These perfectly cozy Sour Cream Apple Streusel Muffins are so delicious and easy to bake! They are soft and fluffy muffins. The muffins are full of sweet apples and warm cinnamon spices.

What a treat these muffins are! They are baked in tulip liners for a taller bake.
Before baking, the muffins are sprinkled with a buttery cinnamon sugar streusel that melts and crisps up in the oven. It is insanely yummy!
For more muffin recipes, try Coconut Chocolate Muffins, Carrot Oatmeal Muffins, and Applesauce Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins.
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Why this recipe works
- Cinnamon Apple – A classic combination of flavours!
- Easy to make – No electric mixer is required for these muffins.
- 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!
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 – You can use any kind of apples, I used McIntosh apples. If you use Granny Smith, there will be a sour bite to the muffins. I used 2 cups total and sliced them into small cubes. You can do skin on or off.
- Butter - This is used for the streusel, and must be cold.
- Flour – All-purpose flour is used in this recipe! Don't substitute it for anything else.
- Eggs – Make sure they’re at room temperature before beginning.
- Sour cream – Use full fat sour cream and 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 or a fork, mix this until crumbly and combined. Set aside while you make the muffin batter.
Step 3 – Mix together 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 together 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. Don't over-mix!
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 24-28 minutes. Mine took 25 minutes exactly. If using regular liners, they will be done at the 18-22 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.
- Peel the skin or leave it on the apples, 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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Sour Cream Apple Streusel Muffins
Ingredients
For the streusel
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp butter cold
For the muffins
- 3/4 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsps cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups apples chopped, about 3 large apples
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line the muffin tin with muffin liners and set aside. Chop the apples into small pieces and set aside.2 cups apples
- In a small bowl, make the streusel. Combine flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cold cut up butter. Using your hands, mix it together until combined into a crumbly, streusel mixture. Set aside while you make the muffin batter.1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 3 tbsp butter cold
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together and set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsps baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsps cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt
- In a large bowl, add oil, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and white sugar. Whisk together until combined and smooth.3/4 cups white sugar, 1/2 cup oil, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup sour cream
- Add in the dry ingredients and using a spatula, slowly fold until a soft muffin batter forms. Mix until JUST combined.
- Add in the apples and mix in. Do not over-mix!2 cups apples
- Evenly divide the batter between the muffin liners, fill them halfway in tulip liners or to the top in regular liners.
- Sprinkle streusel on top.
- Bake the muffins at 375°F for 22-28 minutes for tulip liners. If using regular liners, they will be done at the 18-22 minute mark. The muffins are ready when they bounce back at touch or a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
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