If you’re looking for a perfect cozy fall treat, these Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins are sure to deliver! They have a soft, tender crumb, sweet apples, and a buttery streusel top. They come together quickly using some pretty basic pantry ingredients, including a boxed cake mix. These make a fantastic addition to breakfast, an after school snack, or an evening treat.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Muffins
- Boxed cake mix – Yellow or white cake; I recommend Duncan Hines.
- Canola oil – Or other neutral oil.
- Pumpkin spice – You could also just use cinnamon.
- Eggs
- Sour cream – Full fat is best for a moist, tender crumb. You could also use plain Greek yogurt here.
- Vanilla extract
- Granny Smith apples – Really any apple will work, but tart baking apples are ideal.
- Lemon juice
- All-purpose flour
Streusel Topping
- Granulated sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Cinnamon
- Butter – Real butter please!
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins
- Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
- Peel and chop the apples and then toss them in about a tablespoon of lemon juice. Then sprinkle the apples with 2 tablespoons of flour and toss them well to combine. Set the apples aside.
- In a large bowl, combine a cake mix, oil, pumpkin pie spice, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Fold in the apple mixture and then divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin tins.
- In a small bowl, whisk together a little cinnamon, all-purpose flour, and granulated sugar. Add a little softened butter and cut it in with two knives or a pastry blender until crumbly. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the cupcake batter.
- Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake until golden brown on top and a pick inserted into the center of one of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans. Makes 24 muffins.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 5-6 days for best results.
- Wrap individual muffins in plastic before storing for an easy grab-and-go snack or lunch box treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! These muffins are perhaps even better after a day! Bake ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge. You can wrap muffins individually and use throughout the week as needed as well.
Can I freeze these muffins?
Yep. Freeze muffins on a baking sheet for 1-2 hours, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container for freezer storage for 2-3 months. For optimal freshness, you could wrap the muffins individually in plastic before the initial freeze as well. Use within 2-3 months.
Can I add nuts?
Sure! Chopped walnuts or pecans would be a great addition to the streusel topping.
Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins
A tender blend of cake mix, sour cream, and tart apples, topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel—perfect for breakfast or brunch bites.
Servings muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
Muffins
- 1 yellow cake mix I recommend Duncan Hines
- ½ cup avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream I recommend full fat
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 oz peeled and finely chopped Granny Smith apples 2-3 apples, buy 1lb to be safe
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Streusel Topping
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons butter cut into small squares
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Lin 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
Streusel
- Whisk together sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the butter and use clean hands to gently toss and then smash the butter pieces into the mixture, crumbling until the mixture looks like sand. It's okay to have some larger bits of butter as well. Set aside.
Muffins
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oil, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat on low for 30 seconds to incorporate the ingredients and then beat on high for 3 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, toss the chopped apples in the lemon juice and then add the flour and toss to coat evenly. Fold the apples into the cake batter and then Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full. It should make 24 muffins, with possibly just a bit leftover for a solo muffin depending on the size of your tins.
- Sprinkle streusel on top of muffins (about 2 teaspoons each.)
- Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. This really depends on your oven and the moisture content of your apples so use a skewer to check for doneness. Mine take about 18-20 minutes!
- Let cool slightly before enjoying, or serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 5-6 days for best results.
- Wrap individual muffins in plastic before storing for an easy grab-and-go snack or lunch box treat.
Nutrition
Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 196kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 179mg, Potassium: 58mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 146IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 1mg
Calories: 196kcal
Cost: $7
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!
Questions & Reviews
Ok I made these yesterday and they were soooooooo good. I felt like a chef or something. They tasted professional. Thank you thank you!! Oh & for the record, I used pillsbury cake mix and it was delicioso! 🙂
I made these over the weekend and they were a hit with everyone! Thanks so much!
The exact same thing happened to me! I had a baby in October, and I’m just now coming out of the mommy fog… so I missed out on all the fall baking. Guess who baked a pumpkin pie and pumpkin muffins last week?! I’ve been craving something cinnamon too!
What a fun and quick recipe! I think I’m going to surprise my husband with these on Sunday. Thanks for sharing!
These look amazing! However, I’m wondering, would it work to substitute plain yogurt for sour cream? Want to make them for my father-in-law but he can’t do sour cream in things. Thanks!!
you could use plain greek yogurt. it has the same texture and taste as sour cream, but its better for you. i use yogurt all the time as a sub and things turn out delicious!
Yep, totally! I use Greek yogurt a lot in place of sour cream, but I just didn’t mention it because can be a very expensive substitution.
I substitute a good brand of plain yogurt for sour cream straight across all the time.(no HF corn syrup/gelatin)
If you want the thicker texture of a greek yogurt, scoop a little extra into a cheesecloth lined strainer and let the yogurt drain for an hour or so in the fridge.
I happened to have a Duncan Hines Butter Crunch cake mix in my freezer, a couple of granny smith’ getting on the old side AND a smidge of sourcream (aha just enough) These were awesome. The crunch on the tops are such a contrast to the apply yummy inside. Thanks for an easy and delicious recipe.
How would these be substituting rhubarb for the apple?
Yum-o! I’m all for brunchy goodies any time of the year, bring ’em on. = )
These muffins sound great, but I wish this recipe did not include a cake mix. It’s just a pet peeve of mine. I know that cake mixes are a nice shortcut, but I’d rather use “real” ingredients, which is almost as easy. Cake mixes contain ingredients that I can’t pronounce, as well as artificial colors and flavors.
You can substitute the following any time a recipe calls for yellow cake mix:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup non-fat dry milk
It works perfectly!
I guess I want to know a little more about your love affair with Duncan Hines cake mixes as I get compliments ALL THE TIME and I’m a Betty Crocker girl. Even when I bake a cake with no embellishment, I gets raves galore. I’m told it can’t be “just a cake mix.” Btw, for dietary reasons I usually substitute applesauce that I’ve wicked the moisture from by draining on a plate lined with 4-6 layers of paper towels.
I’m not trying to be argumentative, I’ve just had a very different cooking experience than you and desire more info. But then maybe I’ll just have to give DHs a try for myself so I can be sure I like what I think I like. 🙂
Hmmm, that’s interesting! I’ve found all other cake mixes to be dry, crumbly, and the ingredients don’t mix as well.