Moist, fluffy, and warmly spiced, these Apple Oat Muffins are made with fresh Granny Smith apples and applesauce for maximum fall apple flavor. A buttery oat crumble topping and sweet maple glaze make these apple muffins a delicious treat for cozy mornings.
If you crave apple pie for breakfast…
…You’ll love this easy recipe for apple muffins with the best cinnamon crumb topping!
I always have muffins somewhere in my kitchen, whether it’s a fresh, warm batch of pumpkin muffins cooling on the counter, a basket of cinnamon roll muffins ready to share with a friend, or well-wrapped cranberry orange muffins waiting for me in the freezer.
Now, with this moist muffin recipe that includes juicy apples, I can enjoy any of my favorite fall baking flavors for breakfast on busy mornings, as a snack, or even as a light dessert!
The most amazing thing about these muffins is the topping. A buttery oat crumble is the best part of any apple crumb pie or apple crisp, and it makes these apple oat muffins completely perfect.
Enjoy!
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Fresh Apples: Choose Granny Smith apples for their tart, extra apple-y flavor and firm texture. They won’t turn to mush when they’re baked, and should be easy to find in most grocery stores. When testing this recipe, I tried with some other apple varieties and just didn’t like them as much as I did with green Granny Smiths. You only need one medium or large apple for this recipe! Just peel, core, and cut into small cubes.
- Applesauce: Add moisture and even more apple flavor! Unsweetened applesauce works best, as there is already plenty of sugar in the recipe.
- Spices: You can’t make apple cinnamon muffins without a little bit of spice! To remind you of homemade apple pie, I’ve included the perfect amounts of ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Oil: To add moisture to the muffins. This recipe uses less oil than some of my other muffin recipes, since the applesauce also helps to keep them moist.
- Flour: I recommend using regular all-purpose flour in this recipe. Cake flour would make the muffins too delicate, and whole wheat flour is a bit dense, which will keep them from rising. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 ratio all purpose gf flour.
- Oats: We’ll use old fashioned rolled oats in the batter and in the crumble topping. The first step to making this muffin batter is to soak the oats in milk and applesauce to soften them up.
- Milk: To make the muffin batter the perfect consistency. Replace the milk with apple juice or apple cider to make the muffins dairy-free and extra flavorful.
- Brown Sugar: The rich flavor of brown sugar goes so well with apples and warm spices.
- Oat Crumble Topping: A simple mixture of cold unsalted butter, old-fashioned rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt will give you a crispy, crumbly topping.
- Maple Glaze: I mix pure maple syrup with powdered sugar to create a sweet drizzle to finish the muffins.
Tip!
The crumble topping will work best if you use cold cubes of butter straight from the fridge, and the butter stays cold until it goes into the oven. I suggest making the cinnamon crumb topping first, then storing it in the fridge until just before you need it.
Tips for Making the Best Muffins
- If your apples seem extra juicy, pat them dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. If the apples are too wet, you might end up with soggy muffins.
- I think that old-fashioned rolled oats give the topping the best crispy texture, but if you have quick oats or instant oats, you can also use them. Just know that the crumble won’t be as crunchy.
- Consider adding chopped almonds or pecans to the topping to add extra texture and nutty flavor.
- I always prefer to use paper liners for muffins, but if you’d rather not, just be sure to grease the muffin tin very well to avoid any sticking.
- Avoid overmixing the batter. After you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stir just a few times, and stop when the flour is no longer visible.
- Fill the cups almost all the way to the top. Because of the apple pieces in the batter, these won’t rise quite as tall as my other muffins.
- Add the glaze only after the muffins have cooled completely. I’ve learned that if you add frosting to warm muffins, it will soak in rather than sit on top.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Apple Oat Muffins
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Muffin tins
- Wire rack
- Pastry cutter or fork
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (52 g) rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (62 g) unsalted butter cold, cubed
Muffins
- 1½ cups (155 g) rolled oats
- ¾ cup (190 g) unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ⅔ cup (135 g) light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (120 g) finely chopped Granny Smith apple (about 1 medium apple, cut into ¼-inch pieces)
Maple Glaze
- 1 cup (200 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) pure maple syrup plus an additional tablespoon if needed
Instructions
Crumble:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and salt.
- Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until crumbles form. Chill in the fridge until ready to use.
Muffins:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), or 200°C for a fan oven. Line a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, applesauce, and milk. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften the oats.
- Whisk in the brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk again until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in the chopped apple.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin liners, filling nearly to the top.
- Top each muffin with a generous amount of crumble.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C for a fan oven, and continue baking for 12–15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup until smooth. Add more syrup if needed to thin.
- Drizzle over the cooled muffins and let the glaze set for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes:
- If your apples are extra juicy, pat them dry with a paper towel before folding into the batter to avoid soggy muffins.
- You can use quick oats instead of rolled oats, but the texture will be slightly softer.
- Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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