Cinnamon Apple Crisp Muffins

Ginny McMeans

Ginny McMeans

Published:

September 17, 2023

Last Modified:

May 8, 2024

Cinnamon Apple Crisp Muffins are topped with a slightly crunchy cinnamon topping. It is like a cap of streusel, but it doesn’t require any of the extra work.

I love when you can go and pick apples by the bushel. Truly! We used to live within a couple of miles of Apple Hill in California.

When apple season began, I would start picking up a bushel of this and a bushel of that.

By the end of the season, there were quite a few pints and quarts of apples all canned up for the year.


Countless pies, candies, cookies, and muffins had been served to others and myself.

This recipe didn’t exist then, but it does now, and I hope you will add it to your collection. It really is that good!

Helpful kitchen tools

Cinnamon apple crisp muffins ready 12

How to make amazing muffins

  • This recipe makes 18 nice big muffins. I used muffin tin liners for neat and easy removal.
  • To a large bowl, add the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix well.
  • Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter. I always use my fingers when I get close to the end – I pinch and roll with my fingers and thumb. This gets a great mixture that resembles crumbs. Set aside.
  • Make your chia egg and set aside. You can also use flax seed for the egg substitute.
  • Peel, core, and grate the apple and set aside.
  • Mix the dairy-free milk and chia egg together.
  • Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
  • Fold in the grated apple.
  • Evenly spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins.
  • Bake at 375° for 25 minutes.
  • Take the muffins out of the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
  • During this time, mix the cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
  • Melt the butter and put it in a narrower, deeper bowl than a cereal bowl. This way, you can dunk the muffin top straight down into the butter and then lift.
  • Dip each top into the butter and then roll the top in the cinnamon mixture.
  • Set aside on a rack to cool completely.

I used Stone Ground Organic Whole Wheat Flour in this recipe, which worked great!

You can use whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour, too.

They are easy to make and as good as any specialty bakery goods out there.

Cinnamon apple crisp muffins ready 11

Can you freeze apple crisp muffins

So easily!

Baked goods seem to be made for freezing.

IF FREEZING:

After they have cooled, you may freeze them in any of the methods shown in my article How to Prepare Food for the Freezer.
They defrost quickly, so it really doesn’t take any planning.

Just take them out of the freezer and set them in the refrigerator. You can even set them on a platter if you serve them for breakfast or a treat in about an hour.

That was a great bite! After I finished my photography – I finished one of my Cinnamon Apple Crisp Muffins.

Now, you can make these beautiful muffins, and people will think you’re a five-star baker.

Cinnamon apple crisp muffins ready 10

Cinnamon Apple Crisp Muffins

Ginny McMeans
4.2400 from 21 votes
Cinnamon Apple Crisp Muffins are topped with a slightly crunchy cinnamon topping.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 16 Muffins

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Ingredients
  

Muffins:

  • 3 cups Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup organic shortening
  • 1 tablespoon chia egg which is 1 chia flour and 3 Tablespoons water, directions below
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated (at the last minute)

Topping used after the muffins are baked:

  • 1/4 cup dairy-free butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Instructions
 

  • Add muffin liners to 18 muffin cups
    Add muffin liners muffin cups
  • To a large bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix well.
    To a large bowl add the flour sugar baking powder cinnamon and salt
  • Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter. I always use my fingers when I get close to the end – I pinch and roll with my fingers and thumb. This gets a great mixture that resembles crumbs. Set aside.
    Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter
  • Make your chia egg and set aside. – A chia egg is actually made with chia seed meal/flour not the bare seed. The way you make meal/flour is by grinding the chia seed in a processor such as one for your coffee beans or a spice grinder. I use mine to strictly grind seeds so that I do not mix flavors. Grind until it is a fine meal. I do about 4 ounces at a time and keep it in a little freezer safe canning jar – in the freezer. When I need a Tablespoon or so it is all ready to go.
    Make your chia egg and set aside
  • Peel and grate the apple and set aside.
    Peel and grate the apple and set aside
  • Add the almond milk and chia egg together.
    Add the almond milk and chia egg together
  • Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients stirring until just combined.
  • Fold in the grated apple.
    Fold in the grated apple
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins.
    Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins
  • Bake at 375° for 25 minutes.
    Bake for 25 minutes
  • Take the muffins out of the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
    Take the muffins out of the oven and let cool for a few minutes
  • During this time mix the cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
    During this time mix the cinnamon and sugar and set aside
  • Melt the butter and put in a narrower deeper bowl than a cereal bowl. This way you can dunk the muffin top straight down into the butter and then lift.
    Melt the butter and put in a narrower
  • Dip each top into the butter and then roll the top in the cinnamon mixture.
    Dip each top into the butter and then roll the top in the cinnamon mixture
  • Set aside, on a rack, to cool completely.

