Delicious & Nutritious Apple Streusel Muffins: Your Perfect Fall Baking Recipe
Embrace the cozy essence of autumn with every bite of these truly delicious and incredibly nutritious Apple Streusel Muffins! Imagine a fluffy, perfectly spiced muffin base bursting with sweet apple chunks, all crowned with a buttery, cinnamon-infused streusel topping. Infused with the warm, vibrant flavors of Watkins Organic Spices and fortified with the wholesome goodness of Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts, these muffins are more than just a treat – they’re a delightful start to your day, a satisfying afternoon snack, or even a surprisingly healthy dessert. Get ready to fill your home with the inviting aromas of fall and your body with essential nutrients!
While similar to beloved cinnamon crumb muffins, these Apple Streusel Muffins truly stand out with their intensified apple flavor and a significant protein boost, thanks to the addition of hemp hearts. They are hands down the most delightful way to enjoy your freshly picked apples, transforming simple fruit into a culinary masterpiece. I personally adore them for breakfast, knowing I’m fueling my body with wholesome nutrients, all while savoring the incredible blend of autumn spices. Beyond breakfast, these muffins are equally perfect as a quick, wholesome afternoon pick-me-up or a surprisingly healthy and satisfying dessert option. Their versatility and irresistible taste make them a must-bake for anyone looking to capture the essence of fall.
This post is sponsored by The Watkins Company and Manitoba Harvest. It contains affiliate links, meaning that I could earn from purchases made through them. It doesn’t add any extra cost to you, but it does help support this blog!
Gather Your Essentials: What You Need to Make These Irresistible Muffins
Crafting these delectable apple streusel muffins requires a blend of common pantry staples and a few star ingredients that elevate their flavor and nutritional profile. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need to create this fall masterpiece in your kitchen.
Key Ingredients: The Heart of Your Muffins
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation for our light and fluffy muffin texture. You can also experiment with substituting half for whole wheat flour for an extra healthy twist.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Our leavening agents that ensure these muffins rise beautifully and achieve that signature soft crumb.
- Salt: A crucial flavor enhancer, balancing the sweetness and bringing out the depth of the other ingredients.
- Brown Sugar (Light or Dark) & Granulated Sugar: A combination that provides the perfect level of sweetness and moisture. Brown sugar adds a lovely caramel note, especially when paired with apples and spices.
- Unsalted Butter: Used in both the muffin batter and the streusel. We’ll be browning some of it for an added layer of nutty flavor that perfectly complements the fall spices.
- Watkins Organic Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla: This isn’t just any vanilla! Its low-alcohol, bake-proof formula ensures its rich flavor shines through even after baking, making it a true game-changer for desserts.
- Watkins Organic Ground Spices: This is where the magic of fall truly comes alive! We use:
- Organic Ground Cinnamon: The quintessential fall spice, warm and comforting.
- Organic Ground Nutmeg: Adds a sweet, slightly peppery depth.
- Organic Ground Ginger: A subtle warmth and zesty kick.
- Organic Ground Cloves: A potent, sweet, and aromatic spice that ties all the fall flavors together.
- Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts: Our secret ingredient for a nutritional boost! These tiny powerhouses provide plant-based protein, Omegas 3 & 6, and essential amino acids without altering the muffin’s delicious taste or texture.
- Apples: The star fruit! Freshly picked apples are ideal, offering crisp texture and vibrant flavor. Varieties like Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Jonathan work wonderfully (more on this in the FAQ!).
- Milk & Sour Cream: These dairy components contribute to the muffin’s moisture, tenderness, and rich flavor. Using room temperature ingredients is key for a smooth batter.
- Eggs: Act as a binder, providing structure and richness to the muffins. Ensure they are at room temperature for optimal mixing.
Essential Equipment: Tools for Muffin Perfection
- 12-Well Muffin Pan: The vessel for our delightful muffins. A standard size ensures consistent baking.
- Muffin Liners: For easy removal and clean-up, plus they make the muffins look extra appealing.
- Mixing Bowls: You’ll need at least two – one for dry ingredients, one for wet, and a smaller one for the streusel.
- Measuring Spoons & Measuring Cups: For accurate ingredient proportions. Precision is key in baking!
- Kitchen Scale: Highly recommended for weighing dry ingredients (like flour and sugar) in grams for the most consistent and accurate results.
- Whisk: Essential for combining dry ingredients and whisking wet ingredients until smooth.
- Spatula: Perfect for gently folding the dry into the wet ingredients, preventing overmixing.
- Frying Pan: Used for browning the butter, which adds an incredible depth of flavor.
- Cooling Rack: Allows air circulation around the muffins as they cool, preventing them from becoming soggy.
Don’t forget to check out more cozy fall recipes! 🍁
Easy Step-by-Step Instructions for Fluffy Apple Streusel Muffins
Creating these delightful apple streusel muffins is a straightforward process, even for novice bakers. Follow these simple steps to achieve perfect, moist, and flavorful muffins every time.
