Sour Cream Apple Streusel Muffins

These Sour Cream Apple Streusel Muffins are bursting with flavours! They are soft and fluffy muffins with sweet apples and warm cinnamon spice bursting in every bite. 

My favourite part about these muffins is how soft they keep on the counter for days. This recipe is sour cream based, and it’s the secret ingredient that makes these muffins insane!

The batter gets mixed together in a few simple steps with no electric mixer required, scooped, and baked to perfection. It has a buttery cinnamon sugar streusel sprinkled on top before baking that melts and crisps up in the oven. SO good!

I’m so excited to share this recipe so let’s begin!

For more apple recipes, try Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies, Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Apple Cinnamon Muffins.

Jump to:

• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients Notes
• Step by step instructions
• Expert Baking Tips
• FAQ
• Check out these recipes
• Sour Cream Apple Streusel Muffins

Why this recipe works

Cinnamon Apple – Such a delicious flavour combo for fall.

Easy to make – Comes together with just a few simple steps! No wait time either.

Streusel - These muffins are topped with a delicious buttery streusel before baking, and as it bakes it crisps up and adds an incredible texture and flavour to the muffins!

Soft and fluffy – These muffins rise beautifully in the oven!

Ingredients Notes

Full recipe and ingredients are in the recipe card below. Feel free to scroll through this section to view certain key ingredients we’re using!

Apples – I used McIntosh apples. You can use any kind of apples though. If you use Granny Smith, there will be a sour contrast to the muffins. I had 2 cups total, sliced into small cubes. I chopped them with the skin on, but you can peel it if you’d like.

Butter - This is used for the streusel, and must be cold.

Flour – All-purpose flour is used in this recipe.

Eggs – Make sure they’re at room temperature before beginning.

Sour cream – Use full fat sour cream. Make sure it’s at room temperature. The sour cream adds a tangy flavour to the muffins, which pairs perfectly with the sweet apples.

Oil – I used a flavourless oil. You can also use melted butter.

Step by step instructions

Here is how to make and bake these Sour Cream Apple Streusel Muffins. You will need a 12 muffin tin, muffin liners, 3 mixing bowls, a spatula, and a whisk.

Step 1 – Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the muffin liners with 12 liners and set aside. If you need a recommendation, this is my favourite tin. I used tulip liners, which creates less muffins total as you add more batter into them, but you can use regular muffin liners as well. Chop the apples into small pieces and set aside.

Step 2 – Make the streusel. In a medium sized bowl, add flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, and cold butter. Using your hands, mix this until crumbly and combined. Set aside while you make the muffin batter.

Step 3 – Mix dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, add in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together and set aside.

Step 4 – Whisk wet ingredients. In a large bowl, add oil, eggs, white sugar, and sour cream. Whisk until well combined.

Step 5 – Add in dry ingredients. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and using a spatula, gently fold to create a soft muffin batter.

Step 6 – Add the apples. Mix in the apples until just combined.

Step 7 - Scoop. Evenly divide the batter between the muffin liners. Sprinkle streusel on top.

Step 8 – Bake. Bake the muffins at 375°F for 18-22 minutes. Mine took 19 minutes exactly. If using regular liners, they will be done at the 15-17 minute mark. The muffins are ready when they bounce back at touch or a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

These muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days, or in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week!

Expert Baking Tips

Here are a few expert baking tips from my kitchen to yours

• Use a gram scale. I cannot emphasize this enough! It is the most accurate way of measuring your ingredients in the kitchen. This is one of my favourites.
• Do not over-mix! A big reason muffins don’t rise or turn out tough is because the batter is over-mixed. Once you see no flour streaks, stop mixing.
• You can peel the skin off the apples or leave it on, it’s up to you.
• Refrigerate the streusel while you make the muffin batter. It makes sprinkling much easier later!

FAQ

Can you taste the sour cream?

No! The sour cream adds a tangy flavour to the muffins, which pairs perfectly with the sweet apples.

Do I have to add sour cream?

Yes. You can also substitute the same amount for yogurt, kefir, or unsweetened applesauce.

What do I do with leftover streusel?

Streusel freezes great! Just place any leftovers you may have in a ziplock bag and freeze until needed again. You do not need to thaw it to use it, once you are ready to use it, you can sprinkle it frozen on top of the muffins.

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