Description
These Apple Coffee Cake Muffins are incredibly soft and moist, filled with tender apple chunks, and topped with a delightful cinnamon streusel crunch. They are an irresistible breakfast treat or perfect anytime snack.
Ingredients
For the Streusel
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon (6 grams) ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (120 ml) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
For the Muffins
- ¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (210 grams) granulated sugar, minus 2 tablespoons
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- ¾ teaspoon (4 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- 2 cups (280 grams) peeled and chopped apples
For the Icing
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) heavy cream or milk
Instructions
For the Streusel
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, kosher salt, and cinnamon.
- Melt the butter, then let it cool just a bit so it stays melted but isn’t hot.
- Pour the melted butter into the dry ingredients and mix it in. Avoid breaking up the clumps unless they are unusually large. Set this streusel mixture aside.
For the Muffins
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line three standard muffin tins with paper liners.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This takes about one to two minutes. Add the vegetable oil and mix again to combine.
- Crack in the whisked eggs, then add the vanilla extract. Give the mixer one final turn. Add all the dry ingredients to the bowl. Mix just until they are almost fully incorporated. Pour in the buttermilk and stir until the batter is barely combined. Do not overmix.
- Create a space in the middle of the muffin batter. Add approximately one cup of the prepared streusel and one cup of the chopped apples into this space. Gently fold the batter back over the additions.
- Sprinkle about one and a half cups more streusel over the batter along with the remaining apple pieces. Use a rubber spatula to carefully fold everything together a few times.
- Use a cookie scoop to evenly distribute the batter into each lined muffin well. Generously sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top of each muffin.
- Bake the muffins for 15 to 20 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin. It should come out clean.
- Let the muffins cool slightly before drizzling them with the prepared icing. Serve them warm for the best experience.
For the Icing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream (or milk). Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and a steady ribbon of icing drizzles easily off the whisk. Set this icing aside until ready to use.
Notes
Muffin Liners: Using tulip-style muffin liners can help your muffins achieve a taller, more attractive domed top.
Muffin Spacing: For optimal hot air circulation around the muffins as they bake, it’s recommended to place liners in every other well in your muffin pan. However, filling every well is also fine if you need to bake a full batch at once.
Make Ahead: These coffee cake muffins are wonderful to make ahead of time. They can be prepared up to two days before serving. Just be sure to cover them well to keep them fresh.
Serving Suggestion: Drizzling the warm muffins with icing right before serving makes them extra special.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 288 kcal
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 148mg
- Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 42mg