Brighten your autumn mornings with these Apple Streusel Muffins — tender, warmly spiced muffins topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel. Brown butter, freshly chopped apples and a sprinkle of hemp hearts add both flavor and nutrients, making these muffins an ideal breakfast, snack or lighter dessert through the cooler months.
These muffins are an evolution of classic cinnamon crumb muffins, with extra fall spice, brown butter depth and hemp hearts for a protein boost. They make great use of fresh-picked apples and keep well, so you can bake a batch and enjoy them across the week.
This recipe was developed in partnership with Watkins and Manitoba Harvest.
What You Need to Make These Muffins
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Brown sugar (light or dark)
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves (ground)
- Manitoba Harvest organic hemp hearts
- Apples (peeled and diced)
- Whole milk
- Sour cream
- Eggs
Equipment
- 12-well muffin pan
- Muffin liners
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons and cups or a kitchen scale
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Small frying pan (for browning butter)
- Cooling rack
Try other cozy fall recipes for more seasonal baking inspiration.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One — Make the cinnamon streusel topping. In a small bowl, combine all-purpose flour, packed brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Stir in a few tablespoons of melted butter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Set aside so the crumbs firm up slightly before topping the muffins.
Step Two — Prep the dry ingredients and apples. Peel and dice apples into roughly ½-inch cubes. In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, the warm spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves) and the hemp hearts. Toss the diced apples in this dry mix to coat lightly — this helps prevent them from sinking in the batter.
Step Three — Finish the batter. Brown the butter in a small frying pan over low heat, stirring until the solids at the bottom turn golden and the butter develops a nutty aroma. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk the browned butter together with brown sugar and granulated sugar until lighter and combined. Add the eggs, sour cream, vanilla and milk, mixing after each addition. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until no streaks of flour remain.
Step Four — Assemble and bake. Divide the batter evenly among 12 prepared muffin liners, filling each to the top. Generously sprinkle the cinnamon streusel over each muffin and gently press the crumbs so they adhere. Bake at high heat briefly to set the tops, then reduce the oven temperature to finish baking until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Why This Recipe Works
- Melted brown butter simplifies mixing — a whisk and spatula are all you need, so no electric mixer is necessary.
- Brown butter adds a warm, nutty depth that pairs perfectly with autumn spices and apples.
- Fresh, high-quality spices and vanilla preserve bold flavor through baking, enhancing the aroma and taste of the muffins.
- Adding hemp hearts boosts the protein and nutrient profile without changing texture — an easy way to make baked goods more nourishing.
FAQ & Storage
Any firm, slightly sweet apple works well. Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji and Jonathan are all excellent choices.
Will the hemp hearts get me high?
No. Hemp hearts are simply nutritious seeds that provide protein and essential fatty acids and do not produce psychoactive effects.
How can I make the muffins healthier?
Swap half of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat, or add extra hemp hearts to increase protein and healthy fats.
How should I store leftover muffins?
Keep muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerate for up to one week, or freeze for up to one month.
Recipe
Apple Streusel Muffins
Author: Kayla Burton
Fluffy muffins spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves, studded with apples and topped with a buttery streusel. Makes 12 muffins.
Prep Time: 25 mins • Cook Time: 17 mins • Resting Time: 15 mins • Total: 37 mins
Servings: 12 muffins • Calories (estimate): 343 kcal per muffin
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- 2/3 cup (83 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (66 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
Apple Muffin Batter
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons (30 g) hemp hearts
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups apples, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
- Make the streusel: whisk flour, brown sugar and cinnamon; stir in melted butter until crumbly and set aside.
- Brown the butter in a small pan over low heat until fragrant with golden bits; let cool slightly.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, hemp hearts, spices and salt in a medium bowl. Toss apples with the dry mix to coat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk browned butter with brown and granulated sugar until light. Add eggs, sour cream, vanilla and milk, mixing after each addition.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet until just combined. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
- Fill liners to the top with batter, top each with streusel, pressing crumbs gently to adhere.
- Bake 5 minutes at 425°F, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake 11–14 more minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days, refrigerate up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 1 month. I prefer Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji or Jonathan apples, but any firm variety will work. Nutrition information is an estimate.
This recipe was developed with Watkins and Manitoba Harvest products.
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