The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.
These Cinnamon Apple Muffins are soft and tender spiced muffins. They’re topped with a crisp, buttery crumble and baked to golden perfection.
This recipe makes twelve muffins for just $0.10 per muffin. Therefore, it only costs $1.25 to make the entire recipe.
Apple season is one of the best seasons! Try our Shortcut Apple Fritter Bread, Homemade Chunky Applesauce, and Mini Apple Pies for more apple recipes.
These bakery-style muffins taste just as good as they smell! The aroma in the kitchen, while these are baking, is irresistible. And when you bite into a muffin and get the perfect ratio of apple bits and cinnamon in each bite, it is AMAZING!
We love this Apple Cinnamon Muffin recipe because it is so easy! It is made in one bowl for 30 minutes from start to finish. The muffins are moist and full of flavor that screams fall. These Apple Cinnamon Muffins are a quick and easy recipe that is great for breakfast and snacks your family will love any time of the year.
Ingredients & Estimated Cost:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour – $0.29
- ¾ cup granulated sugar – $0.18
- ½ teaspoon salt – $0.01
- 2 teaspoons baking powder – $0.30
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon – $0.02
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil – $0.16
- 1 egg – $0.10
- ⅓ cup milk – $0.05
- ¼ cup Granny Smith apples – $0.14
To learn more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.
How to Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Then line the muffin tin with paper liners and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
- Next, whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
- In a separate, large mixing bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, and brown sugar and mix until smooth.
- Then, add in the eggs and mix to combine. Mix in the milk, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Then fold in the diced apples.
- Make the crumble topping by mixing the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in another bowl. Add in the butter and mix until the texture is crumbly.
- Fill each muffin tin about 3/4 of the way full with the batter, and then top each with one Tablespoon of the topping mixture.
- Finally, bake for twenty-four to twenty-six minutes and let them cool on a wire rack before serving.
***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Instead of apples, you can use cut up pears.
- Also, instead of apples you can use chopped strawberries or blueberries.
Storage Tips
SERVE: Serve warm with some butter or at room temperature.
STORE: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4 days.
FREEZE: Individually wrap each muffin in two layers of plastic wrap and place them in freezer-safe zipper-top bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
DEFROST: Defrost the cinnamon apple muffins at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
Recipe FAQs
We prefer to use Granny Smith apples because they are tart and will hold up well in the oven. However, you can use other apple variations as long as they are crisp. For example, Fuji and Honeycrisp are both sweet, crisp apples.
Baking powder is needed to help the muffins rise and become light and fluffy. If you do not use the correct amount, your muffins will turn out flat.
The best way to check if the muffins are done baking is to insert a wooden toothpick into the center of the muffin. If it comes out clean, take the muffins out of the oven because they are done baking. If it comes out with batter on the toothpick, they need more time in the oven.
Get Kids Involved
Ages 2-3: Have your little one practice fine motor skills by placing the paper liners in the muffin tin. Practice their counting skills as they fill the muffin tins.
Ages 4-5: Your child can help by measuring and mixing the ingredients in the mixing bowl. They can also help fold in the apples. This is a great time to give your child some math problems as they practice counting how many muffins are in the tin. Give them some addition and subtraction problems. They can use the muffin tins to work out the problems.
Ages 6-8: Let your child practice making this recipe on their own. This a great way to build their confidence in the kitchen.
Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!
Budget Tips
Stock up on apples in the fall when they are on sale so you can make all the apple recipes!
More Breakfast Recipes
- Easy Chia Pudding
- Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts
- French Toast with Blueberry Syrup
- Eggs Benedict Breakfast Braid
- Granola Bars
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Quick Monkey Bread from Scratch
- Overnight French Toast
- Red Velvet Buttermilk Waffles
- Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
Cinnamon Apple Muffins
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- rubber spatula
- handheld mixer
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Muffin tins
- wire rack
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs + 1 yolk
- ¾ cup milk anything but skim milk
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups peeled diced apples
TOPPING:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons butter
Instructions
PREP OVEN AND PAN:
- Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°.
- Line two muffin tins with paper liners and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
MAKE MUFFIN BATTER:
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a small mixing bowl.
- In a separate, large mixing bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, and brown sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add eggs and mix to combine. Add milk, sour cream, and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Add the diced apples and fold them in using a rubber spatula.
MAKE TOPPING:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
- Add in the butter and mix until crumbly in texture.
BAKE AND COOL MUFFINS:
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cavity about ¾ of the way full.
- Top each one with 1 Tablespoon of topping mixture.
- Place into the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake one tin at a time for 24-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack to cool.
- Once the muffins are cool enough to touch, remove them from the tin and serve.
MacKenzie says
My daughter made these yesterday and they turned out super moist and delicious.
Ai says
So fluffy and delicious!!
Seema Doraiswamy Sriram says
Added this cinnamon apple muffin to my meal prep list and it hs been the best decision. My kids had some for the lunchboxes and i loved the bite at work too.
Ieva says
I made these apple muffins a couple of days ago and we take them to work to snack on when hunger hits us! Delicious snack and they keep so well in containers. They are still very moist on day 3! Definitely a keeper!
Charla says
So beautifully presented and LOVE that crumbly topping!
Sandy Gotter says
Could we cut back in some granulated sugar ? Thanks
Jess Jankowski says
Yes you can cut back on some granulated sugar. However, it will alter the overall taste slightly.
Sandy Gotter says
Can you make this into a cake ? It sounds delicious ! Thanks
Sandy Gotter says
Can we make this into a cake ? Sounds delicious thanks