Warm, tender muffins studded with cinnamon apples and a crunchy streusel top bring the scent of fall straight to your kitchen. These apple pie muffins are an easy way to turn pie flavors into a portable breakfast, snack, or dessert. Read on for a simple method, ingredient list, and smart tips to get bakery-style results at home.
Why these apple pie muffins are a fall favorite
They combine classic apple pie spices with a soft, moist crumb and a crisp cinnamon streusel. The result is a muffin that feels like a slice of pie, but is quick to bake and easy to take on the go.
- Great for mornings: makes a grab-and-go breakfast for busy days.
- Family-friendly: kids and adults both love the apple-and-cinnamon flavor.
- Simple equipment: no stand mixer required—just a few bowls and a whisk.
Quick facts: time, yield and category
- Prep time: about 10 minutes
- Cook time: about 20 minutes
- Total time: roughly 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 standard muffins
- Category: breakfast, dessert, or snack
Ingredients for apple pie muffins, streusel, and glaze
Muffin batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups chopped apples (from apple pie filling or fresh cooked apples)
Cinnamon streusel topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Simple glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
Step-by-step baking method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with liners.
- Make the streusel: in a small bowl, whisk flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture forms pea-sized crumbs. Chill while you mix the batter.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and granulated sugar until blended. Add the yogurt, oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Fold the wet mix into the dry ingredients by hand. Stop when the batter is just combined. Do not overmix; overworking will make the muffins tough.
- Scoop batter into the muffin cups, filling each a little under two-thirds full.
- Add about a heaping tablespoon of chopped apples into each cup, pressing them gently into the batter.
- Generously sprinkle the chilled streusel over each muffin.
- Place the pan in the oven, reduce heat to 375°F, and bake 19–22 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze: whisk powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon milk. Add more milk if needed to reach drizzling consistency.
- Drizzle glaze over cooled muffins and let it set before serving.
Baking tips and easy variations
- Use real apple pieces: diced apples from pie filling add extra sweetness and moisture.
- Swap yogurt: plain yogurt or sour cream work in place of Greek yogurt.
- For a fruit twist, replace apples with 1 cup fresh blueberries and reduce streusel slightly.
- Make ahead: freeze baked muffins without glaze. Thaw and warm before glazing.
- If streusel softens after storage, bake briefly to re-crisp the topping.
Recipe-friendly serving ideas and pairings
- Serve warm with butter or a light cream cheese spread.
- Pair with coffee, chai, or a latte for an autumn morning.
- Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a quick dessert.
More fall baking you might enjoy
- Cinnamon apple crumb cake for a cozy celebration dessert
- Classic blueberry muffins made with the same easy batter method
- Spiced pear bars that highlight seasonal fruit and warm spices
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Health advocate and wellness researcher, Dr. Monroe brings clarity to confusing health trends with science-backed advice. Her mission is to help readers live vibrantly, from the inside out.