This fantastic fall/winter Apple Cranberry Muffin is packed full of cranberries, apples, spices, and nuts. They are topped with a perfectly crunchy streusel topping that makes them irresistible. No better way to start your day or have a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack than with a delicious muffin.
Want more great muffin ideas then try our Banana Brown Sugar Crumb Muffins or dive into a batch of Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. Both are so, so good, too!
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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KitchenAid Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield, 5-Quart, Empire Red
Look at how full of wonderful ingredients these muffins are!!
What Goes Into These Apple Cranberry Muffins?
I find fall flavors like apple and cranberry so adoring, so why not start your morning off with them?? Add in pecans, a little spice, and a streusel topping, and you have a fantastic treat.
The ingredients are easy to find, and if you are a baker, you will have most on hand.
Ingredients
Muffins
All-purpose flour – Just general, all-purpose flour works great in these muffins. I have not tested to make them gluten-free.
Baking powder – This gives your baking a light, airy texture that is great in muffins.
Baking soda – This also helps baking rise and become light and fluffy.
Salt – Salt is as important in baking as it is in savory dishes. It brings out the flavor in all your ingredients.
Cinnamon – Cinnamon gives the muffins a warm and earthy flavor that everyone loves paired with apples.
Nutmeg – Nutmeg accompanies cinnamon beautifully, giving it an earthy flavor and adding that perfect finishing flavor.
Eggs – Eggs add moisture and stability to muffins and are so important in most of your baked goods.
Sour cream – I love adding sour cream to cakes and muffins. It gives the baked goods so much more moisture, and they stay fresher longer.
Butter – The job of butter is to give richness, flavor, and tenderness to your muffins. I have been buying better butter lately and enjoying the difference.
Brown sugar – Brown sugar adds not only sweetness but richness to these muffins.
Honeycrisp or firm sweet apple, chopped – I love a honeycrisp in these apples, but you can substitute others. Check out our Pro Tips for suggestions.
Dried cranberries – Such an easy addition to a muffin, and just that added difference to raisins.
Pecans, chopped – I am a nut gal and love the flavor and textural crunch that pecans add to these muffins.
Streusel Topping
All-purpose flour, Brown Sugar, Salt, and Butter – This combination and, even more importantly, the specific amounts make the best streusel topping around.
How To Make Apple Cranberry Muffins with a Streusel Topping
Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners. Preheat oven to 375 F.
Sift together the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda and set aside. In a bowl of a standup mixer, add the eggs, sour cream, and melted butter. With a paddle attachment, combine and then add the sugar.
Continue mixing and slowly add the dry ingredients. Remove the bowl and add the apples, cranberries, and nuts. Fold to combine.
Fill the paper liners with the muffin mixture, dividing evenly among the 12.
For Brown Sugar Crumb: In the same standup mixer, add 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and mix until well combined. Add 1/4 cup cold butter and mix until crumbly and again until well combined. Divide the topping among the muffins.
Bake for 25 min. or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for 10 min. then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy them freshly baked while still slightly warm.
Recipe Pro Tips!
What Kind of Apples Can I Use?
You can not go wrong with using a Honeycrisp apple in this recipe. But what if you can’t find any or have other apples on hand? I suggest these apples as great alternatives.
- Braeburn
- Pink Lady
- Jonagold
- Granny Smith
- Winesap
How to Store These Muffins
These Apple Cranberry Muffins are best stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and eaten within 5 days.
For longer storage, I recommend freezing them for up to 3 months.
STILL CRAVING MORE?
We have lots of muffins on our site as we love making and enjoying them all year round. They can be filled with wholesome ingredients and are a great grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Apple Cranberry Muffins
A delicious fall or winter muffin with the flavors of apple and cranberry and topped with a gorgeous streusel topping. These muffins are bursting with delicious ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup honeycrisp or firm sweet apple, chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 cup Butter, Cold Cut Into Cubes
Instructions
- Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners. Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Sift together the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda and set aside. In a bowl of a standup mixer, add the eggs, sour cream, and melted butter. With a paddle attachment, combine and then add the sugar. Continue mixing and slowly add the dry ingredients.
- Remove the bowl and add the apples, cranberries, and nuts. Fold to combine.
- Fill the paper liners with the muffin mixture, dividing evenly among the 12.
- For Brown Sugar Crumb: In the same standup mixer, add 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and mix until well combined. Add 1/4 cup cold butter and mix until crumbly and again until well combined. Divide the topping among the muffins.
- Bake for 25 min. or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for 10 min. then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
See the post for more tips and tricks.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Bakeware Cupcake Pan, 12-Cup, Steel -
Green Direct Cupcake Liners - Standard Size Cupcake Wrappers to use for Pans or carrier or on stand - White Paper Baking Cups Pack of 500 -
KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield, 5-Quart, Empire Red
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 331Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 299mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 2gSugar: 30gProtein: 4g
Recipe calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
Comments & Reviews
Patty Haxton Anderson says
I need one of these muffins with my coffee. Wish we were neighbors!
Noshing with the Nolands says
I wish that too Patty, thank you!!
Susie Gall says
Tara – these muffins look so delicious I am making them this weekend. OMGsh, all of the ingredients together sound like the PERFECT muffin. I’m sitting at my table sipping a cup of coffee as I write this and sure wish I had one of these fantastic muffins. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you so much Susie, I have to tell you I am eating one again myself right now. Sorry for not sharing 🙁
Culinary Ginger says
Perfect fall flavors for those chilly mornings. I wish I had one, or two right now 🙂
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks so much!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Wow these apple and cranberry nut muffins look delicious! I have never used cranberries in muffins before.. so you definitely have inspired me to add some next time I make muffins!
Noshing with the Nolands says
I love using dried cranberries in place of raisins, they give such a great flavor. Thank you!!