These apple streusel muffins made with sour cream are packed with tart, cinnamon spiced apples and finished with a buttery toasted pecan streusel. Nutmeg and a little cardamom flavor the tender crumb, and fresh orange zest brightens the whole muffin. They are a warm, spiced breakfast or snack for the first cool weekends of fall.
There are two things that I really like about these muffins: the chunks of soft tart apples and the crunchy pecan streusel. I love a good streusel topping and use a similar recipe for my pumpkin streusel muffins.
I updated this recipe and replaced the ginger with cardamom. I also decided to bake them in tulip cupcake liners so the muffins would be tall.
Why I Macerate the Apples
One of the issues when adding apples or other fruit to muffins is they can give off a lot of water when baked, which can cause pockets of gumminess or the can sink to the bottom. To prevent a gummy texture I macerate the chopped apples in cinnamon and sugar.
Tossing the diced apples with sugar and cinnamon pulls their liquid out before they ever reach the batter. I drain that liquid and add back just one tablespoon, so I keep the apple flavor without the extra water that leaves you with a wet, gummy center. I use this same toss-and-drain step on my peach streusel muffins.
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Cheryl's Baker's Notes
- Cardamom and orange add a lot of flavor. Orange and apple are a natural pairing especially with tart apples, which I learned from The Flavor Bible. The light citrusy note complements the tartness of the apples. The slight citrusy note of the cardamom pairs well with the apples and the orange zest. I rub the orange zest into the sugar so its oils release and the brightness carries all the way through the crumb.
- Use tart, firm apples. The flavor of tart apples will stand out more against the sweetness of the muffin. Taste your apples first to ensure they're still crispy. Mushy apples will breakdown as the muffins bake and you won't have those nice apple chunks.
- Sour cream is a key ingredient: I love using sour cream in my bakes. It keeps the crumb tender, helps the muffins stay soft for days, and adds a light tang to the muffin.
- A short rest before baking. After I mix the batter, I let it sit for about 15 minutes. That rest lets the flour hydrate, and the batter thickens, which helps prevent the apples from sinking and gives a taller, more even rise.
Apple Streusel Muffin Ingredients
- Fresh Apples: For the best flavor use tart crisp apples. I prefer Granny Smith Apples for this recipe, but you can also use Cosmic Crisp (my other favorite), Honey Crisp, or Braeburn. Before you start this recipe, taste your apples to make sure they are crisp and crunchy. Mealy apples won't have as much flavor and may not hold up well when baked in the muffin.
- Orange Zest: The slight citrus flavor that comes from the orange zest, complements the tart flavor of the apples and citrusy note of the cardamom. I was pleasantly surprised with how well it worked and so glad I added this flavor to this muffin. Zesting the orange directly into the sugar captures the citrus oils and moisture. Rubbing the zest into the sugar carries the citrus throughout the muffin. It's the same method I use for my lemon poppy seed muffins.
- Ground Spices: If you haven't used your spices in awhile, smell and taste them to ensure they are still potent. If you can't find cardamom, you can leave it out or replace it with ground ginger for a slightly different flavor profile
- Pecan Streusel: This streusel topping is similar to the recipe I use for other streusel muffins. It's a simple recipe made with flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and a little salt to balance the sweetness.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Apple Streusel Muffins
Step 1: Combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt in a bowl
Step 2: Add the melted butter to the dry ingredients.
Step 3: Add the toasted pecans and toss with the other ingredients
Step 4: Store the streusel in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Step 5: Toss the chopped apples with cinnamon and sugar.
Step 6: Zest the orange into the sugar.
Step 7: Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar.
Step 8: Whisk together the orange-sugar mixture, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
Step 9: Whisk in the two eggs.
Step 10: Whisk in the melted butter and then the sour.
Step 11: Add the flour mixture in two batches.
Step 12: Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
Step 13: Fold in the chopped apples.
Step 14: Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups.
Step 15: Divide the streusel between the 12 muffins.
Step 16: Bake the muffins until risen and the internal temperature registers 205°F with an instant-read thermometer.
Helpful Tips for These Muffin
- Do not open the oven door when you drop the temperature. Losing that heat can flatten the domed tops.
- Fill the liners generously and mound the streusel. A full cup and a good layer of streusel give you the bakery-style top.
- Rest the batter the full 15 minutes. It thickens as it sits and holds the apples in place.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the surest result. The centers are done at 205°F.
Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Spiced Apple Streusel Muffins with Sour Cream
Ingredients
Pecan Streusel
- 2 ounces (57 grams) pecans
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (125 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (67 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Apple Filling
- 2 cups (240 grams) fresh chopped apples chopped into ½-inch dice
- 2 tablespoon (25 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Muffin Batter
- 2 cups (250 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (12 grams) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Diamond kosher salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (4 grams) orange zest
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butte
- 2 large (100 grams) eggs
- 1 cup (240 grams) sour cream room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Taste the apples before beginning this recipe. The apples should be tart and crisp. Mushy apples won’t hold their shape in these muffins.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°F) and toasted the pecans for 5 minutes. Remove them from the oven, let them cool for 10 minutes, then coarsely chopped them.
- Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with tulip muffin liners.
Make the Pecan Streusel
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. If the butter starts to pop, reduce the heat to low. While the butter is melting, place the flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the warm melted butter and use a fork to combine the ingredients until the streusel has a sandy texture. Add the chopped pecans and mix in. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to use.
Prep the Apples
- Peel the apples. With the apples in the upright position and the stem pointing skyward, cut down and around the cores to remove the flesh in 4 lobes (you’ll be left with a square-shaped core). Set the lobes flat-side down and cut the apples into cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Toss them with 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Set this mixture aside.
Make the Muffin Batter
- Melt the butter over medium low heat and set it aside to cool to 85°F. Do not add hot butter to the batter.
- Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk for about 30 seconds to thoroughly combine.
- Place the sugar in a small bowl, and zest the orange directly onto the sugar. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until it is fragrant and the sugar turns orange. Pour the sugar-orange mixture into a large bowl.
- Add the spices to the sugar and whisk until well combined. Add the eggs and whisk for 1 minute until the batter feels thin and loose (it will initially feel a little stiff), and is a little lighter in color. Whisk in the melted butter, then whisk in the sour cream and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture in 2 batches to the wet ingredients and use a large spatula to gently mix until it is incorporated. The batter will be lumpy. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes.
- Drain the apples. There should be about 2 tablespoons of liquid. Add the apples and 1 tablespoon of the liquid, and use the spatula to fold them into the dough. The batter will be thick.
Bake the Muffins
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, about 85 grams per cup. Place about 2 tablespoons of streusel topping on the top of each unbaked muffin and lightly press it into the batter.
- Bakes the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F (220°F), then without opening the oven door reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake for another 15-18 minutes until the muffins are risen, slightly firm to the touch and an instant-read thermometer registers 205°F (96°C). If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, insert a toothpick. If there are no crumbs or just a few crumbs, the muffins are done.
- Remove the muffins and allow them to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin, them remove them from the muffin tin and place them on a cooling rack. The muffins are best in eaten within the first 2 days.
Storing the Muffins
- The muffins can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Then refrigerated for up to another 4 days in an airtight container or each muffin wrapped individually in plastic wrap.
Freezing the Muffins
- You can also freeze the muffins. Individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap, then store them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month.
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