This apple cinnamon muffins recipe is so easy to make, you just need two bowls and a whisk! Made with vegetable oil, cinnamon, and walnuts, this simple dessert has everything that you need: an amazing flavor and a variety of textures!
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Why you should try this recipe
Lower sugar dessert. Don't get me wrong, these muffins are still filled with sugar, but not the same way as your regular muffins are. Normally you add the same amounts of sugar and flour to your muffin batter. So, if you use 250g flour, you should add 250g sugar to not ruin the texture. However, adding apples makes it possible to lower the amount of refined sugar in this cinnamon apple muffins recipe by 20%.
No need for special equipment. You can prepare the batter for these easy apple muffins using two bowls and a fork or spoon.
Crunchy topping stays crunchy! Because we use nuts as a topping, they will stay crunchy even after several days.
Ingredients and substitutions
Flour - I use good ol’ all-purpose flour for my cinnamon apple muffins.
Baking powder - There's not much acidity in the batter, so you won't need baking soda.
Flavorings - You can adjust the amount of cinnamon to your liking. I use 2 teaspoons, but you can add only one teaspoon of ground cinnamon. As for salt, don't skip it! Even a small amount makes a huge difference in flavor.
Egg - We need just one large egg at room temperature.
Sugar - I like to mix different types of sugar for my apple recipes to add a caramel flavor without adding caramel. So, I use one part dark brown sugar (you can use light brown sugar if you like) and three parts white granulated sugar to make this apple muffin recipe. However, it's absolutely possible to use white sugar only.
Fats - You can use vegetable oil and melted unsalted butter, as I did, or replace the oil with the same amount of butter.
Milk - Use whole milk at room temperature.
Apples - It all depends on your taste, but I like to use sweet and tart apples to make my muffins. Pink Lady and Braeburn will be great choices.
Walnuts - Apples and walnut go so well together, but you can use pecans or any other nuts you think to fit our apple and cinnamon muffins.
Cooking tips
Mix flour and baking powder properly. Sifting and then whisking dry ingredients together before mixing them with wet ingredients will ensure that the baking powder spreads evenly throughout the flour and will lift your muffins evenly. Also, sifting and mixing processes are introduced into your ingredients to make the final product fluffier.
Don't overmix. The more you mix your batter, the more the gluten develops. If you don't want chewy muffins, mix the batter just until no white speckles of flour are left and the mixture has a homogenous consistency.
Bake to dry toothpick. Because of fresh fruit in the batter, these muffins will take a bit longer to bake. I would recommend checking on them after the 25-minute mark first. If they are still underbaked, leave them for extra two minutes in the oven. It takes 27 minutes for my oven to bake them. I always do a toothpick test and take them out when the toothpick comes out clean from the muffin that baked in the center of the muffin tin.
Step by step directions
1. Preheat the oven to 180C (355F) and line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
3. Into another bowl, add the white and brown sugar, milk, butter, and oil. Whisk until homogenous in consistency.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and mix until no dry ingredients are left.
5. Fold in the cubed apples and spread the batter between the muffin liners so they’re ⅔ full.
6. Sprinkle crushed walnuts on top and bake for around 27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Possible variations
Simple icing - Make sugar icing by combining ½ cup of powdered sugar with a pinch of salt, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Drizzle on top of slightly warm muffins.
Salted caramel - Make my easy Salted caramel recipe and drizzle it on top of the muffins, or use your favorite store-bought caramel.
Melted chocolate - You can always melt any chocolate you like in the microwave and pour it on top of your apple cinnamon muffins.
Crumb topping (streusel) - Replace crushed nuts with a cinnamon sugar streusel topping that you can take from my Pumpkin muffins recipe.
FAQ
Store them at room temperature in an air-tight container lined with a paper towel for 4 days.
Wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap and then in a piece of foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then leave at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften before serving.
More cupcake and muffin recipes
Recipe card
Apple cinnamon muffins
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Digital kitchen scale
- 1 Muffin pan
- 12 Muffin liners
Ingredients
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 150 g white granulated sugar
- 50 g brown sugar
- 150 ml whole milk at room temperature
- 50 g unsalted butter melted
- 50 ml vegetable oil such as canola oil
- 2 apples peeled, cored, and cubed
- 50 g walnuts roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C (355F) and line a muffin tin with 12 muffin liners.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
- In another bowl, add the white and brown sugar, milk, butter, and oil. Whisk until homogenous in consistency.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and mix until no dry ingredients are left.
- Fold in the cubed apples and spread the batter between the muffin liners so they’re ⅔ full.
- Sprinkle crushed walnuts on top and bake for around 27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let cool down in the muffin pan for 10 minutes, then place onto a cooling rack to cool down completely.
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