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Apple Crumble Muffins

Apple crumble muffins with a golden oat streusel and a moist, apple-packed crumb made with a quick muffin batter. Oven-baked until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

oat crumble topping
  • 0.5 cup rolled oats
  • 0.33 cup flour
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
muffins
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.5 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 0.25 cup whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cup apples, peeled and finely diced

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the oven and crumble topping
  1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a 12-cup muffin tin. Arrange the tin on a stable surface for easy filling.
  2. Mix rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then cut in cold butter until clumpy. Scatter the topping evenly so it looks crumbly rather than sandy.
  3. Refrigerate the crumble topping until needed. It should stay cold and hold small clumps.
Make the muffin batter
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl. The mixture should look evenly speckled.
  2. Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla until smooth. The batter should be glossy and uniform.
  3. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stop as soon as no dry streaks remain to keep muffins tender.
  4. Fold in diced apples. You should see evenly distributed apple pieces throughout the batter.
Fill and bake
  1. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full with batter. The cups should look generously filled to support domed tops.
  2. Top each muffin generously with the oat crumble. Press the crumble lightly so it adheres and forms a crust.
  3. Bake at 375F for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and tops are golden. Let them cool briefly in the tin so the crumble sets.

Notes

For the best crumble texture, refrigerate it while you mix the batter so the butter stays cold and forms clumps. Store muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge and warm at 300F for 5-8 minutes). Dietary swap: substitute sour cream/Greek yogurt with a plain non-dairy yogurt to keep them moist while maintaining the tangy flavor.