These Apple Cinnamon Muffins are tall with cinnamony domed tops. They are made using grated apples that meld into the muffins resulting in a moist and tender crumb that doesn't fall apart. You’ll fall in love with one bite!
My ideal apple cinnamon muffins has a moist, tender crumb that packs in many apples like in apple cinnamon bread. I found that adding an excessive amount of diced apples into the muffin batter led to the muffins crumbling apart or resulting in a soggy mess.
So I turned to my go-to method of stirring in grated fruits like in sweet potato muffins or persimmon muffins. Grated fruits tend to distribute their moisture more evenly throughout the batter, leading to a more consistent texture.
In anticipation of the upcoming fall season, I've dedicated myself to creating a collection of several apple-based recipes to share with you. While those are in the works, I'd like to provide you with a preview of some favorites, including apple mug cake, air fryer apple crisp or apple cinnamon oatmeal.
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Why this recipe works?
Grated apples instantly spread their moisture within the batter, yielding a remarkably consistent texture. Additionally, the batter readily absorbs the released moisture, producing a uniformly refined crumb.
Also, I top the muffins with a cinnamon sugar that forms a crackly cinnamon crust to the apple cinnamon muffins.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Apples -Like in my air fryer baked apples, I like to use Gala, Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious, because they are sweet with a hint of tartness.
- Eggs - Preferably at room temperature so it incorporates more easily into the apple cinnamon muffins batter.
- Butter - Unlike in eggless banana muffins, I use melted butter instead of vegetable oil for it's richness and flavor.
- Leavening - A combination of baking powder and baking soda guarantees a good lift resulting in a beautiful domed top.
- Flavorings - Class fall flavors like ground cinnamon and vanilla extract.
- Sugar - Brown sugar adds moisture and enhances the cinnamon with its molasses undertones. In contrast, white sugar contributes just the right amount of sweetness.
- Flour - Just plain all-purpose flour for structure.
Pro tip: Use packed light brown sugar if using Garnny smith apples to compensate for the added tartness.
How to make?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
1 & 2. Whisk eggs, white sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl for 90 seconds. Add melted butter and vanilla extract and continue whisking for 30 seconds.
3 & 4. Sift together all purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and then stir into the wet ingredients using a wooden spoon.
5. Mix until the batter is thoroughly combined.
6. Grate apples using the coarse side of your box grater and measure 2 cups.
7 & 8. Add grated apples and chopped walnuts into the batter and mix until evenly combined.
Tip: Remove any visibly large pieces of peel after grating.
9. Transfer batter into paper-lined muffin cups.
10. Stir ground cinnamon along with white sugar and sprinkle on top the batter.
Bake apple cinnamon muffins at 375 degrees for about 24 minutes or the topping is deep golden in color.
How to store?
Allow the apple cinnamon muffins to cool completely before storing it in an air tight container for up to 4 days or frozen in a airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before serving.
Helpful tips
- Apples: Use firm apples with a sweet-tart flavor, like Fuji, Gala, Grolden delicious or Honeycrisp.
- Don't Overmix the Batter: As with all muffin recipes, overmixing can lead to tough apple cinnamon muffins. Mix until the dry and wet ingredients are just combined to achieve a tender texture.
- No need to peel - The peel adds texture, flavor and nutrition.
More muffins
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Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients
- 2 eggs, large
- ½ cup sugar, white
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted but not hot 1 stick
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated apples (lightly packed)
- ¼ to ½ cup walnuts, chopped optional
Cinnamon topping
- 2 tablespoons sugar, white
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a standard muffin pan with 8 paper liners.
- Add all dry ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until combined.
- Add eggs, white sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl and whisk for 90 seconds. Add melted butter and vanilla extract and continue whisking for 30 seconds.Pro tip: Use packed light brown sugar if using Garnny smith apples to compensate for the added tartness.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dry ingredients until combined (the batter will be thick).Stir in the grated apples and walnuts (if using). The moisture in the apples will loosen the batter.Tip: Remove any visibly large pieces of peel after grating.
- Divide batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar topping on top (use all of it). Tip: To make cinnamon sugar, stir together 2 tablespoons white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnmon in a small bowl.
- Bake for 23 to 25 minutes or the tops look deep golden and color and a tooth pick inserted comes clean.
- Place pan on a wire rack to cool. Serve muffins warm!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love your feedback! Please let me know by leaving a comment, a star rating or review below.
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Lynne
An amazing recipe. I tried it today and was so happy that I did. I was bummed because I didn't save the recipe on my phone and couldn't find it (searched Google and Bing over and over again). I finally realized that I needed to use Safari on my phone and it came right up. It was worth the trouble to find it! It's delicious! I shredded the apples with the skins on as the author suggested and it was fine. Made it very easy not having to peel the apples.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you enjoyed it hun – Maria ♡
Kathleen cowan
These muffins were great. I doubled the recipe so I could freeze them for snacks for my grandson and they were a big hit.