Cinnamon Apple Crumb Muffins

Tender apple crumb muffins with caramelized cinnamon apples and a crunchy crumbly brown sugar crumb topping.

These muffins are an apple cinnamon dream, packed full of caramelized fruit, they are sweet, cinnamon spicy, and amazing. And the crunchy streusel top is just the icing on the cake.

This is a small-batch apple crumb muffin recipe, so as written, it yields six gorgeous little muffins, but you can double it with no preparation changes if you want a bigger batch.

Functionally, small-batch recipes bake up just fine in modern muffin pans (no need to fill empty slots with water, etc.), but if you want a 6-cup pan, this is the one I own *. It’s cute, compact, and is less to clean, so I love it. 😉

Ingredient Notes

• Apples: This recipe calls for one cup of diced apples, which is equal to about one large apple. If you are a little over or under a cup, don’t worry about it. Granny Smith Apples are my preferred baking apples, but most apples (not Red Delicious) will work fine for these muffins.
• Egg white: Since this is a small-batch recipe, you don’t need to use an entire egg, just the egg white. Check out my post What to Do With Leftover Egg Yolks for ideas on what to do with the extra yolk (I recommend a small batch of snickerdoodles ).
• Unsalted butter: I developed this recipe using unsalted butter, but if all no have is salted butter, not a problem. Just reduce the salt in the recipe to a pinch of salt.
• Sour cream or plain, unsweetened yogurt: Either yogurt or sour cream can be used in these muffins. If using yogurt, Greek or regular plain, unsweetened yogurt work just fine.

How to Make Cinnamon Apple Crumb Muffins

1. This is a super easy, straightforward recipe to make. You start with some diced apples–I like Granny Smith, but use your favorite baking apple–and cook them with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, until the apples are softened and brown sugar has caramelized into a thick, gooey sauce.

2. Make up my quick and simple muffin batter, made with either yogurt or sour cream (it’s up to you). Add the apples and let the brown sugar swirl its way into the batter.

3. Then you mix up a simple brown sugar streusel, drop it over the top of the muffin batter, and bake. In about 16 minutes, you are going to have some big, beautiful muffins on your hands!

How do you store apple crumb muffins?

Muffins are best on the first day, but you can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Don’t store them in the fridge as that will make them dry out more quickly.

Can you freeze apple crumb muffins?

Yes. These muffins freeze well. Just wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap and then store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.

When you’re ready to eat one, allow it to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30 minutes (you want to make sure the apples inside aren’t still frozen when you eat them).

I love these muffins, can I make a bigger batch?

Absolutely. You can double the recipe with no preparation changes made, or you can replace the two egg whites with one whole egg.

To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.

You Might Also Enjoy

• Dut ch Apple Pie
• Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donuts
• Small Apple Cinnamon Cake
• Small-batch Apple Pie Bars
• Homemade Chicago Style Popcorn Mix

Ingredients

Cinnamon Apples

• ▢ 1 cup peeled and diced apples *
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 14 g) unsalted butter *
• ▢ 2 tablespoon ( 25 g) packed brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Muffin Base

• ▢ ⅔ cup ( 80 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon all spice
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 42 g) unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ ¼ cup ( 50 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 large egg white
• ▢ 3 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Streusel

• ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 25 g) packed brown sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 15 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 14 g) unsalted butter melted

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F and line muffin tin with 6 liners.

Cinnamon Apples

• In a small saucepan, combine apples, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, and cook until apples are softened and sugar is caramelized, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Muffin Base

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, all spice, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, cream softened butter and sugar. Add egg white, yogurt/sour cream, and vanilla, and mix well. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Fold apples into the mixture, making sure to scrape all the caramelized sugar out of the pan with them. Fold just until apples are distributed throughout the batter. You don’t want to completely mix in the swirls of sugar and cinnamon.
• Divide batter between prepared muffin cups.

Streusel

• In a small bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add in melted butter and stir until completely mixed. The mixture is going to seem a little wet, but don’t worry about it. Drop small scoops of the streusel over the top of your muffins. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

A Caramel Latte is one of the easiest sweet coffee recipes to make at home. All you need is 4 ingredients and about 5 minutes.

It’s very nearly fall. And you know what that means. Time for sweet and warming coffee drinks!

Today’s recipe is perfect for chilly fall mornings if you’ve already reached your Pumpkin Spice Latte quota for the year, a Caramel Latte.

Caramel lattes are one of the easiest sweet coffee recipes to make at home. All you need is caramel, coffee or espresso, a little sugar, and milk.

