Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Apple Crumb Muffins, featuring tart Granny Smith apples folded into a tender muffin base and topped with a sweet, cinnamon-spiced crumb topping. Perfect for breakfast or a cozy snack, these muffins bake up golden and crumbly with a delightful balance of sweetness and spice.
Ingredients
Scale
Muffins:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced (about 2 apples)
Crumb Topping:
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 dash salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or line it with muffin liners and set aside to prepare for the batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to ensure even distribution of leavening and seasoning.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the whole milk, vegetable oil, egg, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated for a smooth base.
- Blend Batter: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined, being careful not to overmix to keep the muffins tender.
- Add Apples: Fold in the peeled and diced Granny Smith apples gently to distribute them evenly throughout the batter.
- Fill Muffin Pan: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each well about two-thirds full to allow room for rising during baking.
- Prepare Crumb Topping: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the mixture is evenly moistened with pea-sized clumps to create the crumbly topping texture.
- Top Muffins: Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over each muffin, covering the batter in the pan for a sweet, crunchy finish.
- Bake Muffins: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, indicating they are fully baked.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before serving to set the crumb topping and enhance flavor.
Notes
- Use Granny Smith apples for their tartness which balances the sweet crumb topping perfectly.
- Do not overmix the batter to ensure the muffins stay light and tender.
- The crumb topping can be prepared ahead and refrigerated or frozen in an airtight container.
- For dairy-free options, substitute whole milk and butter with plant-based alternatives.
- Muffins are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