Video

Notes

Baked goods seem to be made for freezing.
IF FREEZING:
After they have cooled you may freeze them in any of the methods shown in my article How to Prepare Food for the Freezer.
They defrost quickly so it really doesn’t take any planning.
Just take them out of the freezer and set in the refrigerator.  You can even set them on a platter if you are serving them for breakfast or a treat in about an hour.

Nutrition

Serving:1Muffin, Calories:277kcal, Carbohydrates:40g, Protein:3g, Fat:12g, Saturated Fat:3g, Sodium:190mg, Potassium:144mg, Fiber:2g, Sugar:23g, Vitamin A:140IU, Vitamin C:0.5mg, Calcium:62mg, Iron:0.9mg

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46 responses to “Cinnamon Apple Crisp Muffins”

4.24 from 21 votes (16 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




  1. Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens Avatar

    Yep – absolutely love Bob’s Red Mill and their wonderful line of anything-I-need grains! And what a great way to use their fantastic whole-wheat flour … the gorgeously craggy-sugary top of these muffins lured me in at just one glance! Looks so decadent, no one will ever guess how jam-crammed full of whole grain goodness these beauties are! Yum! Definitely pinning! 😀

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Thanks so much Shelly! I appreciate all of your support and their flour really is so good!

  2. Melanie | Melanie Makes Avatar

    Apple crisp in muffin form? Sold!

  3. Sarah Averett Avatar

    These photos are absolutely stunning! What a fabulous idea!

  4. Beth @ The First Year Avatar

    The cinnamon sugar on these babies looks swoon worthy, yummm!!

  5. Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen Avatar

    I’m always making muffins with whole-wheat flour and I love Bob’s Red Mill! I don’t think I could resist one (or two) of these muffins, especially with that cinnamon topping!

  6. Heather | girlichef Avatar

    I love to go apple picking, too…and I would equally love these mouthwatering muffins. Lucky for me I have EVERYTHING I need to make them right this minute! 🙂

  7. Amy @Very Culinary Avatar

    Oh yes, my pantry resembles the Bob’s Red Mill grocery store section. Love them – their grains are unmatched! Great use of their flour here in these muffins!

  8. Sheena @ Hot Eats and Cool Reads Avatar

    These muffins look fantastic! Love the flavors! Pinning!

  9. Martha @ A Family Feast Avatar

    Wow – those look delicious!! We’re such fans of Bob’s products – thanks for the coupon!

  10. Erin @ Texanerin Baking Avatar

    These look like they have the best muffin tops! I saw a lot of BRM posts last week but I think this is the first I saw that uses whole wheat. Yay! 🙂 And I also love Bob’s Red Mill. So much that I brought over a dozen of their flours over here to Germany with me. 🙂

  11. Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom Avatar

    They look really pretty, I love Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour!

  12. Angie Avatar

    Apple muffins are the best! These look great!

  13. Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes Avatar

    I love Bob’s Red Mill products! Everything comes out better when I use their stuff. Great looking muffins – they are making me especially hungry right now 🙂

  14. Stephanie @ Back for Seconds Avatar

    I wouldn’t be able to stop at just one. Holy yum!

  15. Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy Avatar

    I can tell you right now that these would be a HIT at my house! What beautiful muffins!

  16. Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic Avatar

    I make muffins every week, and Whole wheat muffins are my absolute favorites. My boys would devour these apple crisp muffins!

  17. Nikki @ NikSnacks Avatar

    That’s it. I’m making these. For Thanksgiving morning! I’m so excited! I love the way they look!

  18. Ashlyn @ Belle of the Kitchen Avatar

    These muffins are gorgeous and I LOVE Bob’s Red Mill! When I needed Guar Gum for a recipe one time, they were the only ones I could find that made it. 🙂

  19. Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files Avatar

    I love everything about these muffins! The apple the crisp! I want em all 🙂

  20. Kim (Feed Me, Seymour) Avatar

    I absolutely love these muffins! I’ve been searching for some delicious breakfast recipes lately and this is definitely one of them.