Ingredient Notes

• Coffee: True lattes are made with espresso, but most people don’t have espresso makers in their kitchen, so this recipe uses brewed coffee. You can use whatever coffee you have on hand, brewed strong for a more intense coffee flavor. If you’d like to use a shot of espresso instead of coffee, not a problem. Increase the milk in the recipe to 3/4 cup and replace the coffee with a shot of espresso.
• Caramel sauce: Almost any caramel sauce will work in this recipe. If caramel sauce isn’t something you keep stocked, pick some up the next time you’re at the store or make my quick shortcut caramel sauce .
• Milk: Starbucks uses 2% milk in their coffee drinks by default, but you can use any milk you’d like including non-dairy milks. The higher fat your milk, the creamier your drink will be.
• Cream: If you don’t keep cream on hand, you can leave it out, but I love adding a little splash for extra richness. Half and half also works well. You’ll definitely have some leftover heavy cream, so check out my post What to Do With Leftover Whipping Cream for storage tips and recipe ideas for the leftovers.

Store-bought Caramel Alternatives

If you don’t have any caramel sauce on hand, you have a couple make-at-home alternatives:

Shortcut Caramel : This recipe uses brown sugar, so it’s not a classic caramel, but it’s very quick and easy (and delicious). Dulce de Leche : Have a can of condensed milk on hand and don’t mind waiting a couple hours? Make some dulce de leche and use it in place of caramel to make a dulce de leche latte . Caramel Sauce : And if you want a real, classic caramel, go ahead and give this recipe a try.

How to Make a Caramel Latte

1. In a small pot ( a butter warmer works well), combine milk, caramel, and sugar and heat over medium heat until milk is steaming and sugar and caramel are completely dissolved. Whisk vigorously until foamy or you can use a handheld milk frother if you have one.

2. Pour 1/2 cup of strong coffee into an 8-ounce mug and then pour in the caramel mixture. Give a little stir, and taste. If it’s not quite sweet enough, add a little more sugar. Then top with whipped cream and more caramel sauce if desired and enjoy!

Can I make an iced version of this latte?

Absolutely. Go check out my Iced Caramel Latte recipe for detailed instructions (plus how to make it into a frappuccino). The ratios are all the same, but the preparation method is a little different.

Is there caffeine in a caramel latte?

Yes. A coffeehouse latte made with a single shot of espresso contains about 60-100mg of caffeine. This recipe has about 48mg.

Can I double this recipe?

Sure. This recipe doubles or triples with no preparation changes needed. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.

Can I make a caramel latte in the microwave?

You can! Heat your milk in the microwave until steaming and then stir in the caramel and sugar until they completely dissolve into the milk.

You can either add the coffee directly to the milk or pour your coffee into a separate mug, foam the milk and caramel mixture using a handheld milk frother, and pour the foamed milk over the coffee.

Looking for More Warming Recipes for Fall?

• Homemade Mocha
• White Chocolate Mocha
• Easy Hot Chocolate
• White Hot Chocolate
• Salted Caramel Mocha
• Cinnamon Dolce Latte

Recipe Notes

• This recipe makes a 1-cup (8-ounce) latte. If you want to fill an oversized cup, 1 1/2 or double the recipe.

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ cup milk any percentage
• ▢ 1 tablespoon caramel plus optional more for topping
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ( 4g ) granulated sugar or to taste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon heavy cream optional
• ▢ ½ cup strong coffee
• ▢ Whipped cream optional for topping

Instructions

• In a small pot, over medium heat, combine milk, caramel, sugar, and optional heavy cream. Heat, whisking frequently until milk is just beginning to steam. If desired, whisk vigorously until milk is frothy.
• Pour coffee into an 8-ounce mug, and stir in caramel mixture. Add more sugar to taste if needed. Top with optional whipped cream, and drizzle with more caramel if desired.
• Serve and enjoy!

Notes

This simple and easy chili recipe can be made in one pot in a little over half an hour and with only a handful of pantry staple ingredients.

Chili recipes can be a little intense and intimidating sometimes. It took me forever to start making chili at home because it seemed like all of the BEST MOST AUTHENTIC CHILI RECIPES EVER had just crazy long ingredient lists or cooking times.

And then I realized that as great and aspirational as those recipe are, not every chili recipe has to be the BEST MOST AUTHENTIC CHILI RECIPE EVER.

Sometimes chili recipes can just be really good and really easy. And that’s this recipe.

This chili is thick and beefy with tons of flavor and texture. It’s good enough to serve on its own with just a dollop of sour cream and a little cheese, but fast enough to make for topping burgers, hot dogs, or baked potatoes. It’s a handy (and delicious) little recipe that you’ll be glad to have in your arsenal.

