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Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Soft, moist and tender cinnamon muffins loaded with fresh apple chunks and a buttery streusel topping. These are the ultimate Fall muffin and are so delicious for breakfast with a cup of tea or coffee.
Ingredients
Streusel topping:
- 5 tablespoon (45g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoon (45g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon (28g) soft salted butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Muffin batter:
- 2 cups plus 1 tbsp (293g) all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (110g) packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) sour cream
- ⅓ cup (80ml) sunflower oil
- ¾ cup (180ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (300g) chopped tart apple, cut into small pieces plus extra for topping
- extra thin apple slices for topping
Instructions
- Make the crumb topping. Combine flour, sugar and salt (if you’re using unsalted butter) in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly so that there are no lumps of brown sugar. Add soft butter to the dry ingredients and blend with your fingertips to form crumbs. Set aside.
- Make the muffin batter. Sift 2 cups of flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and whisk until very well evenly blended, pressing out any lumps of brown sugar with your fingers.
- Combine eggs, sour cream, oil, milk and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk until completely smooth.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour int the wet ingredients. Gently fold it all together being sure to get down to the bottom and bring up any dry pockets. Stop right when the batter is fully combined and be careful not to over mix. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of flour over the diced and toss to coat them. Add them to the batter and fold them in gently.
- Cover the bowl and set aside to stand for 30 minutes while the oven preheats. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Here are parchment paper liners that I like to use for these muffins as they won't stick at all to these ones.
- Use a 2 oz scoop or two large spoons to divide the batter evenly among lined muffin cups, filling them right to the top. Place two or three thin slices of apple (with the skin on) over the batter. Top each muffin with a pile of streusel. Use two muffin pans and bake only 6 muffins per pan if you want extra tall muffin tops. This allows room for air to circulate around each muffin so the edges cook first and forces the batter up through the center.
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Then, with the oven door still closed, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for another 12-15 minutes until golden on top and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer muffins to a cooling rack.