  21. Susan Avatar

    I don’t know which part of this muffin I’d dive into first the bottom or the top (mostly because the top looks so good)! Bob’s Red Mill is great flour, I have a closet full of their almond meal!

  22. Lauren @ Healthy Delicious Avatar

    I love apple muffins – especially when they have a sugary topping like that!

  23. Cookin Canuck Avatar

    I’ve been looking for a place to pick apples for year…no luck! But that won’t stop me from trying these muffins. Yum!

  24. Melanie Avatar

    Mmmm, these would be perfect with my morning coffee! Gorgeous!

  25. Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos Avatar

    Bob’s Red Mill has amazing products and these muffins look fantastic! I love how you used Whole Wheat Flour in this!

  26. Laura O @PetiteAllergyTreats Avatar

    Oh my, that topping looks incredible. I love apple crisp and these muffins are perfect to grab and go with whole some goodness of grains too!

  27. glsgrl Avatar
    glsgrl

    Is the chia egg 1T of chia meal?

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Yes, 1 Tablespoon chia flour/meal and 3 Tablespoons water. Sorry, somehow I left that out but the recipe is fixed now. Thanks for the heads up.

  28. Maureen Avatar
    Maureen

    loved these! Just tried baking them with almond flour though and they did not rise at all.Still delicious though! Any gluten free version suggestions?

    1. Kim Avatar
      Kim

      I have used Brown Rice Flour with added baking powder & baking soda, or a mix of the Brown Rice Flour & ground Flax seed for my GF muffins. They still rise & you would never know they were GF.

      1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

        That is perfect good information Kim! Thanks for the GF help. 🙂

  29. fabiola@notjustbaked Avatar

    These look absolutely perfect! And I love Bobs!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Thanks Fabiola and don’t we all! 🙂

  30. Bethany Avatar
    Bethany

    Wow, these are absolutely amazing!!!!!!!! Best muffins I have ever eaten and lately I have been on a muffin kick so that’s really saying something. My daughter loved them too. I am going to serve then at a bridal shower tomorrow. I am certain they will be a huge hit! They are a but more time consuming than other muffin recipes but well worth it. I used a flax egg instead of chia because it’s all I had but it worked perfectly. Thank you for the fabulous recipe. I will make these again!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      That is fantastic Bethany and you are very welcome. Thanks for all your kind words and they will be perfect for a bridal shower.

  31. Traci @ The Kitchen Girl Avatar

    Omgosh…these look so scrumptious I want one right now! I love the chia egg…I was a baker back in college and we used it for our vegan cookies. Great method! Thanks for sharing this gorgeous treat!

  32. Anjali @ Vegetarian Gastronomy Avatar

    5 stars
    I SO want one of these right now! That crispy topping seems mouthwatering!!

  33. Amanda | Chew Town Avatar

    Those muffins look and sound incredible! I love the sound of the sugary crunchy top – such a great contrast to the soft fluffy apple centre.

  34. Brian Jones Avatar

    5 stars
    They sound wonderful, we have 4 apple trees in our garden so we are never short of ingredients 😉

  35. Emily Avatar

    5 stars
    Omg, I’m drooling, the top of those muffins look amazing. I need to make these asap!

  36. Tiffany Avatar
    Tiffany

    I want to make these but don’t currently have organic shortening! What else can I use to substitute?
    Thank you!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Any shortening will work Tiffany.

      1. Sarah Avatar
        Sarah

        5 stars
        I used vegan butter and they were fine. They probably crumbled more, but I hardly noticed bc they are so delicious.

        1. Sarah Avatar
          Sarah

          I also used oat milk.

  37. Lindsay Avatar
    Lindsay

    5 stars
    I just made a batch of these and WOW they are absolutely delicious! Perfect texture and the flavor is amazing. This will definitely be a staple recipe for my family!

Ginny McMeans

Ginny McMeans

Hi, my name is Ginny and it is fantastic that you have come to visit and see my recipes. I have a positive attitude and can’t seem to be in nature enough. My North American bird count is 678 and I’m always watching for mammals and insects too. My head is stuffed full of recipes that I want to create and life is just to dang short. The recipes feature healthy and delicious vegan food that you can enjoy now or freeze for future meals.

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