Step One (Picture 1 below) – Prepare the Cinnamon Streusel Topping:
Begin by making the star of our muffins – the crumbly streusel topping. In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and the aromatic Watkins Organic Ground Cinnamon. Mix these dry ingredients thoroughly. Next, pour in a few tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and stir until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set this aside; as it cools and slightly dries, it will achieve the ideal crumbly texture for sprinkling over your muffin batter, ensuring a beautiful, golden-brown crust.
Step Two (Picture 2 below) – Combine the Dry Ingredients & Prepare Apples:
First, prepare your apples by peeling and chopping them into small, uniform cubes, roughly ½ inch wide. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, the remaining blend of Watkins Organic Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, and Cloves, and the nutrient-rich Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts. Once combined, gently toss the diced apples into this dry mixture. This light coating of flour helps prevent the apple pieces from sinking to the bottom of your muffins during baking, ensuring even distribution throughout.
Step Three (Picture 3 below) – Whisk Together the Wet Batter:
In a large bowl, begin by whisking together the slightly cooled brown butter (which adds a wonderful nutty depth), granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and creamy. Incorporate the wet ingredients one by one: add the room temperature eggs, sour cream (for extra moisture and tenderness), Watkins Organic Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla, and milk, mixing thoroughly after each addition until everything is well combined and smooth. This careful layering of ingredients ensures a cohesive and flavorful batter.
Step Four (Picture 4 below) – Assemble and Bake to Perfection:
Finally, it’s time to bring everything together! Gently pour the dry ingredient mixture (with the coated apples) into the wet batter. Using a spatula, carefully fold all the ingredients together until just combined. Be mindful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough muffins. Distribute the batter evenly among the 12 muffin liners, filling each cup generously. Then, generously sprinkle the prepared cinnamon streusel crumbs over the top of each muffin, ensuring they are completely covered. Lightly pat down the topping to help it adhere to the batter and prevent it from falling off during baking. Bake as directed in the recipe card for golden-brown, irresistible apple streusel muffins!
The Science of Delicious: Why This Apple Streusel Muffin Recipe is a Winner
This recipe isn’t just another muffin recipe; it’s designed for maximum flavor, ease, and nutritional benefit. Here’s why these apple streusel muffins will become your new fall favorite:
- Simplicity with Melted Butter: Forget the hassle of waiting for butter to soften! Since this recipe calls for melted butter, you can skip the stand mixer or hand mixer. All you truly need are a whisk and a spatula to bring everything together. This makes for a quicker, less messy baking experience without compromising on texture or flavor. The simplicity ensures that even on a busy morning, a batch of homemade muffins is entirely achievable.
- The Magic of Brown Butter: We take flavor up a notch by incorporating brown butter into the muffin batter. This simple step involves cooking unsalted butter gently until the milk solids toast to a golden-brown, creating an incredibly rich, nutty aroma and taste. This distinct flavor is exceptionally warm and comforting, making it the perfect complement to the autumn apples and spices. It adds a gourmet touch that elevates these muffins from good to truly extraordinary.
- Unrivaled Flavor with Watkins Organic Spices & Vanilla: The quality of your ingredients makes a significant difference, and Watkins Organic Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla and Organic Spices are a testament to this. Their baking vanilla, with its low-alcohol, bake-proof, and freeze-proof formula, ensures that its robust, sweet flavor remains prominent even after baking or freezing. It’s my go-to choice for any dessert recipe where vanilla needs to truly shine. Similarly, Watkins Organic Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, and Cloves are consistently fresh, fragrant, and packed with flavor. You can often tell by their fluffy texture when you open a new bottle! Knowing that all Watkins products are free from dyes, high-fructose corn syrup, added MSG, and other artificial ingredients provides peace of mind that you’re baking with pure, high-quality ingredients.
- Nutrient Powerhouse with Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts: These muffins aren’t just delicious; they’re incredibly good for you, thanks to the addition of Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts. These tiny seeds are the most nutritious part of the hemp plant, offering an impressive nutritional profile. Each serving boasts 10g of plant-based protein, 12g of essential Omegas 3 & 6, and all 9 essential amino acids. Compared to other popular seeds like chia or flax, hemp hearts offer double the protein content with half the carbohydrates, making them an ideal choice for those seeking a powerful nutritional boost. They seamlessly blend into baked goods, adding a subtle texture without overpowering the main flavors. Beyond muffins, I regularly incorporate them into my fruit smoothies for an easy way to boost my daily nutrient intake.
Frequently Asked Questions & Storage Tips for Your Apple Streusel Muffins
Here are some common questions and helpful tips to ensure your apple streusel muffin baking and enjoyment are a complete success!
The best apples for baking are those that hold their shape well and offer a balance of sweetness and tartness. For these muffins, I highly recommend using varieties like Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Jonathan apples. Feel free to use your personal favorite, as long as it’s a firm baking apple that won’t turn to mush during baking. A mix of two different types can also add a delightful complexity to the flavor!
Absolutely not! This is a very common misconception. Hemp hearts are derived from the hemp plant, but they contain only trace amounts of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive compound found in cannabis. These levels are far too low to have any psychoactive effect. Instead, hemp hearts are celebrated for their impressive nutritional profile, packed with protein, omegas, and a wide array of essential nutrients without any intoxicating properties.
