If you’re craving a cozy treat that tastes like autumn in a bite, you’re going to adore this Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Crumble Topping and Glaze Recipe. I absolutely love how these muffins come out moist, tender, and bursting with spiced apple goodness—and with that crunchy crumble topping plus a drizzle of sweet glaze, they feel just a little extra special. Trust me, once you try this recipe, you’ll want to make these muffins for breakfast, snack, or even dessert!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect Balance of Flavors: The blend of cinnamon, apple pie spice, and fresh apples creates a warm, inviting taste that feels like a hug in muffin form.
Textural Delight: The crumble topping adds a lovely crunch, contrasting beautifully with the soft, tender crumb of the muffin itself.
Simple Yet Impressive: This recipe is straightforward enough for bakers of any skill level but creates muffins that taste like you bought them from your favorite bakery.

A single muffin sits centered on a white plate with a silver fork resting next to it. The muffin has a light brown, soft textured base with a crumbly streusel topping in a darker brown shade. White icing drizzle runs in thin lines over the streusel, adding contrast. The plate and muffin are placed on a white marbled surface. In the background, blurred muffins and a basket of apples add warm tones but stay out of focus. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Crumble Topping and Glaze, apple muffin recipes, fall breakfast muffins, easy apple muffins, cozy baking recipes

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredients here combine wholesome flours with warming spices and fresh apples for sweetness and moisture. A few pantry staples come together to make each bite feel just right—plus some little tricks like using a mix of flours to enhance texture and flavor.

Flat lay of a small mound of all-purpose flour, a small mound of whole wheat flour, a small mound of almond flour, a small pile of light brown sugar, a small bowl of cinnamon powder, a small bowl of apple pie spice, two whole large brown eggs with clean shells, a few peeled and diced fresh apple cubes, a small bowl of creamy coconut oil, a small bowl of rich avocado oil, a small bowl of unsweetened almond milk, a small bowl of unsweetened applesauce, a small bowl of fine powdered sugar, a small bowl of golden cane sugar, a small bowl of vanilla extract, a small bowl of sea salt, and a small bowl of baking powder — all ingredients fresh and natural, each in simple white ceramic bowls or directly arranged, perfectly symmetrical and balanced, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p awthu7i m7354615311229779997 - Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Crumble Topping and Glaze, apple muffin recipes, fall breakfast muffins, easy apple muffins, cozy baking recipes

All-purpose flour: Helps keep the muffins tender while giving structure—spoon and level for accurate measurement.
Brown sugar: Adds depth and a slight molasses note to the crumble topping.
Cinnamon: Classic warming spice that ties together the apple flavor perfectly.
Soft coconut oil: Keeps the crumble moist and crumbly without being greasy.
Whole wheat flour: Adds nuttiness and wholesome fiber for a more interesting muffin.
Almond flour: Contributes a tender texture and subtle nuttiness.
Baking powder: Your lift agent to help these muffins rise beautifully.
Apple pie spice: A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice that amps up that cozy vibe.
Sea salt: Balances all the sweetness and enhances flavor depth.
Unsweetened almond milk: Keeps things dairy-free and adds moisture without heaviness.
Unsweetened applesauce: Adds natural sweetness and moisture, plus a tender crumb.
Cane sugar: Sweetens the muffin batter without overpowering.
Avocado oil: Neutral oil that keeps muffins light and moist.
Large eggs: Bind everything together and add richness.
Vanilla extract: Lifts the apple and spice flavors with a sweet floral note.
Peeled and diced apple: The star ingredient that brings fresh, juicy pockets of apple in every bite.
Powdered sugar: For the glaze—a sweet finishing touch that looks as pretty as it tastes.

Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

What I really love about this Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Crumble Topping and Glaze Recipe is how easy it is to tweak based on what you have and your taste preferences. You can customize it to make it your own cozy classic.

Gluten-Free Variation: I swapped out the all-purpose and whole wheat flours for a gluten-free blend once, and the texture was still great—just make sure your baking powder is gluten-free too!
Fruit Mix-Up: Try substituting pears or adding dried cranberries for a festive twist—I once made these for Thanksgiving and my family went crazy for the cranberry upgrade.
Less Sweet Option: If you prefer a less sweet breakfast muffin, simply skip the glaze and reduce the sugar in the batter by a couple of tablespoons; they remain delicious and moist.

How to Make Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Crumble Topping and Glaze Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the Crumble Topping

Start by preheating your oven to 400°F and greasing a 12-cup muffin tin — this lets you get right to baking once the batter is ready. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Then add the soft coconut oil and stir with a spatula just until there’s no dry flour left and you have a crumbly mixture. This crumble topping is going to add that perfect crunch on top, so don’t overmix or it might get mushy. I like to keep the coconut oil just soft, not melted, for best texture.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, almond flour, baking powder, apple pie spice, and sea salt. Combining the dry ingredients separately first ensures that your leavening is evenly distributed and that you’ll get a nicely spiced muffin with no clumps—this little prep step really makes a difference.

Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, vigorously whisk the almond milk, applesauce, cane sugar, avocado oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. I like to whisk these until the eggs are fully blended and the sugar starts to dissolve a bit—that helps the batter come together smoothly and keeps the crumb tender.

Step 4: Bring It All Together and Add Apples

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir just until combined—you want to avoid overmixing here to keep the muffins light. Gently fold in the peeled and diced apples so you get juicy bursts in every bite without breaking them down too much. For scooping, I use a ⅓-cup measuring cup; it helps keep the muffin sizes uniform and they cook evenly.

Step 5: Add Crumble and Bake

Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over each muffin cup. Pop the tin in the oven and bake for 17 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. When your kitchen starts smelling like apple cinnamon heaven, you know you’re close! After baking, let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely—this prevents the crumble topping from getting soggy.

Step 6: Whip Up the Glaze and Drizzle

Once your muffins are completely cooled, whisk together the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of almond milk in a small bowl. If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add almond milk a teaspoon at a time until it reaches that perfect pourable consistency. Then drizzle it over your muffins with a spoon or piping bag for a sweet, pretty finish. I always find glaze makes these muffins feel extra special—like something you’d find in a cozy cafe.

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Pro Tips for Making Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Crumble Topping and Glaze Recipe

Use Fresh Apples: I learned early on that fresh, crisp apples add the juiciest pockets inside the muffins—avoid pre-cut apples that have been sitting for too long to prevent sogginess.
Don’t Overmix Batter: Mixing until just combined keeps your muffins tender; I once ruined a batch by over-stirring and ended up with dense muffins.
Chill the Crumble Topping: If your coconut oil starts to melt, pop the crumble mixture in the fridge for a few minutes before topping the batter—it firms up the crumble and makes it crispier after baking.
Bake at High Heat: Baking at 400°F helps the crumble crisp up while keeping the muffins moist inside; lowering the temp can make them too soft on top.

How to Serve Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Crumble Topping and Glaze Recipe

A single round muffin sits in the middle of a white plate, topped with a crumbly golden-brown streusel layer and drizzled with thick white icing in uneven stripes. The plate is on a white marbled surface surrounded by three shiny red and yellow apples, two cinnamon sticks, and a blue and white striped cloth. To the right, a wire cooling rack holds several more muffins with the same crumb topping and white icing drizzle. Two ornate silver forks rest beside the plate. The scene is bright and cozy, with warm autumn colors and textures. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Crumble Topping and Glaze, apple muffin recipes, fall breakfast muffins, easy apple muffins, cozy baking recipes

Garnishes

I love dusting a little extra cinnamon on top of the glaze for a warm aroma, or adding a thin apple slice for a pretty garnish when serving guests—makes the experience feel thoughtful and festive without any extra fuss.

Side Dishes

These muffins pair beautifully with a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea for breakfast. For a brunch spread, I like serving them alongside scrambled eggs or a fresh fruit salad to balance out the sweetness.

Creative Ways to Present

For a fall gathering, I’ve arranged these muffins in a rustic basket lined with a cozy linen cloth, surrounded by cinnamon sticks and fresh apples—it’s super simple but creates such a warm, inviting vibe that guests always comment on.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

After baking, I store these muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The crumble topping holds up nicely, and the muffins stay moist—if you live in a super humid area, you might want to pop them in the fridge.

Freezing

Freezing these muffins is a lifesaver! I wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag. When you want one, just thaw at room temperature or warm gently in the microwave. The glaze can soften after freezing, so you might want to drizzle fresh glaze after thawing.

Reheating

To reheat, I usually microwave for about 15-20 seconds or warm them in a 325°F oven for 5-7 minutes. This refreshes the texture, especially the crumble, making the muffins taste almost freshly baked.

FAQs

Can I use different types of apples for this recipe?

Absolutely! I prefer tart apples like Granny Smith because they hold their shape well and balance the sweetness of the sugars. But sweeter apples like Fuji or Gala work too if you prefer a milder apple flavor.
Can I make these muffins dairy-free and vegan?

Yes! This recipe is already dairy-free since it uses almond milk and coconut oil. For vegan, swap the eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water per egg) and you’re good to go—though the texture may be slightly different.
How do I store muffins so they don’t get soggy?

Cool muffins completely before storing in an airtight container. You can separate layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Keep at room temperature for a couple of days or refrigerate in warm climates.
Can I make the crumble topping ahead of time?

Definitely! You can prepare the crumble topping and store it in the fridge for 1-2 days before baking. Just give it a quick stir before sprinkling on top to break up any clumps.

Final Thoughts

This Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Crumble Topping and Glaze Recipe is a staple in my kitchen during cooler months, and I love sharing it because it’s never failed to bring smiles around the breakfast table. Whether you’re baking for family, friends, or yourself, these muffins are like little pockets of comfort, spiced and sweetened just right. Give them a try—you’ll quickly see why I, and so many others, keep coming back to this recipe again and again.