Soft and sweet Apple Muffins made from scratch. These easy muffins have a delicious cinnamon topping and are perfect for morning or afternoon tea or as a lunchbox treat.
Say hello to my bakery-style Apple Muffins 💕
Soft and fluffy high-top muffins filled with freshly chopped apples and dusted with a sweet cinnamon sugar topping. These gorgeous Apple Muffins are so easy to make and a great treat for the lunchbox.
If you love all things cinnamon, you’ll fall head over heels for these easy Apple Muffins.
Last year, I developed a recipe for Apple Cake and it’s quickly become one of my most popular recipes of all time. So I knew an Easy Apple Muffin recipe was next on the list!
Just like my apple cake, these Cinnamon Apple Muffins are super light and fluffy on the inside. Made with oil and buttermilk, they’re soft and sweet with tender bites of apple in each one.
And just like my favourite Cinnamon Tea Cake, these muffins are finished with a brushing of butter and cinnamon sugar while they are still warm – it’s a magical trick! It turns a regular muffins into a delightful treat that’s reminiscent of a hot cinnamon donut. You are going to LOVE them!
HOW DO YOU MAKE HIGH TOP MUFFINS AT HOME?
There is a trick to making high top muffins just like those at a bakery. First, you need to make sure you fill the holes of your muffin pan right to the top with batter – see photo above. Then you want to bake the muffins in a very hot oven during the first 5 minutes of baking. This will ensure the muffins rise quickly and form those lovely domed tops. The oven temperature can then be reduced for the remainder of the cooking time.
HOW CAN I MAKE MUFFINS THAT ARE SOFT AND MOIST?
One trick for soft and moist muffins is using oil instead of butter. It gives the muffins a more cake-like texture, with a crisp top and a soft and tender centre. Another reasons for tough or dry muffins is over mixing. Make sure you don’t over mix your muffin batter. Stir the mix lightly by hand. Using buttermilk also helps to make muffins soft and moist.
CAN I MAKE MY OWN BUTTERMILK?
Yes. If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, try making your own buttermilk from scratch. Add one tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Leave for 5 minutes to curdle, then use as normal. This solution works well for these muffins.
WHAT APPLES SHOULD I USE?
Most apples will work well in this recipe, so use your favourite kind! I like to use red apples like Royal Gala or Pink Lady. Also, you don’t need to worry about peeling the apples, you can leave the skin on.
CAN YOU FREEZE APPLE MUFFINS?
Yes you can. While I will always think muffins are best fresh, especially warm from the oven, you can freeze these Apple Muffins. Simply wrap them well individually using plastic wrap and place in your freezer. You can heat them up in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to enjoy warm.
MORE MUFFINS RECIPES TO TRY
- Double Chocolate Muffins
- White Chocolate Raspberry Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Blueberry Muffins
- Banana Nut Muffins
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more amazing recipe ideas.
Let’s Bake
Easy Apple Muffins
Soft and tender Apple Muffins covered in cinnamon sugar.
Ingredients
- 350 grams (2 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 3 level teaspoons baking powder
- 200 grams (1 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 small red apples (approximately 2 cups), roughly chopped
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk*
Cinnamon topping
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons caster sugar or granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 C (390 F) standard / 180 C (350 F) fan-forced. Grease a 12-hole muffin pan well with butter or olive oil spray or line with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar and cinnamon and whisk briefly. Add chopped apples. Stir just to cover the apple pieces in the flour mixture.
- To a small bowl, add oil, vanilla and eggs whisk briefly just to break up the egg yolks. Make a well in the middle of your dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients, along with the buttermilk.
- Very gently fold until the mixture is just combined – be careful not to over mix or your muffins will be tough.
- Spoon out the mixture into your prepared tin. Depending on how much apple you added, you might be able to squeeze 14 muffins out of this batch.
- Bake for 5 minutes before turning down the heat to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced and bake for a further 13-15 minutes or golden brown on top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- While the muffins are still warm, brush the tops with melted butter. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon, then generously sprinkle over each muffin.
Notes
Buttermilk: You can make your own buttermilk but adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice to 1 cup of regular milk. Leave to sit for a few minutes and then use as per normal. It works great in this muffin recipe.
Christalla says
Hi Jessica, can you use Greek yogurt instead of buttermilk? Also can you make a video making these please. Love watching and making your recipes.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Christalla, yes you can! And thank you for the request, I’ll add it to my list!
Paramjeet Kaur says
Super easy recipe!!
Apple cinnamon muffins turned out to be very soft and delicious.
Thanks Jessica
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so happy to hear that!
Hayley says
I’d highly recommend this fantastic recipe! Super easy to follow and they were SO SOFT!
Follow the instructions and you can’t fail!
Thanks Jess!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Hooray! So happy to hear that Hayley!
Angie says
Hi, are these cupcake or the larger size muffins please?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Angie, I use a standard 12-size muffin pan.
Angie says
Thank you, going to give these a try.
AFC says
Fair at best. I followed ALL of the directions and read All the helpful hints. I used two red apples as well. The muffins were high but not very tasty. Just perfectly average flavor. I am a baker at home but couldn’t get this one right?!
★★★
Jessica Holmes says
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy them.
Jena says
The easy apple muffins are delicious, everybody loves them.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
I love hearing that!
Martine says
HOW would bake time be adjusted for mini-muffins (abt 1 1/2 to 2 inch)?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Martine, I’d check them around 12-14 minutes.
Carol says
Can I use 1/4 cup applesauce and 1/4 cup avocado oil?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Carol, I’ve never tried so I can’t say I’m sorry!
Holly says
My husband loved your apple cake and he loves these muffins too. Made them today and they came out perfect. Thank you!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Oh brilliant! Love hearing that Holly!
Gertrude Beal says
Delicious! They are a wonderful combination of the tart apple (I have no idea what kind of apples I have but they are cooking apples) and the cinnamon and sugar. I have small muffin tins so I actually got 23 out of the recipe. I didn’t have buttermilk but I added some lemon juice to whole milk to sour it. Thank you for the recipe. I will most definitely make them again. I don’t do a lot on social media.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so pleased you enjoyed them Gertrude! Thank you so much for your lovely review!