.
Bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Don’t overbake these muffins!
Make a simple glaze
Into a small mixing bowl, add the powder sugar, milk, and vanilla. Mix with a spoon until the mixture is well combined and until the glaze is smooth and silky.
Top each muffin with as much glaze as you would like, and serve warm next to a cup of coffee or hot tea. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and milk. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly. you don’t want to place cold batter into the oven.
- To make this process easy, quick, and clean, use an apple peeler and corer. Here is the one I use all the time.
- Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full. This allows room for the muffins to rise without overflowing.
- Don't skimp on the streusel. Be generous when sprinkling the streusel topping on each muffin. Press it gently into the batter to ensure it sticks during baking.
- Choose the right apples! Granny Smith apples are a great choice because they're tart and firm, which helps them keep their shape and add a nice flavor to baked goods.
- Avoid overbaking! Check your muffins a few minutes before the recommended baking time. They're done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist muffins and not dense and dry muffins.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Be patient! I know it's extremely tempting to eat these muffins as they are pulled out of the oven, but let these muffins cool for at least 15 minutes so they will be more firm and won't crumble up.
Faq's
We use all-purpose flour for these muffins. Self-rising flour and cake flour will work great as well.
Streusel topping is very easy to make and is made with simple ingredients like flour, melted butter, brown sugar, kosher salt, and cinnamon.
Your muffins may be dry if you overbaked them. Keep your eye on them while they're baking. Also, you may add too much flour. Make sure you measure your flour correctly.
Storing
These muffins will last for up to 4 days stored at room temperature. Store them in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out.
Freezing
To freeze these muffins, start by letting them cool completely after baking. Once cool, wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
This helps prevent freezer burn and keeps them fresh. Place the wrapped muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container, squeezing out as much air as possible.
Label the container with the date and type of muffins. When stored properly, muffins can last in the freezer for up to three months.
To thaw, simply remove the desired number of muffins from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for a few hours.
You can also warm them in the microwave for a quick treat. Freezing muffins is a great way to save time and always have a tasty snack on hand.
Substitutions
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Dairy-free- you can make these muffins dairy-free by replacing the butter with vegan butter. Also, swap the yogurt with dairy-free yogurt and the milk with dairy-free milk.
Variations
Toppings- these muffins can be topped with cream cheese frosting, cinnamon buttercream frosting, or maple cream cheese frosting. Use your favorite toppings that you like to make the most!
Nutty crumble topping- add ⅓ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts to the crumble mixture before sprinkling it on top of the muffins for added crunch and flavor.
Cream cheese glaze- replace the original glaze with a cream cheese version by mixing 4 oz softened cream cheese, ½ cup powdered sugar, and 2-3 tablespoons milk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled muffins.
Caramel- drizzle ¼ cup of caramel sauce over the muffins before adding the crumble topping. After baking, finish with an additional caramel drizzle.
Oatmeal crumble- add ¼ cup of old-fashioned oats to the crumble mixture for extra texture and a heartier topping.
Lemon zest- incorporate the zest of one lemon into the muffin batter and add a teaspoon of lemon juice to the glaze for a bright, citrusy twist.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- Apple corer and slicer
- Muffin pan
- Rubber spatula
- Cookies scoop set of 3 (the best cookie scoop we used)
- Muffin liners
More muffins recipes
Double chocolate muffins- These moist double chocolate muffins are better than bakery chocolate muffins and stay fresh for 3 days!
Almond flour banana muffins- These almond flour banana muffins have a fluffy and tender crumb that is moist and delicious. These are paleo, gluten free, refined sugar free, and are good for you!
Pumpkin banana muffins- These pumpkin banana muffins are moist and fluffy and filled with chocolate chips and topped with a cinnamon streusel topping.
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Easy Apple Crumble Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups Flour
- ½ cup Granulated sugar
- ½ cup Brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ cup Butter melted
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup Milk
- 2 Apples peeled and chopped
Streusel topping:
- ¾ cup Flour
- ¼ cup Brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ Kosher salt
- ¼ cup Butter melted
Simple glaze:
- 1 cup Powder sugar
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon Milk
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 180c (350f) and prep a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Into a big mixing bowl, add the melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, yogurt, milk, cinnamon, eggs, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Mix with a whisk until the mixture is well combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder, and mix until almost combined.
- Add the peeled, and chopped chunks of apples, and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the muffin tins filling almost to the top.
Make the streusel topping:
- Into a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Mix with a spoon until the mixture is well combined.
- Top the muffins with about 1 tablespoon of the streusel topping and press the streusel topping onto the muffin batter so it sticks and does not fall off while baking.
- Bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Don’t overbake these muffins! Let the muffins cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Make a simple glaze:
- Into a small mixing bowl, add the powder sugar, milk, and vanilla. Mix with a spoon until the mixture is well combined and until the glaze is smooth and silky.
- Top each muffin with as much glaze that you would like, and serve warm next to a cup of coffee or hot tea. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and milk. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly. you don’t want to place cold batter into the oven.
- To make this process easy, quick, and clean, use an apple peeler and corer. Here is the one I use all the time.
- Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full. This allows room for the muffins to rise without overflowing.
- Don't skimp on the streusel. Be generous when sprinkling the streusel topping on each muffin. Press it gently into the batter to ensure it sticks during baking.
- Choose the right apples! Granny Smith apples are a great choice because they're tart and firm, which helps them keep their shape and add a nice flavor to baked goods.
- Avoid overbaking! Check your muffins a few minutes before the recommended baking time. They're done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist muffins and not dense and dry muffins.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with the back of a knife.
- Be patient! I know it's extremely tempting to eat these muffins as they are pulled out of the oven, but let these muffins cool for at least 15 minutes so they will be more firm and won't crumble up.
Denise Smith
I absolutely love this recipe. I weigh my ingredients so they come out perfect every time. I used my large muffin pans and it made 12 large muffins. I use one large cookie scoop, sprinkle cinnamon sugar on it then top with another large scoop and strudel topping. i bake the large muffins at 425 degrees for 7 minutes then 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Next time I am going to top with caramel sauce.
Donnathebaker
Great recipe. Good tip to push crumble to adhere to batter. I used apple cider in the glaze instead of milk because I had a little left.
Angel
These were very good and I will be making them again. I used the crumble but not the glaze. I wasn’t that ambitious and wanted to lessen the calories a little.