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Easy Apple Streusel Muffins Recipe | Perfect for Fall Baking

Easy Apple Streusel Muffins Recipe | Perfect for Fall Baking

Bake these easy apple streusel muffins—soft, cinnamon-spiced apple muffins topped with buttery streusel. A perfect fall breakfast or snack!

Let’s be honest—fall baking is basically a personality trait. If you’ve got apples piling up from your orchard haul (or your overly ambitious grocery run), these easy apple streusel muffins are your delicious solution. They’re soft, cinnamon-spiced, and topped with a buttery pecan streusel that’ll make your kitchen smell like a bakery married a pumpkin patch. Whether you’re baking for brunch, snack time, or just to flex your muffin magic, this apple muffin recipe is the kind of cozy content your oven’s been craving.

Golden brown apple streusel muffins cooling on a wire rack, topped with crumbly pecan streusel and surrounded by warm fall tones.

Why You’ll Love These Apple Streusel Muffins

Apple + cinnamon goodness in every bite

These baked apple muffins are like a warm hug from autumn—shredded apples, cozy cinnamon, and a golden streusel topping that’s basically dessert for breakfast.

Perfect for breakfast, snack or fall dessert

Quick to whip up, easy to devour, and ideal for crisp mornings, after-school treats, or your next fall brunch spread.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Muffin Batter Ingredients

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup shredded peeled apple (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work beautifully)
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg, beaten

Streusel Topping Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • ⅓ cup chopped pecans (optional but delightful)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the apples & batter

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
  3. Stir in shredded apple.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, oil, and beaten egg.
  5. Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring just until moistened.

Make the streusel topping

  1. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, butter, and pecans until crumbly.
  2. Set aside 3 tablespoons of streusel for topping.

Bake & cool your muffins

  1. Spoon half the batter into prepared muffin cups.
  2. Sprinkle with most of the streusel.
  3. Top with remaining batter and reserved streusel.
  4. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Cool slightly and serve warm.

Expert Tips & Variations

Use tart apples vs sweet apples

Granny Smith adds zing, while Honeycrisp brings natural sweetness. Mix and match for flavor depth.

Add nuts or oats for texture

Swap pecans for walnuts or add a tablespoon of rolled oats to the streusel for crunch.

How to store or freeze muffins

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze individually wrapped muffins for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I use frozen apples?

Yes, just thaw and drain them well to avoid excess moisture.

How long do these muffins stay fresh?

They’re best within 2–3 days, but freezing extends their life deliciously.

Can I make the streusel ahead of time?

Absolutely—store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just fluff before using.

More Muffin Recipes to Try:

Feeling inspired? Try these other cozy muffin recipes next:

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

Mini Cinnamon Muffins

Orange Marmalade Muffins with Cream Cheese Glaze

Blueberry Muffin Recipe

Cheesy Breakfast Bacon Muffins

Copycat Starbucks Sous Vide Egg Bites

Final Thoughts

Try these muffins this weekend—they’re the ultimate cozy bake for fall.

Easy Apple Streusel Muffins Recipe | Perfect for Fall Baking

Easy Apple Streusel Muffins Recipe | Perfect for Fall Baking

Yield: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Soft, cinnamon-spiced apple muffins topped with buttery pecan streusel—perfect for cozy fall mornings, after-school snacks, or autumn brunch spreads.

Ingredients

Muffin Batter:

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup shredded peeled apple
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg, beaten

Streusel Topping:

  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • ⅓ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin.
  • In a medium bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
  • Stir in shredded apple.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, oil, and beaten egg.
  • Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring just until moistened.
  • In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, butter, and pecans until crumbly.
  • Set aside 3 tablespoons of streusel for topping.
  • Spoon half the batter into prepared muffin cups.
  • Sprinkle with most of the streusel.
  • Top with remaining batter and reserved streusel.
  • Bake for 20–25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool slightly and serve warm.
  • Notes

  • Use tart apples like Granny Smith for a bright flavor, or sweet apples like Honeycrisp for natural sweetness.
  • Streusel can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • Muffins freeze well—wrap individually and store up to 2 months.
  • Nutrition Information:
    Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 192Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 153mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 3g

    The Nutritional Information may not be accurate. 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.

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    About Julee Morrison

    Julee Morrison is an author and writer with over 35 years of experience in parenting and family recipes. She’s the author of four cookbooks: The Instant Pot College Cookbook, The How-To Cookbook for Teens, The Complete Cookbook for Teens, and The Complete College Cookbook.Available on Amazon,

    Her work has appeared in The LA Times, Disney’s Family Fun Magazine, Bon Appétit, Weight Watchers Magazine, All You, Scholastic Parent & Child, and more.

    Her article "My Toddler Stood on Elvis' Grave and Scaled Over Boulders to Get to a Dinosaur" appeared on AP News, and her parenting piece “The Sly Way I Cured My Child's Lying Habit” was featured on PopSugar.

    Outside of writing, Julee enjoys baking, reading, collecting crystals, and spending time with her family. You can find more of her work at Mommy’s Memorandum.

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