Cream cheese in the batter makes these apple cinnamon muffins rich and oh so fluffy! Loaded with spiced apples, a crunchy brown sugar crumb topping, and drizzled with sweet vanilla cinnamon glaze!
Course Breakfast, brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American, southern
Keyword apples, cinnamon
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 40 minutesminutes
Servings 18muffins
Calories
Ingredients
SPICED APPLES
1½cupsapples (peeled, cored and finely diced)
¼cupdark brown sugar, packed
¼teaspooncinnamon
nutmeg, a generous pinch
clove, generous pinch
CRUMB TOPPING
½cups all-purpose flour
¼cupgranulated sugar
¼cupdark brown sugar, firmly packed
¼teaspooncinnamon
salt, generous pinch
3tablespoonsbutter, room temperature
MUFFIN BATTER
½cupvegetable oil
½cupgranulated sugar
½cupdark brown sugar, firmly packed
4ozcream cheese, room temperature
1egg
½teaspoonvanilla extract
1½cupsall-purpose flour
1½teaspoonsbaking powder
¼teaspoonsalt
¼teaspooncinnamon (optional)
1cupbuttermilk
VANILLA CINNAMON GLAZE
1 cuppowdered sugar
cinnamon, pinch
salt, pinch
1½tablespoonsmilk(may need more)
¼teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375. F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
Prepare the spiced apples by placing the diced apples in a bowl and tossing them with brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Set aside.
1½ cups apples (peeled, cored and finely diced), ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, a generous pinch, clove, generous pinch
Prepare the crumb topping by whisking together all the crumb topping ingredients, except for butter, in a bowl.
½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, salt, generous pinch
Cut in the softened butter with a fork until crumbly and uniform in color. (I prefer to use my hands.) Set aside.
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
To prepare the muffin batter, in a large bowl, cream together vegetable oil, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and cream cheese until completely combined.
½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed, 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
Mix in egg and vanilla extract. Set aside.
1 egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients while alternating with the buttermilk just until the mixture is combined. (Use low speed on the mixer.)
1 cup buttermilk
Fold in the spiced apples.
Fill the paper liners 1/2 full of batter. (I used a little over 1/4 cup per liner. Do not overfill.)
Sprinkle the tops with a heaping 1/2 tablespoon of crumb topping. (You will have some leftover)
Bake on the middle rack for about 20-24 minutes. (Cook time may vary)
Remove from oven and allow muffins to sit in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing from the pan and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze, place the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and whisk together.
1 cup powdered sugar, cinnamon, pinch, salt, pinch
Gradually stir in the milk until the mixture is silky enough to drizzle over the muffins.
1½ tablespoons milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins and allow the glaze to harden. (You can remove the muffins from the paper cups if desired before drizzling.)
Store muffins in an airtight container on the fridge or counter.