These apple butter muffins are so simple to make but oh so delicious! These muffins use not just apple butter but also fresh apple chunks mixed throughout the batter. Double apples double flavor! They’re also topped with cinnamon icing! Enjoy the muffins plain or top them with smooth vanilla icing before serving.
Apple muffins are perfect as a year-round breakfast, but when autumn rolls around, these babies are in high demand! Made with apple butter and chunks of juicy apples! With all those apples, moist texture, perfectly sweet, warming cinnamon, brown sugar, and cinnamon icing, these muffins will have you coming back again and again! These apple butter muffins hook me every time. Imagine these muffins and a cup of coffee or tea in the morning, pure bliss!
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) >
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE APPLE BUTTER MUFFINS
- They are a satisfying bite of fall flavor. A great morning staple!
- You can have these apple butter muffins for breakfast, brunch, snacks, or even late night treats.
- These are moist muffins where apple butter and apple chunks flavors take over.
- You don’t need advanced baking skills to whip up these apple butter muffins! Super easy and simple to make! It’s a beginner-friendly recipe.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED & NOTES
Apple Butter – Made these muffins with my homemade apple butter. You can also use your favorite store-bought apple butter, but homemade is always the best option! Fresh without preservatives!
Apple – This recipe uses just one apple to make about 10 muffins, but if you prefer more apple chunks in your muffins, you can increase it to one and a half. Dice them small so that the chunks of apple aren’t overwhelming when you take a bite of muffin.
Sour Cream – This provides moisture in the muffins and keeps the batter thick. You can also use plain Greek yogurt.
Neutral oil – I use canola oil to make these muffins but feel free to use other neutral oils like vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and corn oil.
Sugar – You need both brown sugar and granulated sugar to make these apple butter muffins. Light brown sugar is preferable, but if you only have dark brown sugar, you can use that as well. You’ll also need powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) to make the icing.
Egg – Bring the eggs to room temp for better incorporation into the batter. If you forget to take them out of the fridge ahead of time, then pop the eggs in warm water for ten minutes. Also, make sure you’re using large eggs!
Flour – No need for fancy flour, regular all-purpose flour works great in this recipe.
Cinnamon – It’s not fall baking without cinnamon! Also, this spice goes naturally with apples, so make sure you put some cinnamon in the batter!
Leavening agent – You need both baking powder and baking soda to make these apple butter muffins.
Vanilla – A lil bit of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor
Salt – To balance the flavor.
BAKING TOOLS & EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
(Check my favorite baking tools and equipment here!)
- 12 ct. muffin or cupcake pan
- Muffin or cupcake liners
- Electric mixer or a whisk
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE THESE APPLE BUTTER MUFFINS
(Be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions)
STEP 1 – Make the Muffin Batter
Clean and peel the apple, then cut the apple into small chunks.
In a large mixing bowl combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk together and set aside.
In a larger mixing bowl combine the egg, sour cream, canola oil, vanilla extract, and apple butter. Stir to combine. Then, add the granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Mix everything until well combined.
Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined, and do not over-mix. The batter will be very thick. Fold in the apple chunks and make sure the apple chunks are distributed evenly.
STEP 2 – Rest and Bake the Muffins
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the muffin batter to rest for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400F and line a 12-count muffin pan with 10 muffin liners.
Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, filling each cup all the way to the top. Place the muffin pan in the center of the oven and bake for 8 minutes at 400F. Keep the muffins in the oven and turn the temperature down to 350F, then continue to bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
STEP 3 – Top with Cinnamon Icing
Let the muffins cool slightly, and make the cinnamon icing.
In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, cinnamon, and heavy cream. Start with 3 tablespoons of heavy cream because you want the icing to be very thick but spreadable, then you can add more heavy cream if the mixture is too thick. Spread or pipe the icing on top of each muffin and enjoy!
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST APPLE BUTTER MUFFINS
- Dice them small so that the chunks of apple aren’t overwhelming when you take a bite of muffin.
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Room temperature ingredients will combine more easily and create a smooth batter.
- Measure flour correctly. When measuring the flour with cups, make sure to spoon and level the flour into your measuring cup. Do not scoop and pack the flour. By doing this, you will yield too much flour and make the dough dry. A kitchen scale is the best option, it’s so much more accurate than cup measurements, that’s why I always write the recipe with grams. 1 cup flour = 125 grams.
- Avoid over-mixing the batter as this will create dense muffins. Mix the dry and wet ingredients just until combined.
- Let the muffin batter rest for 15 minutes before you scoop it into the muffin pan. This rest period let the flour absorb the liquid in the batter, giving the batter a thicker consistency.
- Keep your eyes on the muffins while baking. Think of baking times just as suggestions, because every oven is different! The temperature can vary greatly, even when you set it to the same temperature as in the recipe.
HERE’S HOW TO SERVE AND STORE THE LEFTOVER APPLE BUTTER MUFFINS
Enjoy them warm for the best flavor and texture. You can also cut your muffin in half and spread it with butter or cream cheese.
These muffins can last up to two days at room temperature if stored in an airtight container. To keep them fresh longer, you can store them in an airtight. Here’s how:
- Line the bottom of an airtight container with paper towels.
- Place the muffins in a single layer in the container.
- Cover the muffins with any additional layer of paper towels.
- Cover with the lid.
They will last up to a week in the fridge. If the paper towels become too moist around day 2 or day 3, replace them with fresh paper towels.
You can also freeze the muffins. Individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap, then place them in a ziploc bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw them, leave them in the fridge overnight or leave them at room temperature until defrosted. You can also microwave the muffins at 20-second intervals until defrosted and warm.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What apples are best for baking?
A tart apple like Granny Smith is usually a first choice for baking because it goes well with the sugar, but I prefer to use honeycrisp, braeburn or gala apples for this recipe. These apples are juicy, crisp, and sweet.
Apple Butter Muffins
These apple butter muffins are so simple to make but oh so delicious! These muffins use not just apple butter but also fresh apple chunks mixed throughout the batter. Double apples double flavor! They're also topped with cinnamon icing! Enjoy the muffins plain or top them with smooth vanilla icing before serving.
Ingredients
Apple Butter Muffins
- 250g (2 cups, spoon and level method) all-purpose flour
- 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 73g (1/3 cup) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 180g (3/4 cup) sour cream
- 120g (1/2 cup) canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 140g (1/2 cup) smooth apple butter
- 1 - 1.5 medium apples
Cinnamon Icing
- 115g (1 cup) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3-5 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
STEP 1 - Make the Muffin Batter
Clean and peel the apple, then cut the apple into small chunks.
In a large mixing bowl combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk together and set aside.
In a larger mixing bowl combine the egg, sour cream, canola oil, vanilla extract, and apple butter. Stir to combine. Then, add the granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Mix everything until well combined.
Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined, and do not over-mix. The batter will be very thick. Fold in the apple chunks and make sure the apple chunks are distributed evenly.
STEP 2 - Rest and Bake the Muffins
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the muffin batter to rest for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400F and line a 12-count muffin pan with 10 muffin liners.
Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, filling each cup all the way to the top. Place the muffin pan in the center of the oven and bake for 8 minutes at 400F. Keep the muffins in the oven and turn the temperature down to 350F, then continue to bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
STEP 3 - Top with Cinnamon Icing
Let the muffins cool slightly, and make the cinnamon icing.
In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, cinnamon, and heavy cream. Start with 3 tablespoons of heavy cream because you want the icing to be very thick but spreadable, then you can add more heavy cream if the mixture is too thick. Spread or pipe the icing on top of each muffin and enjoy!
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Happy Baking!
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