These Apple Streusel Muffins are soft, moist and packed with fresh apples and warm cinnamon, then topped with a buttery brown sugar streusel. They’re easy to make, full of cozy fall flavor and perfect for breakfast, brunch or an afternoon treat with coffee.

The combination of tender apple muffins and that crumbly cinnamon streusel makes these taste like something straight from a bakery, but they’re made with simple ingredients you probably already have at home.

Why You’ll Love These Apple Streusel Muffins

There’s something about apples and cinnamon that immediately feels like fall. These muffins have plenty of fresh apple in every bite, a soft and tender texture and a generous layer of buttery streusel that gets lightly golden in the oven.

They’re also easy enough for a weekend breakfast but pretty enough to serve for brunch, Thanksgiving morning or any fall get-together.

And no glaze needed. That cinnamon brown sugar streusel is plenty good all on its own.

What Apples Are Best for Apple Muffins?

Choose an apple that will soften while baking without completely disappearing into the muffin.

Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala and Pink Lady apples are all great choices. Granny Smith apples work well too if you like a slightly more tart apple flavor.

For the best texture, peel the apples and dice them fairly small. This gives you little bites of apple throughout the muffins without creating large, wet pockets in the batter.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 20–24 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins
Oven Temperature: 375°F

Ingredients

For the Apple Muffins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 medium apples, peeled and finely diced, about 1 1/2 cups

For the Streusel Topping

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease the muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, milk, sour cream and vanilla until smooth and well combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
5. Gently fold the diced apples into the batter.
6. Make the streusel by combining the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and work it into the dry ingredients with a fork or your fingertips until coarse crumbs form.
7. Divide the muffin batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
8. Generously sprinkle the streusel over the muffin batter. Gently press a few of the crumbs into the tops so they stay in place as the muffins rise.
9. Bake for 20–24 minutes, or until the muffins are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
10. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.

Tips for the Best Apple Streusel Muffins

Don’t overmix the batter. Stir just until you no longer see dry streaks of flour. Overmixing can make muffins dense instead of soft and tender.

Keep the streusel butter cold. Cold butter helps create those irregular, crumbly pieces that make a good bakery-style streusel topping.

Cut the apples small. Small pieces distribute more evenly throughout the batter and soften nicely while the muffins bake.

Don’t skimp on the streusel. You want some small crumbs and some slightly larger ones for the best texture.

How to Store Apple Streusel Muffins

Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate them for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze completely cooled muffins in a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw them at room temperature and warm them briefly before serving if you like.

Serving Ideas

Apple Streusel Muffins are especially good served slightly warm with coffee, tea or a cold glass of milk.

For a fall breakfast or brunch, serve them alongside scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and fresh fruit. They’re also an easy grab-and-go breakfast for busy mornings.

Estimated Nutrition (Per Muffin)

Calories: ~310
Protein: ~4 g
Net Carbs: ~43 g
Fat: ~13 g
Fiber: ~1.5 g

Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the specific ingredients used.