Apple Cinnamon Raisin Muffins with Brown Sugar Streusel
There is a particular usefulness to a good muffin. It can be breakfast while it is still warm, an afternoon snack with tea, or something tucked into a school lunchbox without any fuss.
These apple cinnamon raisin muffins are soft and tender from whole-milk yogurt, with small pieces of apple and raisins folded through the crumb. A brown sugar streusel adds a crisp, buttery top and just enough contrast to the soft fruit underneath.
They are nut-free, simple to make in one bowl for the wet ingredients and another for the dry, and they freeze beautifully. Bake a dozen, keep a few on the counter, and let the rest wait in the freezer for the mornings that need an easy answer.
What makes these muffins so soft
Whole-milk yogurt gives the muffins moisture and a gently tender crumb. Oil keeps them especially soft for several days, while melted butter can be used when a richer buttery flavor matters more. Both versions work.
The batter should be fairly thick. Fold only until the last streaks of flour have almost disappeared, then add the apples and raisins. Overmixing develops the flour too much and can make a tender muffin feel firm.
Keep the apple pieces small so they soften during the short baking time and settle evenly through the batter. The chilled streusel should remain in irregular crumbs. Press it into the tops only very lightly so it stays crisp rather than disappearing into the muffins.
Cadre Nomade recipe
Apple Cinnamon Raisin Muffins with Brown Sugar Streusel
Soft apple-yogurt muffins with cinnamon, raisins, and a crisp brown sugar streusel.
Ingredients
For the muffins
- 220 g all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 120 g light brown sugar
- 80 g neutral oil or melted butter
- 180 g whole-milk plain yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 180 to 200 g apple, peeled and cut into small dice
- 90 g raisins
For the cinnamon brown sugar streusel
- 45 g all-purpose flour
- 35 g light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of fine salt
- 30 g butter, melted
Method
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners.
- Make the streusel. Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork until chunky crumbs form. Place the streusel in the refrigerator while you make the batter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and brown sugar until combined. Add the oil or melted butter, yogurt, and vanilla, then whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold gently until only a few streaks of flour remain.
- Fold in the diced apples and raisins just until evenly distributed. Do not overmix. The batter should be fairly thick.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Let the filled muffin cups rest for 15 to 30 minutes. Then sprinkle generously with the chilled cinnamon streusel, pressing the crumbs very lightly into the tops.
- Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, beginning to check at 20 minutes. The muffins are ready when the tops spring back when gently touched and a tester inserted into the crumb comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack.
How to store and freeze the muffins
Keep the muffins covered at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag.
A frozen muffin can go directly into a school lunchbox in the morning. It will thaw naturally by snack time or lunch, which makes the freezer feel less like storage and more like a small favor left for the week ahead.
