Published: Jul 28, 2019 by Kelly Anthony · 52 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Apple Crumble Muffins

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When it comes to baking at home, we hope our recipes will turn out as good (if not better) than the bakery down the street. It's a fair expectation, and homemade treats should be well worth your time and your efforts. Rest assured, these Apple Crumble Muffins will not disappoint.

We know what it takes to whip up an incredible batch of apple muffins, but we'll also catch you up on what it takes to make the perfect crumble topping, along with tips for freezing your muffins for make-ahead mornings on the go!

This is a sponsored post written by The Anthony Kitchen in conjunction with Rodelle Vanilla. All opinions are entirely my own.

Muffins are a great morning staple to have on hand, as they stay fresh for days and are freezer friendly. It's a breakfast treat you can serve to the whole family and expect to hear only thanks and gratitude in return. Yes, a complaint-free morning. It's practically every mother's dream. Top it off with a perfect Apple Crumble Muffin and a quiet cup of coffee, and we're essentially looking at pure bliss here, people.

So, what is pure bliss in Apple Muffin form? This is the criteria we set before ourselves on a quest to make the perfect morning treat:

Must have a tender crumb on the inside.
A delectable crumble topping.
Must be easy to make.

APPLE MUFFIN INGREDIENTS

Apples | In most baking recipes involving apples, you might have noticed a common call for firm, tart apples. This is not the case with Apple Crumble Muffins. For muffins, you want to use a softer variety of apples. Golden Delicious or yellow apples are perfect for this recipe.
All-Purpose Flour
Sugar | You need both brown sugar and granulated sugar for the crumble topping, and brown sugar only for the Apple Muffin batter. Light brown sugar is preferable, but if you only have dark brown sugar, you can use that as well.
Baking Powder | Baking powder and baking soda are not interchangeable ingredients, so be sure you are working with baking powder when assembling your Apple Muffin batter.
Fine Sea Salt
Ground Cinnamon
Butter | Take note, you need your butter to be very cold for the crumble topping and melted butter for the muffins. Make sure you use only unsalted butter!
Large Eggs
Whole Milk
Vanilla | For this recipe, we use Rodelle's Vanilla Extract. It has a rich, deep, dark brown color, and is produced from the highest quality bourbon vanilla beans. Their percolation process produces high-caliber vanilla, and it is a difference you can see, smell, and most importantly, taste.

MUFFIN CRUMBLE TOPPING

A crumble is a mixture of flour, sugar, and cold butter. Cold butter is key to a perfect crumble, and if your butter is at any other temperature, you're essentially going to end up with a thick batter instead. Cold butter cubes are mixed into the flour/sugar mixture via a method called "cutting."

A pastry blender is probably the most common and efficient tool out there for cutting butter, but you could also use a food processor or two knives to work the mixture into a proper crumble.

The crumble is ready to use when the butter cubes have been broken up into teeny-tiny pieces, just a touch smaller than a pea. Another great way to tell if your crumble is ready is by the texture. The mixture should feel somewhat like damp sand.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST APPLE CRUMBLE MUFFINS

To make Apple Crumble Muffins with a tender crumb and a perfect crumble topping, you'll begin with the crumble. Before you move into the batter, do yourself a favor and knock out that prep work first.

Make the Crumble Topping | Mix together flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Then, add the butter and cut it into the dry mixture until the mixture begins to resemble a texture similar to damp sand.
Prep the Apples | Golden Delicious or yellow apples are perfect for making Apple Muffins. Peel and dice them into ¼" cubes.
Mix the Dry Ingredients | To mix the dry ingredients for the Apple Crumble Muffins, all you need is a mixing bowl and a whisk. Don't you just love the simple things?
Mix the Wet Ingredients | Mixing the wet ingredients is just as easy as mixing the dry. Bonus! Whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla, and the melted butter.
Make the Batter | Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and very gently, stir to combine. Be sure to stop as soon as the batter comes together. Over-mixing the batter can cause them to be tough. Add in those apples, stir once more, and start scooping.
Scoop and Bake! | Fill the muffin tin with liners, followed by a scoop of batter, sprinkle on the crumble topping, and transfer to the oven. The muffins are ready when the tops are springy to the touch and the muffins are a beautiful golden brown. Can't you just smell the cinnamon already?

MORE YUMMY MUFFIN RECIPES TO TRY!

HOW TO FREEZE APPLE MUFFINS

To freeze Apple Muffins simply allow them to cool completely and place them in either a freezer-safe, ziptop bag or an airtight, freezer-safe storage container. If using the plastic bag, remove as much as possible (without squishing the muffins) before sealing. If using a storage container, try to find a container that fits the muffin just right. You don't want a ton of blank space in there.

So not only do you have an easy muffin recipe on hand, but you also have a make-ahead muffin recipe on hand. This means mornings just got a whole lot easier...and a whole lot tastier.

ARE APPLE MUFFINS HEALTHY?

This is a grey area. Are there healthy apples in the muffin? Absolutely. Is there a somewhat limited amount of sugar per serving? Yes, in this particular recipe, there is. But healthy isn't necessarily a black-and-white term, and it doesn't mean the same thing to everyone. Therefore, we could get away with calling Apple Muffins healthy-ish, but probably due to the oil, flour, and sugar (limited as it may be), we can't rightfully call them 100% healthy.

That's not to say you can't find a whole-grain or Paleo Apple Muffin recipe, but if you want your muffins to be a real breakfast treat, settle with healthy-ish.

4 MORE APPLE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE

Apple Strudel with layer upon layer of flaky crust and a flavorful apple filling is a dessert that could conjure the whole family just by scent alone the moment it comes out of the oven!
Apple Pudding is a festive apple dessert that everyone will thoroughly enjoy yet doesn’t take all day in the kitchen! It’s a quick fix that’s decadently moist, loaded with big apple flavor, easy to make and tastes amazing. Think bread pudding meets cake.
Homemade Apple Pie doesn't need to be complicated and you certainly don't need an onslaught of ingredients. You can make a perfect apple pie with nothing but the essentials...and this recipe!
Baked Brie with Apples and Walnuts is the perfect mix of sweet and savory, melty and crunchy. It features apples smothered in a cinnamon, caramel-type sauce, and melty baked brie. It's easy to make and perfect for any party!

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