Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Apple and Cinnamon Muffins bring together two perfect companions and this recipe delivers soft and fluffy muffins with a crisp, sweet muffin top.

This recipe is:

• super easy – you just measure, chop, melt and mix (no flouring the apples or any other fussing)
• hard to muck up – if you read through the post and take note of the key "rule" I'd be surprised if you don't have muffins to boast about when you attempt this recipe, even if you're very new to home cooking
• a winner – this is my tried and tested formula for muffins, and with the combination of apple and cinnamon these are rave-worthy little snacks
• muffin top perfection – the sprinkling of raw sugar and cinnamon helps to create a perfectly sweet and crisp muffin top.

Jump to:

• Ingredient notes
• How to make Apple Cinnamon Muffins
• Enjoying and storing
• More muffins
• Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredient notes

Keep scrolling to the recipe card at the end of this post for ingredient quantities. Here, I set out the ingredients just to give you an idea of what you'll need to add to the shopping list.

You'll need apples and ground cinnamon – the star ingredients. Eggs, milk, butter, vegetable oil and greek or natural yoghurt (unsweetened) round out the wet ingredients. SR flour (or plain/all purpose flour + baking powder), brown sugar and raw sugar are the other dry ingredients required.

What are the best apples to use for muffins?

I like to use Granny Smith or other cooking apples such as Braeburn, Fuji or Pink Lady. As you can see in the image of the ingredients above, I also like to mix it up sometimes and use two different varieties of apple.

(If you've got plenty of cooking apples to use up, you might like to also check out my Apple Sponge, Apple Fritters, Apple Tea Cake and Apple Amber recipes.)

How to make Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Muffins are super easy to make provided you keep this one crucial rule in mind: Do NOT over-stir the mixture.

Just enough to combine the ingredients. And that's it. DONE. Got it? Okay, let's make muffins!

Prepping

Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees celsius / 430 degrees fahrenheit (fan-forced). Prepare the cupcake tins by lining with (14) patty pans.

Measure out the ingredients and then:

• melt the butter
• beat the eggs
• peel and core the apples, grate one apple and chop the other into cubes of about 1cm.

Sift and mix

Sift the flour and first measure of cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and whisk to combine, breaking up any sugar lumps by rubbing between your fingers.

Next, add the remaining ingredients – apart from the second measure of cinnamon and raw sugar which you'll sprinkle on top of muffins – and stir gently to combine.

Remember the muffin-making rule above? Remember, don't over-stir or you'll end up with tough muffins rather than light and fluffy ones.

Pour into pans, sprinkle and bake

Spoon or pour the mixture into patty pans.

Combine the second measure of cinnamon and raw sugar and sprinkle over tops of your muffins.

Mmmmm... imagine how delicious these muffin tops will be once baked.

Place into the oven and bake for 5 minutes before turning oven temperature down to 190 degrees celsius / 375 degrees fahrenheit(fan-forced)

TIP: Make sure you set a timer as they'll burn if you leave them at the initial temperature for the entire baking period.

Once you turn the temp down, bake for a further 12 minutes (or until a metal skewer inserted into a muffin comes out clean).

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before easing each muffin from the tin and placing on a cooling rack.

Enjoying and storing

Once cooled, store the muffins in an airtight container for up to a few days. I like to freshen mine in the air fryer for a few minutes before eating if they're more than a day old.

These muffins are also perfect for freezing and should last a few months in the freezer.

Enjoy muffins at room temperature or serve warm.

More muffins

Want more delicious muffin recipes? Here are my other favoruites:

Made this recipe and love it? Please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. (And it really makes my day to hear how Nana Ling's recipes are being made, shared and loved all around the world! - Libby x)

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