These Easy Apple Cinnamon Muffins are a simple breakfast recipe for fall mornings.

Watch the short video showing you how to make these Apple Cinnamon Muffins, then scroll to the end of this post and print out the recipe so you can make them at home!

apple cinnamon muffin displayed in front of green and red apples with a blue cloth napkin

Easy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

These muffins are wonderful because they have a delicious layer of crumb on the tops. If you’re anything like me, I like to eat the crumbly top before I devour the rest of the muffin! There are tips in the recipe below for flour substitutions and how to cut down on fat.

When my now 6 foot 4 giant child was a wee one, we used to pack the car with a picnic and head to the local San Diego mountains on fall weekends. Those weekends are full of great memories such as going to the pumpkin patch and running through the corn maze, standing on tippy toes near the fences to pat the horses and dig into sheep fur, and sipping hot apple cider when there was a good chill in the air.

We often took our family photo at the pumpkin patch– standing in the remains of a long-ago picked corn field. Those were the days. And they were days I likely won’t be able to get back since 16 year olds aren’t so hip on hanging out with their parents at pumpkin patches any more!

red apples hanging in a tree

The best part of those fall weekends was our time at the apple-picking orchards. If you’ve never been apple picking, it’s one of those things you must do. It’s not even like the apples are the best apples you’ve ever eaten, but the experience of walking around with a bucket and picking apples directly from the trees is super fun. And it’s really a nice thing for the kids to experience too.

Be sure to investigate (Google!) to see if you have any apple orchards near you. Usually they invite the public in to pick their own apples for a certain dollar amount per basket or by the pound. It’s so much fun!

Kids have always read in books that apples come from apple trees. But to actually stand in front of an apple tree, pick apples and put them in a basket, that’s a completely different experience. They’re seeing the connection between plants and food and what we can create at home with that food. That’s so important!

apple cinnamon muffins displayed in front of green and red apples with a blue cloth napkin

The best part of the whole apple picking experience is coming home with loads of apples and deciding what you’re going to make. I always make a good batch of applesauce with my apples. And baking cakes, apple bread and these Easy Apple Cinnamon Muffins is most often on the agenda too!

Ask your kids what they’d like to make with your bounty of apples, and get them in on the cooking and baking action. You’ll create wonderful memories!

Pinterest collage image for easy apple cinnamon muffins

Here are a few baking recipes to try if you have a bucket-full of apples!

If you happen to be following the Weight Watchers WW plan, you will find a link to the WW Points on the recipe card below.

apple cinnamon muffin displayed in front of green and red apples with a blue cloth napkin
4.69 from 61 votes

Easy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

These muffins are easy to make, and they're smack full of apple chunks and sweet cinnamon!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
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Ingredients

MUFFINS:

TOPPING:

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin or line with paper muffin liners.
  • In a medium bowl whisk together dry ingredients. Add oil, egg and milk and stir just until combined. Fold in apples. Divide batter between the 12 muffin cups.
  • In a small bowl, mix topping ingredients, blending together with a pastry cutter or fork. Sprinkle over unbaked muffins.
  • Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.

Notes

  • To lighten up the recipe a bit, fill the cup measuring cup with ½ applesauce and ½ oil. The muffins will turn out just as moist.
  • This recipe may also be made with white whole wheat flour in place of traditional whole wheat flour.
     
     

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 238kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 126mg, Potassium: 156mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 105IU, Vitamin C: 1.4mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.69 from 61 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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124 Comments

  1. Kris says:

    4 stars
    These muffins taste delicious. However, mine didn’t puff up like normal muffins do and they fell apart coming out of the pan. Any ideas? Also, could you use this batter to make bread?

  2. Ellena says:

    Can you tell me what the calories per serving is without the topping?

    1. Lori Lange says:

      no idea!

  3. Gracie says:

    5 stars
    Can I switch the diced apple with applesauce? If so, how much applesauce should I use?

    1. Lori Lange says:

      Diced apple just adds chunky apple flavor to the muffins. If you try to substitute applesauce, that will affect the texture of the muffins… so I wouldn’t try to sub.

  4. Julia Icone says:

    5 stars
    Delicious and super easy to make! Thanks for the recipe, definitely a keeper!

  5. Emily D says:

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious!!! These muffins are so moist and the topping compares to a coffee cake crumb top. The only changes i made were using quick oats instead of wheat flower and almond milk instead of regular. These are addictive, will absolutely make again.

  6. Judy says:

    These look wonderful to make during our cold snap in Ohio right now!!

  7. Lila says:

    Easy and very good, I ate 2 right out of the oven and I predict they won’t last till tomorrow!

  8. Kay says:

    Would the addition of walnuts work? If so, how much? Maybe 1/3 cup? Thanks

    1. Lori Lange says:

      I think that sounds fine!

  9. Emily says:

    5 stars
    Made these this afternoon since I had a ton of extra apples from a friends tree. Made a double batch. Swapped the AP and Whole Wheat flour. Used applesauce (home canned) for the oil and only used 1/2 the sugar . Added some nutmeg. Got 18 muffins but I filled the tins almost full. Will definitely make these again

  10. Tamara says:

    5 stars
    Delicious and quick to make!