• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Our Happy Mess

  • Home
  • About Me
    • Video Service
    • Work with Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers/Party Food
    • Mains
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches
      • Pasta
      • Soups
      • Chicken
      • Beef
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Turkey
      • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Breakfast/Brunch
      • Grains & Granola
      • Muffins
      • Eggs
    • Dessert
      • Bars and cookies
      • Cakes and cupcakes
      • Pies and tarts
      • Puddings and mousses
      • Candy
      • Other
    • Snacks
    • Sides
    • Mediterranean Diet / Flexitarian
    • Summer Recipes
  • Sustainable Living
  • Shop
    • Gift Guides
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Work with Me
  • Video Service
  • Subscribe
  • Find me on

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About Me
      • Privacy Policy
    • Work with Me
    • Video Service
    • Subscribe
  • Find me on

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Breakfast/Brunch » Muffins

    One Bowl Apple Cinnamon Muffins

    Originally Published: Dec 17, 2019 · Last Updated: Jul 23, 2020 by Ann · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    26.7K shares
    • 60
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Apple cinnamon muffins piled into a bowl
    An apple cinnamon muffin on a cooling rack

    These easy apple cinnamon muffins are soft, moist, and packed with juicy apple pieces. A simple, sweet, crunchy brown sugar-cinnamon topping makes them totally irresistible!

    Apple cinnamon muffins piled into a bowl

    What makes these apple cinnamon muffins the best?

    My very favorite baked goods meet the following 3 criteria:

    1. Made in a single bowl so there's minimal cleanup
    2. Uses ingredients I'm likely to have on hand when the urge to bake strikes
    3. Is the very best version I've ever tasted of the baked good in question

    You're probably expecting me to tell you that these apple cinnamon muffins fit that criteria to a T. And you would be...

    Correct. I never was one to bury the lede.

    What else makes them great?

    Creaming the butter and sugar together

    Unlike most muffins, the butter and sugar are creamed together at the beginning. This means that instead of the hearty, dense and chewy texture you get with most muffins, these have a soft, light, almost cakey crumb. 

    This isn't ALWAYS what I'm looking for in a muffin, but in this case it REALLY works. It's like biting into a soft cinnamon-scented brown-sugary cloud. You could really call them coffee cake muffins.

    Come to think of it, they are reminiscent of my favorite apple cake.

    Sour cream

    Nothing dry about these muffins either. Muffins are often made with yogurt or buttermilk, but my favorite thing for the moistest muffins is tangy sour cream.

    That said, use plain yogurt or buttermilk if that's what you have. All do a good job of adding moisture, and are fairly interchangeable for muffin purposes.

    Do not use just regular milk however, as it lacks the acid needed to react with the baking soda, which makes the muffins rise.

    In a pinch, if you don't have yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk, you can make a buttermilk substitute by combining a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice with enough milk to make a cup. See here for more info and for other buttermilk substitutes.

    Step-by-step how to make apple cinnamon muffins

    1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Add the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer.
    2. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and cream together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy,4-5 minutes.
    3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and add the egg. Mix until well incorporated, about 2 minutes.
    4. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix on low speed until fairly smooth, scraping down the bowl once or twice, another minute or so.
    steps for mixing muffin batter

    5. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon to the bowl.

    6. With the mixer on low speed, mix just until combined. Be careful not to over-mix. The batter will be very thick (unless you used buttermilk instead of sour cream in which case it will be a bit thinner).

    Dry ingredients being mixed into muffin batter

    7. Peel, core, and dice two apples into ¼ inch pieces. I used a Granny Smith apple for tartness and a Honeycrisp for sweetness. But any baking apples will work. Fuji, Braeburn, and Jonathans also hold their shape well, which makes them good for baking.

    8. Fold the chopped apples into the muffin batter. It will seem like way too much apple for the amount of batter, but like in this rhubarb coffee cake, it works, trust me! 

    Apples being diced and stirred into muffin batter

    9. Grease and flour a standard 12-cup muffin tin (or line it with muffin papers).

    10. scoop the batter into the muffin cups (they will be filled all the way to the top). for the crumble topping (optional but so delicious), combine ⅓ cup of brown sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the muffins. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

    A muffin tin being filled with batter and sprinkled with crumble topping

    Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 20 minutes and unmold onto a cooling rack to cool completely. 

    Muffins in the tin cooling on a rack

    These muffins are great warm out of the oven or cooled to room temperature.

    An apple cinnamon muffin on a cooling rack

    Enjoy! xx

    More of my favorite muffins!

    One Bowl Healthy Raspberry Muffins

    Mandarin Orange Greek Yogurt Muffins

    The Best Banana Pecan Muffins

    Cherry Muffins with Coconut Streusel

    Cranberry Orange Muffins with Cream Cheese Glaze

    And if you’re looking for more easy breakfast inspiration, follow me on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK or TWITTER. 

