These warm apple muffins, kissed with cinnamon-sugar, are the coziest breakfast to wake up to in the morning. Unlike dense, super-sweet muffins that taste more like dessert, these muffins are fluffy and just lightly sweetened, with chunks of tart apples that help balance everything out. Sit down to one with your morning coffee, or pack one up for breakfast on the go.
Choose Your Apples
Tart apples, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Gala, are the best choice for these muffins. These kinds of apples lend tangy, juicy sweetness, which is the perfect counterpart to the moist and fluffy crumb. They also hold their shape well when baked, which means the chunks of fruit remain evenly scattered throughout the muffins.There’s no need to peel the apples for these muffins, as the skin will become tender in the oven. Skipping this step keeps prep time to a minimum, which means you can have warm muffins on your breakfast table even faster. However, if you'd prefer to peel them, you absolutely can.
Just the Right Amount
There’s a fine line between using too little and too much apple in muffins. The fruit lends lots of moisture to the muffins’ crumb, so if you use too little, the muffins will end up dry and lacking in flavor. But if you overload the batter with apple chunks, the muffins may bake up gummy or dense. This recipe calls for just the right amount of apples to ensure perfectly moist muffins.Apple Muffins
Serves 12- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup plus 4 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups whole or 2 percent milk
- 1/2 cup neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 medium tart apples (about 12 ounces total), such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
