Small-Batch Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Streusel
This little batch of cinnamon apple muffins comes out tender and full of flavor, loaded with tiny pieces of apple, chopped walnuts, and warm cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 23 mins
- Total
- 38 mins
- Makes
- 8 servings
This small batch of Cinnamon Apple Streusel Muffins turns out tender and full of flavor, with bits of apple, chopped walnuts, and cozy cinnamon and nutmeg. Top them with a sweet, crumbly streusel and a drizzle of vanilla glaze to finish.
Why You'll Adore These Small-Batch Cinnamon Apple Streusel Muffins
- This is a small-batch muffin recipe, and it's easy to double.
- They turn out wonderfully soft and moist.
- They're loaded with diced Gala apples and chopped walnuts.
- Cozy, fragrant spices of ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
- They're crowned with a sweet, crumbly cinnamon streusel and a vanilla glaze.
- Easy to adapt, since Granny Smith or McIntosh apples can replace the Gala apples.
- They make a lovely breakfast or brunch treat for fall.
- They are seriously delicious!
What You'll Need
To whip up these amazing apple streusel muffins, gather the following ingredients:
All-Purpose Flour. Used in both the muffin batter and the cinnamon streusel.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda. These dependable leaveners give these warm apple muffins their rise and gently rounded tops. Be sure yours haven't passed their expiration date!
Spices. The muffins call for ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt, while the streusel only needs cinnamon. I reach for Vietnamese (also called Saigon) ground cinnamon from King Arthur Baking because its flavor is bolder and sweeter. Plain ground cinnamon works just as well, though!
Granulated Sugar. Used in both the muffins and the cinnamon streusel. Regular white granulated sugar or organic pure cane sugar both work.
Unsalted Butter. The muffins need melted butter, while the streusel uses cold, cubed butter. I'd steer clear of salted butter, since it's hard to know how much salt it contains. If that's all you have, just leave out the salt called for in the recipe.
1 Large Egg. Let it come to room temperature first so it blends smoothly into the batter.
Buttermilk. Whole milk works too. For a homemade buttermilk stand-in, check out my lemon blueberry streusel muffins recipe.
Vanilla Extract. It rounds out the flavors in these apple cinnamon muffins. Pure vanilla extract gives the best results.
1 Gala Apple. Wash, peel, and dice it into small pieces. A Granny Smith or McIntosh apple can stand in for it.
Chopped Walnuts. Totally optional. Stir them into the batter, sprinkle them on top as a garnish, or skip them altogether. Chopped pecans make a good swap.
Vanilla Glaze. Also optional, this glaze is made from powdered sugar, milk (any kind of dairy), and vanilla extract. For a thicker glaze, sift in one tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time until it reaches the consistency you like.
How to Make It
Here's a quick rundown of how to make these homemade cinnamon apple streusel muffins. For the complete printable recipe, in either US customary or metric measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.
Step 1. Make the streusel topping. Start by whisking the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and cinnamon together. Using clean hands or a fork, work in the unsalted butter until it forms small crumbles. A few larger clumps are perfectly fine.
Step 2. Peel and chop the apple. Cut the pieces small so you can fit more of them into the muffins.
Step 3. Whisk the dry ingredients together. In a medium or large mixing bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Gently fold in the chopped apples and, if you like, the chopped walnuts. Some batches get them, and some don't.
Step 4. Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk the egg, granulated sugar, melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla extract together. I whisk the first five ingredients first, then stir in the buttermilk and vanilla. Whole milk or buttermilk both work. Check the quick tips below for more buttermilk substitutions.
Step 5. Combine the wet and dry mixtures. Switch to a spatula here instead of a whisk, folding gently just until everything comes together.
Step 6. Scoop, then add the streusel. A 3.4-tablespoon cookie scoop helps portion the batter evenly into each liner. Fill each one right to the top. With standard liners this makes eight muffins. Tulip-style liners can take a bit more batter, yielding six muffins. Sprinkle on the cinnamon streusel and, if you like, a few chopped walnuts or pecans.
Step 7. Bake! Bake for 8 minutes at 425ºF, then lower the oven to 350ºF and bake another 12-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muffin/cupcake liners did you use for this apple streusel muffin recipe?I used standard white cupcake and muffin liners from Wilton, though tulip-style liners work too.
How high should I fill each muffin liner?I filled each liner to the brim with a 3.4-tablespoon cookie scoop. The muffins rose and gently domed. Tulip-style liners can hold a little extra batter.
Can I use oil instead of butter with this recipe?You can, but the muffins tend to turn out greasier and won't rise or dome as much.
Are there any substitutions for the flour or eggs?No, not right now.
Can I use a different type of apple for this muffin recipe?Rather than Gala apples, I suggest Granny Smith or McIntosh.
If you make this Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins Recipe or any other recipe from my site, please leave a star rating and tell me how it went in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!
Small-Batch Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Streusel
This small batch of cinnamon apple muffins is soft and full of flavor, with little pieces of apple, chopped walnuts, and warm cinnamon and nutmeg. Pair them with a sweet, crumbly streusel and a vanilla glaze for the full effect!
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 23 mins
- Total
- 38 mins
- Makes
- 8 servings
Ingredients
Muffins
- 1 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk, or whole milk
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Gala Apple, peeled and diced into small chunks
- 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts, or chopped pecans (optional)
Cinnamon Streusel
- 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, cold and chopped into small cubes
Vanilla Glaze
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar, sifted (more can be added to thicken the glaze, if needed)
- 1 tbsp Whole Milk, any dairy type can be used
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
Method
- Move the oven rack to the 2nd position from the top (just above the middle), heat the oven to 425ºF, and line a muffin tin with 8 standard liners. Tulip-style liners work too, if you prefer.
- For the streusel, whisk the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and cinnamon together. Use clean hands or a fork to blend in the unsalted butter until you get small crumbles. A few bigger ones are fine. While you make the rest of the recipe, keep the streusel chilled in the refrigerator.
- Peel and dice the apple into small pieces so each muffin gets plenty. Set it aside.
- In a medium or large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Fold in the chopped apples and the walnuts, if using.
- In another bowl, whisk the egg, granulated sugar, melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.
- With a spatula, fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Use a large cookie scoop or 2 spoons to divide the batter among the liners, filling each one to the top. With tulip-style liners, you can add a bit more.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon streusel over the top and, if you like, add extra chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Bake for 8 minutes at 425ºF. Then, keeping the door shut, lower the oven to 350ºF and bake 12-15 minutes longer, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- For the vanilla glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. For a thicker glaze, mix in 1 tablespoon more powdered sugar until it's the consistency you want. For a brown sugar glaze option, see the notes below.
- Let the muffins sit in the tin for 5-10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool a little more.
- Serve the muffins slightly warm or at room temperature, drizzled with the vanilla glaze.
Baker’s notes
- For a brown sugar glaze, bring these to a boil in a small or medium saucepan: 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Take it off the heat and let it cool and thicken. Spoon it over the warm or room-temperature muffins. Standard cupcake liners yield 8 muffins; tulip-style liners, as I use for my lemon blueberry streusel muffins and chocolate chip muffins, yield 6.