    An apple cinnamon muffin on a cooling rack

    One Bowl Apple Cinnamon Muffins

    These apple cinnamon muffins are soft, moist, and packed with juicy apple pieces. A simple, crunchy brown sugar-cinnamon topping makes them totally irresistible!
    4.91 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Breakfast/Brunch
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 12 muffins
    Calories: 278kcal
    Author: Ann Otis

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
    • ½ cup light brown sugar firmly packed
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1 cup sour cream *see note
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 2 large apples peeled, cored and chopped into ¼ inch pieces

    Topping (optional)

    • ⅓ cup brown sugar firmly packed
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour a standard 12-cup muffin pan.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed, for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
    • Add the egg and continue mixing until incorporated, scraping down the bowl once or twice (about 2 minutes). Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix on low speed another minute.
    • Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and mix on low speed just until incorporated.
    • Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, add the apples, and give it a good stir with a rubber spatula until the apples are evenly distributed in the batter.
    • Divide the muffin batter evenly between the muffin cups. They should be about ¾ full.
    • Topping: In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the muffins.
    • Bake muffins in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

    Video

    Notes

    *If you don't have sour cream on hand, you can use plain yogurt or buttermilk instead. In a pinch, you can make a homemade version of buttermilk by combining 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and enough milk to make a cup. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 392IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag it Today!Mention @OurHappyMess or tag #OurHappyMess!
    « Boneless Pork Loin Roast with Cranberry Orange Glaze
    Roasted Salmon Quinoa Bowls »
    26.7K shares
    • 60

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anita

      December 18, 2022 at 12:09 pm

      5 stars
      My neighbour came in while the muffins were on the cooling rake, and exclaimed…oh my goodness it smells good in there….and they taste as good as they smell. My only change, as I am in the U.S. I used bread flour to increase the lightness of the muffin as well as the protein.

      Reply
      • Ann

        December 19, 2022 at 11:22 am

        Awww that is so great to hear Anita!! I'll have to try them with bread flour 🙂

        Reply
    2. Ashley

      October 09, 2022 at 6:49 pm

      Hi! I’m wondering if you’ve used this recipe for a loaf? Maybe strictly muffins. I’m excited to try them!!

      Reply
      • Ann

        October 09, 2022 at 9:53 pm

        Hi Ashley! I haven't made it as a loaf, but I don't see any reason it wouldn't work! I'd bake in a 9x5 at 350 for around 45-60 minutes 🙂

        Reply
    3. Ann winning

      October 25, 2021 at 11:37 am

      I've tried pressing the metric button multiple times but all I keep getting is cups it goes straight back to top of page can you please send recipe in metric thanks take care keep safe x

      Reply
      • Ann

        October 26, 2021 at 9:05 pm

        I've just sent you an email! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Rita

      July 26, 2021 at 9:23 am

      5 stars
      Just made these this morning, only difference is I sauteed my apples a bit before adding. They were very light and delicious. I only put a little of the topping on each one. Will make again. Made both minis and large ones. Freezing leftovers. Great for lunchboxes of all ages!

      Reply
      • Ann

        July 28, 2021 at 10:08 pm

        Yay!! Love the idea of making minis and large ones from the same batch!

        Reply
      • Linda

        November 17, 2021 at 2:04 pm

        5 stars
        Added walnuts and 1/4 More milk

        Reply
    5. Londi

      March 18, 2021 at 6:19 pm

      5 stars
      These were so easy and came out amazing! Even my daughter who dislikes cinnamon said they were good. It was enjoyed by everyone. I was wondering how to store left overs?

      Reply
      • Ann

        March 18, 2021 at 9:29 pm

        Yay!! That makes me so happy! The best way to store muffins is in an airtight container at room temperature. Line the bottom of the container with paper towels and place a couple more paper towels on top to absorb any moisture and keep them from getting soggy :). They should be fine that way for 3-4 days.

        Reply
    6. Jenny

      March 05, 2021 at 6:33 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! I’ve made these multiple times!

      Reply
      • Ann

        March 11, 2021 at 3:16 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that!! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Christine

      February 08, 2021 at 6:29 am

      4 stars
      These were a great find on Pinterest when I had extra apples to use up! I don't usually comment if I have altered the recipe, as I feel that isn't a true reflection of the recipe if you change a lot..but I do admit I added some nutmeg (1/2 tsp) and added some walnut crumbs to the topping...delicious and easy recipe. It actually DOES make 12 muffins which I really appreciate!!! Will make again.

      Reply
      • Ann

        February 08, 2021 at 7:19 am

        Walnuts sound great! Thank you for the feedback! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Margaret

      February 03, 2021 at 10:12 pm

      I noticed that you do not use paper liners. Would using parchment liners change the reaction of the batter when baking/rising?

      Reply
      • Ann

        February 04, 2021 at 7:18 am

        Not at all, go for it!

        Reply
    9. Flora

      December 16, 2020 at 10:07 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Mine weren’t as pretty as pictured, but packed a flavorful punch! Will make them again and again and again! Thanks for the inspiration.

      Reply
      • Ann

        December 16, 2020 at 10:10 pm

        Awesome Flora!! That makes me so happy and thanks so much for letting me know 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Our Happy Mess!

    Ann from Our Happy Mess

    I'm Ann and I believe in balanced eating, homemade foods, and DESSERT. I love to cook, but I can't spend all day in the kitchen anymore, so what you'll mostly find here are simple, family-friendly recipes. I'm really happy you're here!
    More about me

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2023 · Our Happy Mess