Baking a batch of these Apple Pecan Streusel Muffins will make your kitchen smell like fall. It's the perfect way to welcome in the cooler season.
Last week sliced apples were on sale in our local grocery store, so I stocked up on a few extra bags. My plan was to bake all the apple things that I wanted to share with you this fall in one week.
So far we enjoyed pancakes, cake, scones, Mini Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts, a couple batches of the most amazing caramel apple topping, and these amazing Apple Pecan Streusel Muffins.
And that was just last week. I still have ideas for cheesecake, bread pudding, cookies, Apple Nachos, crescent braids, and donuts in the very near future. I have officially decided to add apples to all the recipes. Now that it is September, I'm not planning on holding back on apple and pumpkin treats.
Usually by now I'm totally and completely bonkers for pumpkin treats, but I haven't hit that point this year. It must be the year of apples for me.
A few years ago, I made these Carrot Cheesecake Muffins. I already tweaked the recipe and made these Chocolate Zucchini Cheesecake Muffins, so I knew it would totally work to substitute shredded apple.
But this time I didn't want a cheesecake center. I know, I know. Who am I and what have I done with Jocelyn because I always want to add cheesecake to everything.
This time I just felt like a crunchy streusel topping and a sweet glaze drizzle on top said fall a little better. And after one bite of these apple muffins, I knew it was the right way to go.
These bakery style muffins will win your heart over in two seconds flat. Well, it might be the crunchy streusel and glaze that will win you over first.
But then when you take a bite of the soft apple spice muffin, you will be reaching for another one in a hurry. At least I was.
The best Streusel Topping for muffins
Mix together sugar, flour, cinnamon, and cold butter with a pastry blender or a fork. Continue working the mixture until it resembles wet sand.
Stir in the nuts and use the back of a spoon to press the mixture into large clumps.
You can also use your hands to clump the mixture together.
A helpful tip when using this streusel is to press it slightly into the batter before placing the pan in the oven. This will help the streusel stick to the muffins as they bake.
How to make Apple Pecan Streusel Muffins
Make the streusel topping first, and set it aside.
Mix together the oil, sugars, vanilla, and eggs in a bowl.
Stir together the dry ingredients and mix them alternately with buttermilk into the sugar mixture.
Stir in the shredded apples and pecan chips gently. A food processor is an easy way to shred apples quickly.
Spray your muffin tins with nonstick spray and spoon the batter evenly into 18 muffin cavities. Divide the streusel onto the muffin batter and press it down slightly.
Once the muffins are baked, let them cool in the muffin tins for 2-3 minutes before gently removing them and placing them on a cooling rack that has been set inside a large sheet pan.
When the muffins are cooled, whisk together the glaze and drizzle it over the tops of the sweet breakfast muffins. Let the glaze set before storing the muffins in a container.
More delicious apple recipes for breakfast
- Toffee Apple Bread - toffee bits and a brown sugar frosting makes this sweet fall bread taste amazing
- Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls - these soft and gooey fall cinnamon rolls can be on your breakfast table in 30 minutes
- Cinnamon Sugar Apple Donut Holes - the crunchy cinnamon coating and soft donut center will have you devouring the whole batch in one day
- Cinnamon Apple Dutch Baby Pancake from Your Home Based Mom - apples and cinnamon sugar makes this skillet breakfast a fun fall breakast
- Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Cookies from Love from the Oven - these sweet apple cookies are the perfect way to start out any fall day
Recipe
Apple Pecan Muffins
Baking a batch of these Apple Pecan Streusel Muffins will make your kitchen smell like fall. It's the perfect way to welcome in the cooler season.
Ingredients
For the Streusel
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ cup Cold Butter
- ½ cup Finely Chopped Pecans
For the Muffins
- ⅔ cup Oil
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 Eggs
- 2 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Aluminum Free Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Buttermilk
- 1 cup Shredded Apple
- ½ cup Finely Chopped Pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 12-count and a 6-count muffin tin with nonstick baking spray.
- Use a pastry blender or fork to mix together the brown sugar, flour, and cold butter until they resemble wet sand.
- Stir in the pecans and use the back of a spoon to clump the mixture into chunks. Set aside.
- Mix together the oil, sugars, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl.
- Stir together all the dry ingredients. Add them alternately with the buttermilk to the sugar mixture.
- Gently stir in the shredded apples and pecans bits. Spoon the muffin batter evenly into the 18 muffin cavities.
- Divide the streusel topping on the tops of the muffin batter. Press it slightly into the batter.
- Bake for 16 minutes.
- Remove and let cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes before gently removing them. Place on a cooling rack.
- Stir together the powdered sugar and water and drizzle over the tops of the cooled muffins. Let set. Store in a tightly sealed container.
Kari Davis
It doesn't say how much powdered sugar and water to use. Can you rectify that?
Jocelyn
I am so sorry about that. You can use 3/4 cup powdered sugar whisked together with 3-4 teaspoons milk. I hope you enjoy them.
Dawn Calvert
Hello, I was just wondering what kind of apples that you made these muffins with? Thanks.
Jocelyn
I used a bag of Crunch Pak gala apples. You can chop them fine or throw them into a food processor and shred them. Either way works! I hope you enjoy the muffins!
Emily
Is there something I can use instead of buttermilk?
Jocelyn
Are you wondering because you don't have it on hand? You can make homemade buttermilk by putting 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice in your measuring cup, then fill the rest of the way with milk. Let it sit 5-10 minutes before using it. Or you can use heavy cream, half and half, coffee creamer, or even regular milk. They will all work in a pinch.
Emily Dally
Thanks! I'll try the recipe with homemade buttermilk : )
Cheryl Webb Clair
Have you made these in mini muffin form? If so, how did you change the cooking time?
Jocelyn
I have actually never made this particular recipe in a mini muffin pan, but it should work just fine. I would definitely adjust the baking time down to around 8-10 minutes.