There are several ways to boost the nutritional value of these already wholesome muffins! I recommend substituting half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour to increase fiber content. You can also add more Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts, as they are a fantastic source of plant protein and healthy fats. Another option is to reduce the added sugar slightly, letting the natural sweetness of the apples shine through. Consider incorporating other finely chopped fruits or vegetables like grated carrots or zucchini for an extra dose of vitamins.
You can conveniently purchase Watkins Organic Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla and their range of Organic Spices directly from their website, Watkins1868.com. Additionally, these high-quality products are available in select grocery retailers nationwide. Check their website for a store locator to find a retailer near you.
Locating Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts is easy! They are widely available online at manitobaharvest.com. Many health food stores and major grocery chains also carry their products in the natural foods or baking aisle. It’s a popular and accessible superfood!
No, both Watkins and Manitoba Harvest are committed to providing natural and wholesome ingredients. All of their products, including the spices, vanilla, and hemp hearts featured in this recipe, are Non-GMO Project Verified, ensuring you are using ingredients free from genetically modified organisms.
To maintain their delicious freshness, store your leftover apple streusel muffins in an airtight container. At room temperature, they will stay fresh for up to 3 days. If you wish to extend their shelf life, refrigerate them for up to 1 week. For longer storage, these muffins freeze beautifully for up to 1 month. To enjoy them from the freezer, simply thaw at room temperature or gently warm in a microwave or oven.
While this recipe uses all-purpose flour, you can often adapt it to be gluten-free by substituting with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Results may vary slightly in texture, but many bakers have success with this substitution. Ensure all other ingredients are also certified gluten-free.
For those coveted tall, domed muffin tops, a common trick is to start baking at a higher temperature (425°F as instructed in the recipe) for the first few minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F for the remainder of the baking time. The initial blast of high heat causes the muffins to rise rapidly, creating that beautiful dome, while the lower temperature ensures they bake through evenly without burning.
More Delicious Recipes You’ll Adore This Season
If you’re savoring the flavors of these Apple Streusel Muffins, you’re in for a treat with these other fan-favorite recipes that embody comfort and deliciousness. Explore more ways to sweeten your days:
- Apple Pie Ice Cream (Ninja Creami Recipe)
- Chewy Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookies
- Strawberry Matcha Ice Cream (Ninja Creami Recipe)
- Soft Lemon Sugar Cookies (That Actually Taste Like Lemon!)
Did you try this recipe?
Tag @brokenovenbaking, @watkins.1868 and @manitobaharvest on Instagram and leave a star review below!
📖 Recipe
Apple Streusel Muffins
Kayla Burton
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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Muffin pan
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Muffin liners
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Mixing bowls
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Measuring spoons
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Scale/measuring cups
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Whisk
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Spatula
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Frying pan
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Cooling rack
Ingredients
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- ⅔ cup (83 grams) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (66 grams) brown sugar light or dark, packed
- 1 teaspoon Watkins Organic Ground Cinnamon
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4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, melted
Apple Muffin Batter
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter browned & cooled
- ½ cup (100 grams) brown sugar light or dark, packed
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup (120 grams) sour cream room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Watkins Organic Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla
- ¼ cup whole milk room temperature
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons (30 grams) Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts
- ¾ teaspoon Watkins Organic Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Watkins Organic Ground Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Watkins Organic Ground Ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon Watkins Organic Ground Cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups apples* chopped into ½ inch squares
Instructions
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
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In a small/medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar and Watkins Organic Ground Cinnamon.
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Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl and then stir it into the cinnamon mixture. Set aside.
Apple Muffin Batter
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Line a 12-well muffin tin with liners and preheat the oven to 425°F.
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Heat the butter in a frying pan over low heat while stirring frequently with a spatula. Let it cook until it stops bubbling, gives off a nutty aroma and has visible brown bits on the bottom. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool slightly.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, Manitoba Harvest hemp hearts, Watkins Organic Spices and salt. Add the peeled & chopped apples to lightly coat them in the flour mixture. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the brown butter and sugars until light in color. Add the eggs, sour cream, Watkins Original Gourmet Organic Baking Vanilla and milk, stirring well after each addition.
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Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until all flour streaks disappear. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes.
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Fill each muffin liner to the top with batter. Sprinkle the cinnamon streusel topping over each muffin so that the tops are covered completely. Gently pat down on the crumbs to make them stick in place.
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Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then (without opening the oven) lower the temperature to 350°F and continue to bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean (about 11-14 more minutes).
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Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
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Notes
* I like to use Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji or Jonathan apples, but you can use whichever kind you prefer!
The provided nutrition information is an estimate, the calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
This recipe is sponsored by Watkins and Manitoba Harvest.
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
We hope you thoroughly enjoy baking and savoring these delightful Apple Streusel Muffins! They embody the very best of fall baking – comforting, aromatic, and packed with wholesome goodness. Whether you serve them warm for breakfast, as a quick snack, or a healthier dessert, they are sure to bring a smile to your face and a cozy warmth to your home. Happy baking!