Apple Muffins

One of the best things about these apple muffins is their texture. One Test Kitchen professional said that they "aren't so soft they will fall apart, but they are almost cake-like in their softness." Not only would these sweet, soft muffins be an easy grab-and-go breakfast, but you can also make a batch for afternoon coffee or tea with the girls or to welcome a new family to the neighborhood. This recipe makes 12 muffins, so depending on the occasion and how many visitors you have, you might need to make more.

Although the recipe calls for Fuji, our Test Kitchen professionals agreed that any apple variety works. A tip from the Test Kitchen: Don't overwork these muffins—they only need mixing until the batter is just combined, which helps keep them super soft.

Begin the fall season with these fresh apple muffins and a warm apple cider. Is there such thing as too many apples? We don't think so. It's time for fall, y'all.

Ingredients for Apple Muffins

With only pantry staples and a fresh apple needed, these muffins are easy to whip up anytime the mood strikes. To make apple muffins, you'll need:

• Fuji apple: A sweet, crisp apple that holds up well in baked goods. Can be substituted with any firm variety you have on hand.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the muffins.
• All-purpose flour: Gives the muffins their structure.
• Light brown sugar: Adds a hint of molasses flavor, along with sweetness and moisture.
• Baking powder: Helps lift the muffins for a light crumb.
• Kosher salt: Enhances the overall flavor.
• Ground cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice to the muffins. Substitute with apple pie spice for an additional boost of flavor.
• Whole milk: Adds moisture for a tender crumb.
• Salted butter: Adds flavor and richness to the muffins.
• Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor.
• Large eggs: Binds and gives the batter stability and structure.

What Are the Best Apples for Baking?

The mildly sweet taste and crisp texture of Fuji apples makes them perfect for these apple muffins. That being said, you can swap the Fuji apple in this recipe for any type you have on hand—firm, tart or mildly sweet varieties such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady are all guaranteed to bake up nicely.

How To Make Apple Muffins

Fifteen minutes of active time is all it takes to whip up these comforting apple muffins—you don't even need to break out your stand mixer. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:

• Step 1. Prepare oven and muffin pan: Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray to coat or line a 12- cup muffin pan.
• Step 2. Combine apple and sugar: Toss to coat apples with sugar; let stand 10 minutes.
• Step 3. Combine dry ingredients: Whisk to combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
• Step 4. Make muffin batter: Stir milk, melted butter, vanilla, and eggs into apple mixture; stir into flour mixture.
• Step 5. Add batter to muffin cups: Divide evenly between muffin cups.
• Step 6. Bake muffins: Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 19 minutes.
• Step 7. Cool muffins: Cool in pan 5 minutes; then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Variations for Apple Muffins

If you're looking for a way to amp up the flavor of these seasonal muffins, here are some ideas to help spark your creativity:

• Add citrus: Pump up the flavor of the muffins by adding lemon or orange zest into the batter.
• Spice them up: Substitute the ground cinnamon with apple pie spice, or add cardamom, ground ginger, nutmeg, allspice, or clove for additional flavor.
• Opt for grated apples: For moist muffins with bits of apple in every bite, opt for grated apples in the place of diced.
• Mix-ins: Fold in chopped nuts, dried fruit, fresh cranberries, shredded coconut or carrots, or oats for a custom spin.
• Toppings: Top the muffins with streusel, chopped nuts, or oats before baking for an eye-catching presentation and crisp texture.
• Glaze: Drizzle with maple or apple cider glaze or dust with powdered sugar for a sweet finish.
• Make it mini: Bake these muffins in mini muffin cups for a perfectly bite-size breakfast option.

Tips for the Best Apple Muffins

Baking muffins should be easy and stress-free, and with a few key tips in mind, each batch is guaranteed to be just as successful as the last:

• Choose the right apple: While apple muffins can be made with any apple in the mix, overly sweet or grainy varieties just won't bake up as nicely.
• Don't overmix: Overmixing can lead to gluten development, and rubbery or dense muffins.
• Use a scoop: For consistent muffins that bake at the same rate, use a scoop for even portioning.
• Don't overbake: Bake just until a wooden pick inserted comes out clean to keep the muffins moist.
• Cool on rack: Good airflow helps the muffins cool down quickly and evenly.
  

How To Store Apple Muffins

There's nothing better than having muffins on hand for a quick grab-and-go breakfast, or fruity midday pick-me-up. Store baked apple muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. You can also refrigerate them for up to five days, or freeze for up to three months. Bring to room temperature or warm before serving.

More Fruit-Forward Muffin Recipes You'll Love

Muffins will always be a breakfast favorite. Whether they're your weekday morning hero or weekend brunch favorite, these fruity muffin recipes are always crowd-pleasers:

• Bakeshop Blueberry Muffins
• Banana Muffins
• Cranberry Orange Muffins
• Peach Muffins
• Blueberry Streusel Muffins
• Apple-Spice Muffins with Oat Streusel
• Raspberry-Almond Muffins with Honey Butter
• Any-Berry Muffins with Cornmeal Streusel

Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse.