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Soft and moist apple pie muffins are fluffy all the way through and bursting with cozy cinnamon spice. This easy muffin recipe is an irresistible fall dessert, snack, or weekend breakfast treat. Fall baking, here we come!
I can’t wait to dive into all my favorite fall baking ideas, from these tender apple cinnamon muffins to my buttery apple crumble and this sweet apple cobbler!
Apple pie muffins are the best way to usher in fall! With fresh apples and cozy cinnamon, they’re quickly becoming one of my favorite baking ideas. Since I made them for brunch last weekend, we’ve been munching apple pie muffins for breakfast and as a sweet snack non-stop. The quick and easy batter bakes up into tall, fluffy apple cinnamon muffins that are super soft and not too sweet. Just like you’ll find in a bakery!
Why You’ll Love These Apple Pie Muffins
- Easier than pie. These muffins turn my love for apple pie into a soft, cakey muffin recipe. These muffins have all the spirit of apple pie, with juicy bites of buttery apples and warm cinnamon spice. Basically, it’s all the flavors I love, without having to bake a whole pie!
- Delicious texture. My cinnamon apple muffins are moist and tender inside, with crunchy cinnamon sugar tops glazed with creamy vanilla icing. Every bite is totally heavenly.
- Versatile. Take these muffins along to fall gatherings and potlucks, or gift a batch to your neighbors. They transport and store well so they’re great for sharing! I can’t think of many fall occasions that aren’t made better by a batch of fluffy apple pie muffins.
Ingredients You’ll Need
One of my favorite things about these muffins is that they take only a few pantry staples to make! I’ll start you off with some notes. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable list of ingredients with the amounts.
- Apples – My favorite are Granny Smith apples for their fresh-tart flavor. Feel free to use any baking apple you’d like. Other good choices are Braeburn, Honeycrisp, or Jonagold apples.
- Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour), granulated sugar, and baking powder. Make sure you’re using baking powder and not baking soda, as they aren’t the same.
- Ground Cinnamon – Cinnamon and apples are the perfect pair. Nutmeg is another option that brings warm, aromatic spice, or you can use apple pie spice.
- Butter – Melted in the microwave before you start. This can be salted or unsalted butter.
- Egg – Brought to room temperature.
- Milk – Whole milk, 2% milk, or skim.
- Cinnamon Sugar – Easy to make by combining granulated sugar with ground cinnamon. I sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top of my muffins for a delicious sweet crunch.
How To Make Apple Cinnamon Muffins
I’ve quickly realized that these apple pie muffins are an easy way to satisfy a seasonal craving for fresh apple pie, with a fraction of the effort. Here’s how to make them in just a few steps:
- Prepare the apples. First, you want to grate the apples and strain them to remove any excess moisture.
- Make the batter. Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients for the muffin batter. In a separate bowl, whisk cooled melted butter with the egg and milk. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold in the apples.
- Fill the muffin tin. Divide the batter between the wells of a lined muffin pan. Whisk cinnamon with sugar to make the topping, and sprinkle this over the muffins.
- Bake. Bake these apple pie muffins at 375ºF for about 20 minutes. They should be puffed up and golden, and set in the center. Afterward, let the muffins cool in the pan.
Easy Vanilla Glaze
For an extra special touch, I like to whip together a simple vanilla glaze to drizzle over my baked muffins. I use the same glaze from my apple oatmeal cookies, made by combining powdered sugar with a little water or milk until it reaches a pourable consistency. Let the muffins cool, and then dollop on the glaze before serving.
Tips & Variations
- Don’t overmix the muffin batter. The secret to tender muffins is not to over mix the muffin mixture, but to fold ingredients until just combined and still a little lumpy.
- If you don’t have muffin liners, use a non-stick spray and spray the entire pan including the top. Once the muffins are baked and cooled, they should come out easily.
- Can I use oil instead of butter? While many muffin makers swear by oil over butter for a soft, moist muffin, I don’t recommend oil in this recipe. Oil compromises the rich, buttery taste we’re after in these apple pie muffins. I suggest sticking to what the recipe calls for.
How to Store Muffins
- Room temperature. Store these cinnamon apple muffins for up to 4 days in an airtight container or zip-lock bag on the countertop. Line the container with a paper towel and lay a second paper towel on top of the muffins to prevent the muffins from getting soggy.
- Fridge. I rarely refrigerate muffins as the fridge tends to dry them out. If you need to refrigerate your muffins, store them in a sealed container with paper towels.
- Freeze. Wrap the cooled muffins individually in foil or freezer wrap and place them into freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.
More Muffin Recipes
- Blueberry Lemon Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Cornbread Muffins
- Flourless Blender Muffins
- Best Ever Pumpkin Muffins
- Oatmeal Eggnog Muffins
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Apple Pie Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 granny smith apple, peeled
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons butter,, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup milk
FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
- Grate the apples. Grate the apples using the large holes of a box grater. Transfer grated apples to a strainer; cover with plastic wrap and let stand to drain.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; whisk until incorporated. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Pour melted butter into a mixing bowl. Let cool slightly. Whisk in the egg and then the milk.
- Combine. Whisk 1/3 of the flour mixture into the milk mixture. Whisk in another 1/3 of the flour mixture into the liquid mixture; whisk until the liquid is absorbed. Whisk in the remaining of the flour mixture. Gently fold in the grated apples.
- Fill the pan. Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Set aside.
- Top with cinnamon sugar. In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon; mix to incorporate. Sprinkle the tops of the muffin batter with cinnamon sugar.
- Bake. Bake muffins at 375ºF for 20 minutes, or until risen, golden on top, and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out dry. Remove from oven.
- Cool. Cool muffins in the pan set on a rack. Lift them out when they have cooled completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Thank you for your post, I was sad that my family was not able to make it to the apple orchard this year. Instead I ended up buying one of the bags and using that to do some baking. This years apple treat was apple /oatmeal cookies..I think they would have done better if I put in some walnuts though. Either way they were a good treat to add to the pile of recipies:)
There is nothing that says Fall like a nice warm apple pie. I have found a great way to make this all time favorite even better. Personal peices of pie:) All you do is make your pie as normal but instead of it getting put inot a pan to bake you simply put the shell and stuffing into a cupcake pan. Only 6 are allowed at a time for spill over. This way there is no cutting and everyone gets just the right size/hand held peice of apple pie:)
DEEEELICIOUS!
Kate, read your guest post, and these sound delicious! Apple pie is one of my favorite autumn desserts, and it would be scrumptious in a cakey muffin!
Oh nice like having your own individual pie in a cup he he, off to see the recipe.
These Apple Pie Muffins look soooo delicious! I am heading over to check your guest post now! 🙂
Oh yum! Apple pie + muffins?!
I think I want to take a bite right now, going to check them out!
Thats a wonderful recipe Kate…Nice creation 🙂