Enjoy fall’s favorite flavors with this small batch of apple pumpkin streusel muffins! This simple pumpkin muffin recipe blends pumpkin, fresh apple chunks, and cozy spices inside a soft muffin that is finished with a buttery apple streusel.
Small Batch Apple Pumpkin Muffins
If someone were to ask you, ‘what flavors come to mind when you think of fall’? Do you immediately go to pumpkin? Like pumpkin pie for two, pumpkin small batch cupcakes, or even pumpkin small batch donuts. What about apples? How about apple spice cupcakes for two or apple small batch cookies?
Apple and pumpkin have to be quintessential fall ingredients and it’s a good thing that this recipe for apple pumpkin streusel muffins combines all the best flavors for fall!
Fall Muffins to Love
- Soft pumpkin muffins – The texture of the muffins combines a soft cake with a sturdy muffin. Perfect for a hand-held breakfast treat!
- Streusel topping – Muffins are next level when they have a topping – just like my chocolate chip streusel gluten free muffins! The streusel in these muffins is equally buttery and sweet with a little apple chunk surprise.
- Balanced flavors – These muffins pack a flavor punch! Apple, pumpkin, and spice work harmoniously together to make the muffins delicious.
- Sweet breakfast – Now I love a savory bagel or buttery croissant for breakfast. But sometimes I want to nosh on a sweet small batch of blueberry muffins, or these apple pumpkin muffins with my coffee!
What Are The Best Apples For Baking In Muffins
The million dollar question. And I’m sure you would get about a million different responses. Ok – probably not that many, because I don’t think there are that many varieties of apples.
My response to that question is – use an apple you like to eat. For this recipe (and most of my small batch apple recipes), I use Honeycrisp apples. It also helps that they are in season in fall. And as the name implies, they are sweet and crunchy.
Of course there are some baking purist out there that will insist on using a tart and crunchy apple – like a Granny Smith which is delicious in pie, and in my apple mini cake. But if I’m enjoying a crunchy apple, chances are it is a Honeycrisp.
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh Apple – You only need about 1/2 of one apple for this recipe. I use Honeycrisp apples because they have a delicious balance of sweet and tart, and they retain texture when baked. However, use any apple you prefer!
- Pumpkin Puree – Pure pumpkin puree in a can, and not pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling has extra sweeteners and ingredients we don’t need for this recipe.
- All Purpose Flour – For a gluten free version, you could try to swap the flour with a 1:1 gluten free flour.
- Baking Soda – The baking soda will help the muffins rise tall!
- Salt – Salt is wonderful and balancing and enhancing flavors.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – I love all the spicy notes in pumpkin pie spice. You could opt for just cinnamon if you prefer.
- Sour Cream – I recommend full fat sour cream to keep the muffins moist and tender.
- Brown Sugar – I recommend light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar may impart too much moisture and make the muffins dense.
- Granulated Sugar – Regular white sugar will work, or I love to use organic cane sugar because it is not as refined and has a rich flavor.
- Egg Yolk – The egg yolk will impart texture and bind the ingredients.
- Vanilla Extract – A little splash for flavor!
- Unsalted Butter – For the buttery streusel on top of the apple pumpkin muffins.
Helpful Tips
- Peel or don’t peel the apples – Whether or not you peel the apples for the apple pumpkin muffins or streusel is entirely up to you. It is all personal taste preference.
- Don’t overmix the batter – Overworking the batter causes more gluten to form, which will almost guarantee a rubbery and dense muffin.
- Use a cookie scoop – Using a cookie scoop to portion the batter into the cupcake liners is an easy way to add equal portions and less mess!
- Pile on the streusel! – It may seem like you are putting a lot of streusel on the muffins, but it bakes down quite a bit, and we want to make sure we have a good ratio of streusel to muffin in the end!
