Bake the perfect apple streusel muffins with tender, moist cake, sweet cinnamon, and a buttery, crumbly topping. Easy recipe with step-by-step instructions and lemon glaze.
These apple streusel muffins are seriously the best - super soft and tender inside, and the streusel on top is crispy and buttery, giving every bite that perfect contrast. They're lightly spiced with cinnamon, full of soft little apple pieces, and a drizzle of lemon glaze makes them a little extra special.
Check out more delicious fall muffins like the Pumpkin Banana Muffins.
Prep Time: 45 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Ingredients: 13 | Servings: 16-18 | Difficulty: Easy
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Recipe ingredients
Apples: I like to use firm, crisp, sweet, and sour apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Jonagold, Pink Lady, or Fuji. Try the Apple Blueberry Crumble or the Apple Cherry Crumble in summer!
Neutral-tasting oil, like canola. I use canola most of the time, but other neutral-tasting oils like grapeseed, vegetable, or avocado oil are fine.
Other ingredients for the muffins: All-purpose flour, brown and white sugar, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
Ingredients for the streusel: Flour, brown and white sugar, cinnamon, and unsalted butter. Check out the Cherry Crumble Cake, too.
Ingredients for the glaze: Confectioner's sugar and lemon juice.
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make apple streusel muffins?
Step #1: To make the streusel, combine the flour, soft butter, cinnamon, and sugars in a bowl. Refrigerate until needed.
Step #2: Mix the peeled and diced apples with lemon juice. Set aside.
Step #3: Beat the eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl.
Step #4: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients without overmixing, then fold in the apples.
Step #5: Divide the batter into the lined muffin tins.
Step #6: Sprinkle the streusel on top of each muffin.
Step #7: Bake the apple streusel muffins until the topping is golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Step #8: Make the glaze and drizzle it on the muffins immediately after removing them from the oven.
Muffin tins
This recipe makes about 16-18 muffins, which is more than a standard 12-cup muffin tin can hold. Because the baking powder starts working as soon as the batter is mixed, it's important to bake all the muffins at the same time so they rise properly.
The easiest way to do this is to use one 12-cup tin and one 6-cup tin together in the oven. This way, none of the batter sits too long, the muffins bake evenly, and you end up with soft, tender muffins with a perfectly golden, crunchy streusel on top.
Storage
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or in the fridge for 4-5 days. Their texture will change slightly if they are refrigerated, but they will still taste great.
Freeze: Let them cool completely, then wrap individually in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. They'll keep in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm them briefly in the oven or microwave - the streusel stays crunchy and the muffins stay soft and tender.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Apple Streusel Muffins - Moist Muffins with Crunchy Topping
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin Notes 1, 2
- 6-cup muffin tin
- Paper liners
- Bowls
Ingredients
Streusel:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter soft
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Apples:
- 1 cup diced apples about 8 oz/ 250 g, Note 3
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Muffins:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ⅓ cup neutral-tasting oil
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon glaze:
- ½ cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 360°F/180°C and line the muffin pans with paper liners.
Streusel:
- Make the streusel first by combining flour, brown and white sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the soft butter and rub it into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form. Chill until ready to use.1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour + ½ cup unsalted butter + ⅓ cup brown sugar + 3 tablespoons white sugar + ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Muffins:
- Prepare the apples: Peel, core, and dice the apples, then mix them with the lemon juice and set aside.1 cup diced apples + 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Mix dry ingredients: Combine flour, both sugars, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.2 ½ cups all-purpose + ⅓ cup granulated sugar + ⅓ cup brown sugar + 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder + 1 teaspoon cinnamon + a pinch of salt
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract.2 large eggs + ⅓ cup neutral-tasting oil + ¾ cup sour cream + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Fold ingredients together: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients without overmixing, then fold in the apples.
- Assemble: Divide the batter into the prepared muffin tins and sprinkle the streusel on top of each muffin.
- Bake the muffins for about 25 minutes until the streusel is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Glaze:
- Make the glaze: Mix the confectioner's sugar with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, adding a few more drops if needed to reach a thick paste.½ cup confectioner’s sugar + 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- Glaze the muffins: Drizzle the glaze over the muffins immediately after removing them from the oven.
- Cool the muffins: Let them rest in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Muffin tins: This recipe makes 16-18 muffins, so you can use one 12-cup tin and one 6-cup tin to bake them all at once, ensuring the batter rises properly and the muffins stay soft and fluffy.
- Measurements: Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it guarantees the best results.
- Apples: Use firm apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Jonagold, or Fuji, or mix a tart and a sweet variety.
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