Name: Apple-Oatmeal Muffins
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1.5 cups all-purpose flour; 1 cup quick-cooking oats; 2.25 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon coarse salt; 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 0.75 cup sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled; 0.5 cup whole milk; 1 Macintosh apple, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice (1 ¼ cups); Crumb Topping for Muffins (optional)

Prep Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

45 mins

Yield:

12

For breakfast or afternoon snack, these apple-oatmeal muffins win. They're easy to make and easy to love. Packed with apple and oats, and flavored with cinnamon, they are moist and delicious—a bet-you-can't-have-just-one kind of treat.

The classic muffin batter uses butter, milk, and eggs for a tender crumb. Dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another, combine, add the apple, and you're done—no mixer needed. It's a fun recipe for kids to help make and comes together fast. The hardest part is waiting for the muffins to cool before you eat them.

Cutting the Apple

You don't have to peel the apple for this muffin, but we generally do. It's a matter of personal taste and depends on what type of apple you’re using, as some have thicker skins than others. Here's our streamlined technique for cutting the apple into small dice.

Cut around the core to make four sections. (We find this is easier than neatly coring the apple as you might do if you were cutting it to eat or use on a cheese board.)
Take one section and slice it longways.
Stack slices and cut through a stack making long thin strips.
Rotate the stack of strips and cut crosswise to form quarter-inch dice.

To Streusel or Not to Streusel

If you want to take your apple-oatmeal muffins up a notch, use our crumb topping to finish them. We love them as is, but sometimes the buttery-sugary topping is just what we need. Try a batch with half plain and half with the streusel topping and see which you prefer.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ cup whole milk
1 Macintosh apple, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice (1 ¼ cups)
Crumb Topping for Muffins (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven, line muffin tin, and mix dry ingredients:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Combine wet ingredients:

In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, butter, and milk.
Add wet ingredients to dry:

Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.

Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until they are combined—do not overmix or the muffins will be tough, not tender.
Add apple:

Stir apple into batter.
Divide batter between muffin cups:

Divide batter evenly between muffin cups, adding a scant 1/4 cup to each. Sprinkle with crumb topping if desired.
Bake and cool:

Bake until tops spring back when lightly touched, about 20 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Storing

The muffins will last about four days stored in an airtight container. We find they never last that long because they make a great after-school snack or mid-afternoon pick-me-up, as well as a great light breakfast.

Freezing

The muffins can be frozen once cooled to room temperature. Place them in a freezer-safe bag before freezing for up to three months.

Make two batches of the muffins and freeze one batch to enjoy later.

Frequently Asked Questions

What oats are used for oatmeal muffins

Our apple oatmeal muffins was developed to use quick-cook oats which soak up moisture in the batter more quickly than regular rolled oats. Do not substitute regular old-fashioned oats when making our recipe. (Other oatmeal muffins may call for old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick cooking.)

What are the best apples for muffins?

Some types of apples are better for baking than others. We use McIntosh apples for these muffins, but other varieties to consider are Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady.

Can you leave freshly baked muffins on the counter?

Most muffins should be stored at room temperature, not in the refrigerator. This means that, yes, they can be left on the counter, but we recommend you store them inside an airtight container. If left out on a plate or just on the counter, they will dry out more quickly.