Bakery-Style Apple Muffins (Moist, Spiced, and Easy to Make)

Bakery-Style Apple Muffins

With autumn in the air—or anytime you have apples on hand, these bakery-style apple muffins are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack. Moist and tender, they’re filled with apple chunks, warm spices, and your choice of a crunchy sugar top, buttery streusel, or sweet vanilla glaze. They’re quick, easy, and taste like they came straight from the bakery case.

Editor’s note: This is an updated version of an article originally posted January 201o with fresh images and additional information.

Why You’ll Love This Apple Muffin Recipe

• Moist & fluffy: Sour cream (or yogurt) and grated apple keep the muffins soft.
• Customizable tops: Choose between a sugar sparkle, buttery crumb, or drizzle glaze.
• Simple ingredients: No fancy equipment or steps, just one bowl of wet and one bowl of dry.
• Perfect for fall (or any season): Spiced apples never go out of style.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Flour: all-purpose flour keeps the muffins light.
• Sugar: a mix of brown and white sugar adds sweetness and moisture.
• Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, and optional allspice for warm flavor.
• Butter: melted for richness.
• Milk & sour cream – add moisture and tenderness.
• Eggs: for structure.
• Apples: tart varieties like Granny Smith balance the sweetness. Use part grated, part chopped for the best texture.
• Optional add-ins: raisins, walnuts, or pecans.
• Toppings: turbinado sugar, streusel, or vanilla glaze.

How to Make Bakery-Style Apple Muffins

Prep oven and pan. Heat to 375°F. Line or grease muffin tin.

Peel, core and prep 1 ½ cups apple, half grated, half chopped.

Mix dry ingredients. Whisk flour, sugars, baking powder, spices, and salt.

Mix wet ingredients. Stir melted butter, milk, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla.

Add apples: Toss with a little flour, then fold into the wet mixture.

Then combine: Gently mix wet and dry until just combined. Add nuts or raisins if using.

Fill cups: Divide batter, fill tins nearly to the top.

Choose topping: sprinkle sugar, add streusel, or leave plain for glaze later.

Bake: 20-22 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool & finish: Let cool briefly, then remove from pan. Drizzle glaze if using.

Three Ways to Top Your Apple Muffins

Want to make your muffins feel extra special? Pick your favorite finish:

• Classic Sugar Top: Sprinkle turbinado sugar on the batter before baking. The result is a sparkly, crunchy crown.
• Streusel Topping: Mix butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon for a buttery crumb topping that tastes like coffee cake.
• Vanilla Glaze: Bake the muffins plain, then drizzle with a sweet vanilla glaze after cooling. A dessert-like finish!

Each topping gives a slightly different vibe, so you can make them rustic, cozy, or elegant depending on your mood.

The classic apple muffins are wonderful, but this recipe is flexible and works beautifully with other add-ins too. Try substituting grated zucchini or carrot for the chopped apples. In the photo above, the muffins cooling on the rack are made with zucchini, moist, tender, and just as flavorful as the apple version.

Variations for Apple Muffins

• Fruit swaps: Try grated zucchini or carrot in place of apple.
• Mix-ins: Swap raisins for dried cranberries, chopped dates, or mini chocolate chips.
• Lightened version: Replace half the butter with unsweetened applesauce.

How to Freeze Apple Muffins

Yes, these freeze beautifully!

• Cool muffins completely.
• Wrap tightly in foil or place in freezer bags, removing as much air as possible.
• Label and freeze up to 6 months.

How to Reheat Apple Muffins

• Microwave: 30-45 seconds on high for a just-baked feel.
• Oven: Wrap in foil, warm at 350°F for 10–15 minutes.
• Lunchbox trick: Place a frozen muffin in a lunchbox and it will thaw by midday.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bakery-Style Apple Muffins

What apples are best for apple muffins?

Tart varieties like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn hold their shape and balance the sweetness of the batter. Softer apples such as McIntosh will work, but they bake down more and give a softer texture.

Can I make apple muffins without raisins or nuts?

Yes, absolutely. The muffins are delicious plain, but you can also swap raisins for dried cranberries, chopped dates, or even mini chocolate chips if you want a sweeter variation.

How do I keep apple muffins moist?

Using sour cream or yogurt along with grated apple keeps the muffins tender. Be careful not to overmix the batter, stop stirring as soon as the flour is incorporated. Storing muffins in an airtight container also helps lock in moisture.

Can I use applesauce instead of chopped apples?

You can replace part of the butter with applesauce for a lighter version, but for the best texture, keep at least some fresh apple in the recipe. Applesauce alone won’t give you the same juicy bits of fruit.

How long do apple muffins last?

At room temperature, muffins stay fresh for about 2 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 6 months.

These bakery-style apple muffins are the perfect mix of cozy and convenient. With warm spices, tender apples, and customizable toppings, they’re a recipe you’ll come back to all season long. Bake a batch for breakfast, share with friends, or tuck them into lunchboxes, they’re always a hit.

Bakery-Style Apple Muffins

Print Recipe

Equipment

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare muffin tin.

Ingredients

  

Muffins

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp allspice optional
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup butter melted and cooled
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups tart apple half grated, half chopped
• ½ cup raisins or nuts optional

Toppings (choose one)

Sugar top:

• Turbinado sugar

Streusel topping:

• 2 Tbsp butter melted
• ¼ cup flour
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Vanilla glaze:

• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1-2 Tbsp Milk
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare muffin tin.
• Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
• Whisk wet ingredients in another bowl.
• Fold apples into wet mixture.
• Add wet to dry, stirring just until combined. Fold in nuts or raisins if using.
• Fill muffin cups nearly to the top.
• Add sugar topping or streusel, or leave plain for glaze.
• Bake 20-22 minutes, until golden. Cool 5 minutes, then remove from pan. Drizzle glaze if using.

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Applesauce Bundt Cake with Caramel Frosting

Apple Rose Pastries

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