You Can’t Stop With Just One of These Apple Cake Muffins!

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When the aroma of Apple Coffee Cake Muffins wafts through my home, you can’t help but feel that warm, fuzzy feeling.

You know how there are some aromas that automatically make you feel comforted and at peace? 

For me it’s those cinnamony aromas mixed with a hint of Fall spice that just gets me.

And in a muffin? Oh boy, sign me up!!

Homemade muffins are always a welcome treat in my home.

Everything from my wholesome Morning Glory muffins, Orange Marmalade muffins, and Baked Pecan Donut muffins are favorites.

We even have our savory favorites like the easy Spinach Cheese Pizza muffins and Sausage and Cheese breakfast muffins!

I try to avoid adding a crumble (also known as a streusel topping) unless I’m baking muffins for a celebration or to take to someone’s home but there are some muffins that are just incomplete without a crumble. 

like my delicious apple coffee cake muffins with pecans.

Before we get to the recipe I have to address the question- what does streusel mean? Is it the same as a crumb topping?

And the big one:

Streusel vs Strudel? The same thing?

If you’re looking for a simple streusel definition, it is the crumbly topping on top of a muffin or coffee cake.

This crumbly topping is commonly a combination of flour, butter, sugar, and cinnamon.

I also love to add nuts to my streusel or crumb toppings.

A streusel is not a strudel!

A strudel is a pastry treat. 

A favorite of mine is an apple strudel- pastry sheets that blanket spiced apple slices. Yum!

An Easy Apple Coffee Cake Muffins Recipe

Now you can use your preference of apples in this recipe.

The yellow apples aren’t as sweet and add a slight tart taste to the mix, which we love.

Organic gala apples are also a great choice.

And while preparing the batter, remember not to mix the apples into the batter with a hand mixer or a stand mixer.

Gently fold in the apples with a spoon.

Another tip… pour the muffin batter three-fourths of the way, in the liner.

This is to allow the muffin enough space to rise, even after the crumble is added to the top.

All set to bake?

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Apple Coffee Cake Muffins with Pecans

Author: Marina J

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1-2 diced apples depending on your preference
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• Topping:
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tbs flour
• 1-2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp cold butter diced into small pieces

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350, and grease a muffin tin or line with baking papers.
2. Beat together milk, butter, vanilla, and eggs.
3. Combine dry ingredients and slowly mix in until just blended.
4. Fold in apples and pecans, and then fill muffin cups ¾ full.
5. In a small bowl, mix all topping ingredients together using a pastry cutter or two forks, until you have a thick, chunky sand-like texture.
6. Sprinkle over the tops of your muffins generously.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, let cool for 10 minutes, and then serve.

It will be hard to keep little hands from grabbing the muffins left out to cool!

For a dessert treat, serve the apple muffins straight out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Mmmmm.

How to use this one recipe to improvise.

You could skip pouring the batter into individual muffin cups and just use two 8″ round cake pans if you plan to take an apple coffee cake to your next get-together with family/friends.

Avoid the apples altogether and you could make yourself a cinnamon streusel bread, using this very same recipe!