- Start the oven temperature hot – Starting with a hot oven sets off a rapid rise in the batter. Steam is quickly produced which gives the muffins rise, and the leavening agents to start working immediately. Both result in the classic ‘muffin top’. Then we turn it down after a few minutes to allow the muffins to cook evenly and thoroughly.
Recipe FAQ’s
Can I swap sour cream for yogurt in the muffins?
Yes, full-fat yogurt and Greek yogurt will work!
Can I make these into mini pumpkin muffins?
Yes! The recipe may yield 10 to 12 mini muffins. Skip the high-heat bake in the beginning and bake the muffins at 350F degrees for about 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
How should I store the muffins?
The muffins can be covered and stored at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.
More Small Batch Muffin Recipes
Apple Pumpkin Streusel Muffins Small Batch
Enjoy fall's favorite flavors with this small batch of apple pumpkin streusel muffins! This simple pumpkin muffin recipe blends pumpkin, fresh apple chunks, and cozy spices inside a soft muffin that is finished with a buttery apple streusel.
EQUIPMENT
INGREDIENTS
Apple Streusel Topping
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 1 ½ tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
- 1 ½ tablespoons diced apples (reserved from below)
Apple Pumpkin Muffins
- 1 ½ tablespoons full fat sour cream, room temperature
- 5 tablespoons pure canned pumpkin
- 1 tablespoon apple juice (or orange juice or water)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup fresh apple, cut into small cubes (I use Honeycrisp; Dice about 1 ½ tablespoons smaller for the streusel)
- 1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
INSTRUCTIONS
Streusel Topping
- In a small mixing bowl, add the flour, butter, both sugars, salt, and cinnamon. Cut the butter into the flour using a fork or your fingers, until you have small pea size pieces of streusel. Tip – With this amount of streusel, it is easier to use your fingers to mix the streusel.3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes, 1 ½ tablespoons light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, pinch salt
- Stir in the reserved diced apples. Refrigerate the streusel topping until ready to use.1 ½ tablespoons diced apples
Apple Pumpkin Muffins
- Preheat oven to 425F degrees and adjust oven rack to the middle position. Line the muffin pan with 4 muffin liners.
- In a medium mixing bowl add the sour cream, pumpkin, juice , both sugars, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. With a fork, mix until combined and smooth. Stir in the remaining apple cubes.1 ½ tablespoons full fat sour cream, room temperature, 5 tablespoons pure canned pumpkin, 1 tablespoon apple juice, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 large egg yolk, room temperature, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup fresh apple, cut into small cubes
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the batter until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix the batter, otherwise the muffins may turn out chewy.1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Evenly scoop the batter into the prepared muffin liners. Top each muffin with equal portions of the streusel topping.
- Bake at 425F degrees for 5 minutes. The quick time at high heat makes the muffin tops puff up. Then reduce the heat to 350F degrees and bake for an additional 11 to 13 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.
- Cool the muffins in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes, then transfer the muffins to the wire rack to cool completely.
- The muffins can be stored covered at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.
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RECIPE NOTES
- Serving Size – This is a small batch recipe that can be doubled.
- High Heat/Low Heat – The initial bake at high heat will make the muffins rise. Set a timer to make sure you turn the oven down after 5 minutes!
- Apple – I use a Honeycrisp apple, but you can use whatever apple you prefer.
- Pumpkin – Be sure it is pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. The latter has added ingredients we don’t need for this recipe. I prefer Libby’s canned pumpkin because it doesn’t contain as much moisture as other brands.
- Leftover Pumpkin – You will have leftover pumpkin, regardless of the size can you use. Check out my other small batch pumpkin recipes to make another batch of pumpkin treats!
- Mini Muffins – You can try to make this recipe into mini muffins, which may yield 10 to 12 muffins. I recommend skipping the 5-minute high heat and start checking the muffins around 12 minutes.
- Storing and Freezing – The muffins can be stored covered at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. To freeze the muffins, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature.
NUTRITION ESTIMATES
Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 3151IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is calculated by a third-party and should only be considered an estimate and not a guarantee.
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
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