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Easy Apple Muffins

The fact is you could be munching on these easy apple muffins in 30 minutes. Are you still not convinced!? Imagine the combination of soft texture with bursting pockets of juicy apple and the slight caramelized crunch of the muffin top. Isn’t it just delightful!

Baked muffins in a dark silver muffin pan.

updated from 2010

RECIPE FOR EASY APPLE MUFFINS

We all love good, simple recipes, and this irresistible muffin recipe is an absolute joy to prepare. You don’t need any complicated tools, just your hands and a wooden spoon or a spatula to mix the batter.

A close-up of a baked muffin.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SIMPLE APPLE MUFFINS FROM SCRATCH

  • MUFFIN BATTER INGREDIENTS
  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Baking Powder
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Salt
  • Apples – preferable tart or any firm apple will do
  • Egg
  • Milk
  • Oil
  • Lemon Zest
  • Vanilla Extract
Bowls with muffin batter ingredients.
  • TOPPING INGREDIENTS
  • Brown Sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Butter
  • Pecans or other nuts, or you can use rolled-oats
Small bowls with brown sugar, butter, pecans, and cinnamon.

MAKE THE TOPPING

I use pecans in this topping recipe, but you can easily use other nuts like walnuts or hazelnuts. If you are allergic to nuts, I suggest you explore the option of rolled oats. Roasting enhances the flavor of oats from raw to nutty, which is absolutely fantastic. And you can also use seeds like pumpkin seeds or sunflowers seeds.

A white dish with whole pecans and a black chopping board with chopped pecans.

WHAT TYPE OF APPLES TO USE

I’m an avid advocate of apple eating. And that includes apple sauce, desserts, chips, or dried apples. I tell you, if there were only one fruit I could keep, without a doubt, I would keep an apple. Apple is such a versatile fruit. I often use apples in casseroles and salads to add a touch of sweetness without added sugar.

What type of apples do I use to make the muffins? If available, I use tart apples but any firm apple will do a fine job. Oftentimes, I toss apple mixture with freshly squeezed lemon juice to increase their tartness.

Inspired by my dad’s potato pancakes, I use grated and sliced/diced apples to make the apple muffins’ batter. Grated apples keep the muffin tender and moist, and chunks provide that extra bite of juiciness that we all love.

Teal mixing bowl with sliced and grated apples.

MUFFIN BATTER

This simple batter comes together quickly. In separate bowls combine dry and wet ingredients, and after that, pour dry ingredients into the wet and gently stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Muffin batter should have some lumps; it’s perfectly normal; don’t over-stir it.

Three mixing bowls with ingredients.

FILL THE MUFFIN PAN WITH BATTER

Fill the muffin pan lined with cupcake liners to about 2/3 full, and right after that take the topping and divide it among the muffins.

Muffin pan filled with a muffin batter.
Muffin pan filled with batter and sprinkled with a nutty topping.

BAKE APPLE MUFFINS

Bake muffins in a preheated oven at 350F (180C) for about 18-20 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.

Baked muffins in a silver muffin pan.

Let muffins cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer them onto a cooling rack.

Baked muffins on a cooling rack.

APPLE MUFFIN BAKING SUCCES TIPS

  • Please, use room temperature ingredients.
  • Dry muffins can be a result of several things – too much flour, overmixing, overbaking, cooling the muffins in the pan. Only do the minimal amount of stirring/mixing when combing wet and dry ingredients. Let the baked muffins cool in the pan briefly, after 2 minutes transfer muffins onto a cooling rack.
  • Use liners or grease the muffin pan; unfortunately, it’s a lost cause to attempt to remove a baked-on muffin from the pan.

TRY THESE DELICIOUS MUFFIN AND CUPCAKE RECIPES

Apple Muffins

Course Breakfast, cupcake, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword apple cinnamon muffins, apple muffins, apple pecan muffins
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Author Hani

Ingredients

Muffin Batter

  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup milk (120 ml)
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil (60ml)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 cup apples / grated (1 cup) and sliced (1cup)
  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (210 rams)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Topping

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp butter room temperature

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Line or grease a muffin pan.

Topping

  • In a small dish, combine all the ingredients: brown sugar (1/2 cup), cinnamon (3/4 teaspoon), soft butter (2 tablespoons), and chopped pecans (1/3 cup). Use a fork or your fingers to combine the ingredients.

Muffin Batter

  • In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg slightly with a fork, stir in milk (1/2 cup, 120 ml), oil (1/4 cup, 60 ml), Vanilla Extract (1 teaspoon), and 1 cup grated and 1 cup sliced apple.
  • Into another mixing bowl, sift flour (1½ cup, 210 grams), granulated sugar (1/2 cup, 100 grams), cinnamon (2 teaspoons), baking powder (2 teaspoons), salt (1/2 teaspoon)
  • Add flour mixture into the wet mixture and stir just until flour is moistened. Batter should be lumpy, do not overbeat.

Bake Muffins

  • Fill the muffin pan with the batter to about 2/3 full. Divide the topping and sprinkle the top of each filled muffin cavity.
  • Bake muffins for about 18-20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 2 minutes, remove from the muffin pan, and let cool on a cooling rack.

Notes

  • How long do apple muffins keep? Muffins keep at room temperature for 3 days. They keep for 7 days in the fridge. Store muffins in an airtight container or ziplock bag.
  • What kind of oil can I use? Use a mild-tasting oil. I use vegetable oil.
  • Can I use other nuts? Absolutely. You can use almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts.
  • I’m allergic to nuts; what can I use instead? In this topping recipe, you can use chopped rolled oats; they develop a welcoming nutty flavor when toasted.

This recipe was originally published on December 1, 2010. On June 21st I updated this recipe with step-by-step photos, written text and a recipe card.

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3 Comments

  1. This is where Asya gets her baking talent from! These look amazing! I am having trouble keeping up also, LOL!

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