Celebrate apple season in style with these easy cinnamon apple muffins!
Made with tart homegrown Bramley apples, and then rolled in cinnamon sugar, the apple muffins are light and fluffy, and just perfect for lunchboxes, bake sales, and picnics.
These easy apple muffins were a huge hit with the kids...possibly something to do with the cinnamon sugar topping (which they are currently licking off!).
You can make them a bit healthier by not rolling them in the cinnamon sugar after baking, but you'd definitely be missing out!
The ultimate taste (and smell) of Autumn!
Love apples? Make sure you check out my easy apple and blackberry turnovers!
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- Uses seasonal Bramley apples (but you can substitute with Granny Smith apples too).
- Quick and easy muffin recipe
- Great for lunchboxes, breakfast, and picnics
- Freezer-friendly
🛒 Ingredients
I use the same basic muffin recipe as my easy blackberry muffins, with a few additions!
- Bramley Apples - you'll need 2 Bramley apples, or swap for Granny Smith apples instead.
- Flour - I use plain white flour but feel free to use wholemeal plain flour.
- Bicarbonate of Soda - the raising agent for these light and fluffy muffins.
- Caster Sugar - substitute for light brown sugar for a deeper caramel flavour. Using brown sugar will also make the muffins more moist.
- Cinnamon - a teaspoon in the muffin batter gives the muffins a lovely warmth. Double the quantity if you love cinnamon!
- Eggs - 2 large eggs. I try and use free-range organic eggs.
- Butter - unsalted butter that has been melted in the microwave and allowed to cool slightly.
- Yogurt - I use natural yogurt, or you could use creme fraiche for a tangier taste.
- Cinnamon, granulated sugar, and melted butter for the cinnamon sugar topping.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
- Place the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
- Pour in the wet ingredients and gently fold in.
- Add the chopped apple and gently fold until combined.
- Spoon into 12 muffin cases and bake in the oven for 18 minutes.
- Once out of the oven, brush the warm muffins with melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar. Allow to cool a little before eating.
💭 Top tips
Try not to overmix the muffin batter as that will result in tough and chewy muffins. Fold in the wet ingredients and apple pieces gently.
For a high domed muffin, preheat the oven to 20 degrees ABOVE the specified temperature in the recipe card. As soon as you put the muffins in the oven, turn it back down. The high heat will help the raising agent to start working.
Chop the apple into small pieces (about 2cm). The muffins will hold together better if the apple pieces are on the smaller side.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the easy apple muffins as after-school snacks, in lunchboxes, or why not take on Autumn picnics?
I sometimes serve them as a quick and easy pudding with custard or honeycomb ice cream.
Have you seen my other muffin recipes?
📖 Variations
- Use Granny Smith apples instead of Bramley apples.
- Love cinnamon? Double the quantity of ground cinnamon in the muffin batter.
- Add a handful of blackberries for apple and blackberry muffins.
- Sprinkle in 50g of chopped walnuts for crunch and texture.
- Make them healthier by replacing the plain white flour for wholemeal, and skipping the cinnamon sugar topping (please don't do this - ha!).
🥡 Storage
The apple muffins will stay 100% fresh in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
The muffins can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Place them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bags, and stash them in the deep freeze until needed. Defrost the muffins for a couple of hours before eating!
❓ FAQs
Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature before using them, particularly the eggs. Then make sure your raising agent is evenly distributed through the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients to it. It's also worth noting that it's important to allow the melted butter to cool slightly before adding it to the other wet ingredients.
Tough muffins result from over mixing of the muffin batter. Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately first before mixing them together. Be gentle and it doesn't matter if the batter is a bit lumpy. Gently fold in additional ingredients like fruit, chocolate chips and nuts.
😋Related recipes
More Bramley apple recipes to try!
Apple and Blackberry Turnovers
More Muffin Recipes To Try
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!
Recipe
Easy Cinnamon Apple Muffins
Ingredients
- 140 g Caster Sugar
- 200 g Plain Flour
- 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 100 ml Plain Natural Yogurt
- 140 g Unsalted Butter melted and cooled
- 2 Eggs large
- 2 Bramley Apples peeled and chopped into small pieces
For the Cinnamon Sugar topping
- 50 g Butter melted
- 50 g Granulated Sugar
- 3 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°c (170 fan/ Gas 5) and place 12 muffin cases in a 12 hole muffin tin.
- Put the caster sugar, plain flour, bicarbonate of soda and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk together the cooled melted butter, yogurt and eggs in a bowl or jug then gently fold into the dry ingredients.
- Fold in the chopped apple pieces and spoon into the 12 muffin cases.
- Bake in the oven for 18 minutes until golden.
- For the topping: Mix together the cinnamon and granulated sugar in a bowl. Whilst the muffins are still warm, brush the tops with melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Video
Notes
- Try not to overmix the muffin batter as that will result in tough and chewy muffins. Fold in the wet ingredients and apple pieces gently.
- For a high domed muffin, preheat the oven to 20 degrees ABOVE the specified temperature in the recipe card. As soon as you put the muffins in the oven, turn it back down. The high heat will help the raising agent to start working.
- Chop the apple into small pieces (about 2cm). The muffins will hold together better if the apple pieces are on the smaller side.
- Use Granny Smith apples instead of Bramley apples if you prefer.
- Love cinnamon? Double the quantity of ground cinnamon in the muffin batter.
- Add a handful of blackberries for apple and blackberry muffins.
- Sprinkle in 50g of chopped walnuts for crunch and texture.
- Make them healthier by replacing the plain white flour for wholemeal, and skipping the cinnamon sugar topping (please don't do this - ha!).
Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget you can follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with what's cooking in the Effortless Foodie kitchen!
Pam
We are more than ready for apple season so I made these for breakfast this morning. They were a huge hit!
Tavo
Apple muffins! I am always trying new apple recipes, this one looks very interesting! Will definitely try it!
Petro
We absolutely LOVED these , they turned out sooo good! Fluffy & moist and so delicious!
Carrie Robinson
I am so ready for fall baking and apple season! These look perfect. 🙂
maryanne
Now that apple season is here, I will be making these for my family this weekend! They sound so moist and delicious!
Angela
I made these today and they were absolutely delicious! Thank you for the recipe - I can't wait to make them again!!!
Beth Sachs
So glad you enjoyed them Angela!