Skip the bakery and make these delicious Cream Cheese Apple Crumble Muffins. Super simple to make and they taste AMAZING!
It is well documented here that I am obsessed with baking muffins. They're so simple to make and yet so satisfying! A hot muffin, fresh from the oven, is one of my great pleasures in life.
These particular Cream Cheese Apple Crumble Muffins are a delight. Why haven't I always stuffed cream cheese in the middle of my muffins? Having discovered the delights of a warm, cheesy muffin heart, I will be making up for lost time from here on out. Now ALL the muffins will be stuffed.
Cream Cheese Stuffed Apple Muffins
But while the cream cheese is a game changer in a homemade muffin, the real flavor winner here are the apples. These Apple Crumble Muffins are loaded with chunks of juicy, tart apples. I wanted an apple in every bite and I succeeded.
I used Honeycrisp Apples (my favorite) and they were perfect in the muffins. A crisp Golden Delicious, or even a tart Granny Smith would work well here too.
But let's also talk about that crumble. This muffin went from good to great with that buttery, sweet crumble on top. It's that crumble that really takes these homemade beauties to the next level!
Healthy . . . Or Not
One of my favorite things about baking muffins at home is their versatility. You can dress them up or down, and they can be healthy . . . or not.
To make these Apple Crumble Muffins a bit healthier, try these steps:
- Use whole grain flour (I like to use spelt, but a combo of wheat and white works too)
- Skip the crumble (they're still delicious without it)
- Use coconut oil instead of butter
- Cut the sugar back to ⅓ cup
To make Apple Crumble Muffins delectably indulgent:
- Follow the recipe below
- Serve them with a drizzle of Maple Honey Butter for maximum deliciousness
I'm definitely adding these to our Thanksgiving Breakfast menu this month. And I wouldn't be at all surprised if they make it onto the menu a few more times before then too.
Cream Cheese Apple Crumble Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 4 tablespoons melted butter (or coconut oil)
- 1 cup milk (or more if necessary)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 heaping cup of diced apple, approximately 1 large apple (see note)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
For the Crumble
- ½ cup flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons room temperature butter
For the Maple Honey Butter (optional)
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and sugar.
- In a separate bowl, combine the egg, butter, milk, and vanilla.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the egg mixture. Stir until just combined, being careful to not over mix. Fold in the apples. The batter will be thick but moist. If your batter feels too thick (because it can vary in different climates) add a little more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, about ⅓ cup batter per cup.
- Put the softened cream cheese in a small ziploc bag. Squeeze it all into a corner of the bag, then cut off the corner and insert the cut end into the center of each muffin and give it a good squeeze.
- To make the streusel, combine the butter, cinnamon, flour, and sugar until it forms a crumble. I like to do this with my hands. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the batter in each muffin tin, lightly pressing it into the top of each muffin.
- Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes or until muffins are golden and spring back when touched.
- Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. (optional: Drizzle with Maple Honey Butter-just stir together the three ingredients) Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Use a great tasting apple for a great tasting muffin – crisp, juicy, and flavorful. I like Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, or tart green apples in this apple crumble muffin recipe.
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