Ingredient Notes

• Ground beef: I like to use 85% lean beef for chili, but use whatever you have on hand or is on sale. If using fattier beef and there is a ton of fat in your pot after browning the meat, you can drain it out or use a clean paper towel to absorb some of the grease.
• Tomato paste: Tomato paste helps add depth of flavor to the chili. This recipe won’t use a full can. Check out my post What to Do With Leftover Tomato Paste for storage tips and recipe ideas for the leftovers.
• Beans: This recipe calls for 2 15-ounce cans of beans. I like a mix of pinto and kidney beans, but use whatever beans you prefer. Be sure to drain and rinse all the starchy liquid from the beans before adding them to the chili.
• Beef broth: If you don’t have beef broth, go ahead and substitute chicken broth or water. It helps add a bit of flavor to the chili but is not essential.

How to Make Homemade Chili

1. Prep all your ingredients before starting the chili. Open cans, drain beans, line up your spices, etc. Things move fast once you get going, and your cooking experience will be much more pleasant if everything is prepped and ready to go before starting.

2. In a large pot, cook diced onion in olive oil until softened.

3. Add the ground beef and salt and brown the beef. If there is more than about a tablespoon of fat in your pot after browning the meat, you can drain the beef or use a paper towel to absorb some of the grease.

4. Add garlic, tomato paste, and spices and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to give the flavors a chance to bloom before adding the liquid ingredients.

5. Stir in the remain ingredients and bring everything to a simmer. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the chili has thickened.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

Chili Variations

This chili is easily customizable. Try adding/swapping:

• Meat: You can replace the beef with the ground meat of your choice. Ground chicken and turkey are both excellent options for a lighter chili.
• Peppers/veggies: Like your chili with more veggies? Add chopped up peppers or veggies such as corn or zucchini to the ground beef just after browning, before adding the spices.

Topping Ideas

Chili gets even better when you add toppings. Some favorites are:

• Sour cream
• Cheese
• Chopped avocado
• Cilantro
• Fritos/tortilla chips
• Green onions/chives

Can I make this in advance?

Yes! Chili is one of those foods that gets better the longer it sits. Make it up to 2 days in advance and store covered in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze chili?

This chili freezes really well. Freeze flat in a freezer bag either all together or in individual servings. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or on the stove.

What to serve with chili?

Serve the chili on its own in a bowl with toppings or:

• Pile over hamburgers and make chili burgers
• Top hot dogs for chili dogs
• Serve over Fritos with cheese and make Frito boats
• Use it over baked potatoes or baked sweet potatoes for chili baked potatoes

For side dishes, serve simple roasted vegetables along with the chili, like roasted zucchini or asparagus . I also LOVE serving chili over roasted sweet potato chunks and stirring them into the chili.

More Easy Comfort Food Recipes

• Tri-tip
• Country-style Pork Ribs
• Barbacoa
• Slow-cooker Beef Ribs
• Hungarian Goulash

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 large yellow or white onion diced
• ▢ 1 pound ground beef
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ cup ( 66g ) tomato paste
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chili powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 14-ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes
• ▢ 1 15-ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 15-ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 cup beef broth

Toppings

• ▢ Sour cream optional
• ▢ Shredded cheese optional

Instructions

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Once hot add onion and cook until onions just begin to turn translucent around the edges, about 5 minutes.
• Add ground beef and salt, and cook, stirring often, until beef is browned. If the beef released an excessive amount of fat (more than a tablespoon or two), you can drain the meat or use a paper towel to absorb some of the grease
• Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and spices, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic.
• Stir in tomatoes (with their juices), beans, and broth. Bring to a simmer and simmer the chili uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and chili has thickened.
• Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Spoon into bowls, top with sour cream and cheese if desired, and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Cinnamon Apple Crumb Muffins

Ingredients

Cinnamon Apples

• 1 cup peeled and diced apples *
• 1 tablespoon ( 14 g) unsalted butter *
• 2 tablespoon ( 25 g) packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Muffin Base

• ⅔ cup ( 80 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon all spice
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons ( 42 g) unsalted butter room temperature
• ¼ cup ( 50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg white
• 3 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Streusel

• 2 tablespoons ( 25 g) packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ( 15 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ( 14 g) unsalted butter melted

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F and line muffin tin with 6 liners.

Cinnamon Apples

• In a small saucepan, combine apples, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, and cook until apples are softened and sugar is caramelized, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Muffin Base

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, all spice, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, cream softened butter and sugar. Add egg white, yogurt/sour cream, and vanilla, and mix well. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Fold apples into the mixture, making sure to scrape all the caramelized sugar out of the pan with them. Fold just until apples are distributed throughout the batter. You don’t want to completely mix in the swirls of sugar and cinnamon.
• Divide batter between prepared muffin cups.

Streusel

• In a small bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add in melted butter and stir until completely mixed. The mixture is going to seem a little wet, but don’t worry about it. Drop small scoops of the streusel over the top of your muffins. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

Nutrition