These Apple Streusel Muffins are made with diced apple folded into a cinnamon-spiced batter and topped with a buttery brown sugar streusel that turns crisp in the oven. The streusel topping is really what sets these apart from a plain apple muffin.

I bake a batch of these on weekend mornings when I want something warm with coffee, and they hold up well through the week for grab-and-go breakfasts. They’re also good for a fall bake sale table. I like serving these next to Easy Sourdough Blueberry Scones or Pumpkin Scones with Cinnamon Raisin Walnuts for a bigger breakfast spread.

If you like warm, streusel-topped baked goods like these, these are worth trying too:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Dicing the apple small keeps it from sinking to the bottom of the muffin while baking. A firmer apple variety like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith holds its shape better than a softer one once mixed into the batter.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups diced apple
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, for streusel
1/4 cup packed brown sugar, for streusel
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, for streusel
3 tbsp cold butter, cubed, for streusel

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a small bowl, combine the streusel ingredients: flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cold cubed butter.
Work the butter in with your fingers until the mixture forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs, then set it aside in the fridge.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and granulated sugar together until combined.
Whisk in the eggs, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together with a spatula until just combined.
Fold in the diced apple, being careful not to overmix.
Overmixing here builds too much gluten and gives you a tough, dense muffin instead of a tender one.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
Take the chilled streusel out of the fridge and sprinkle a generous amount over each muffin.
Press the streusel down gently so it sticks to the batter instead of falling off during baking.
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the streusel is golden.
It’s not the fastest muffin to prep, just so you know, since making the streusel adds an extra step, but it’s worth the effort.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

Keep the streusel butter cold. Cold butter is what gives the topping its crumbly, crisp texture once baked. Warm butter melts into the topping and turns it more like a paste.
Dice the apple small. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly through the batter and are less likely to sink to the bottom of the muffin.
Don’t overmix the batter. Stop folding as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the muffins dense instead of tender.
Use a firmer apple variety. Honeycrisp or Granny Smith hold their shape well in the oven, while softer varieties like McIntosh can turn mushy.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat briefly in the oven to bring back the crisp streusel topping.
Reheat in the oven, not the microwave. A few minutes at 300°F crisps the streusel back up, while the microwave tends to make it soft and chewy.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving: Serve these warm, straight from the oven, with coffee or apple cider for breakfast. A little butter melted into a warm muffin is a nice touch if you want to make it feel extra special.

Storing: Keep muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 2 months and reheat in the oven for the best texture.

Customizing: Add a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter for extra crunch, or swap the diced apple for pear. A simple vanilla glaze drizzled over the cooled muffins makes them feel a bit more like a treat.