Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins with Fresh Milled Flour

These whole wheat apple cinnamon muffins are made with 100% fresh milled flour; tender, full of juicy apple chunks, and just the right amount of sweetness. They’re one of my favorite ways to start the day!

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Let’s be honest, sometimes eating a muffin for breakfast feels like we’re basically having a cupcake. So many bakery muffins are loaded with sugar and not much else. Maybe that’s ok once in a while, but I wouldn’t call that a healthy breakfast by any stretch of the imagination. I prefer my muffins to be much healthier, with clean ingredients and not full of refined sugar.

Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins

These muffins are wholesome, fiber-rich thanks to the fresh milled flour, and lower in sugar than the typical muffin. Each bite has sweet apples baked right in, and the optional crumb topping makes them feel extra special. They are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a snack with your afternoon coffee or tea. And if you love muffins, take a look at my Blueberry Muffins. I can’t get enough of these!

If baking with fresh milled flour seems intimidating, be assured it’s easier than you think! Check out my getting started guide for some helpful tips.

For another quick and easy breakfast (or snack!) option, check out my Breakfast Cookies; they’re full of oats, dried fruit, nuts, and seeds, and they’re perfect for grabbing on the go.

About This Recipe

I’ve been wanting to test out a muffin recipe with fresh milled flour for ages, and I finally got around to it. I used the King Arthur Flour Apple Muffins as my starting point; they’re such a great source for reliable recipes. Of course, they don’t use fresh milled flour so it does take some trial and error at times to convert recipes. I used fresh milled flour for both the all-purpose and whole wheat called for, and used my preferred sweeteners.

For sweeteners, I used allulose for the white sugar and sucanat for the brown. Instead of sprinkling extra sugar on top like the original recipe, I used a crumb topping. This adds a little extra time and effort but I think it’s totally worth it.

The result? Tender, flavorful muffins with chunks of apple in every bite. Sweet enough to feel like a treat, but wholesome enough that you feel good having one (or two!) for breakfast along with your favorite drink.

Ingredients

Key Ingredients

Flour: I used soft white wheat berries, freshly milled and unsifted. If you’re milling your own, you can also experiment with other grains like spelt, barley, hard white wheat or your own custom mix. If you’re using store-bought flour, you can go with all white whole wheat or even half and half as in the original recipe.

When it comes to flour, it’s always best to measure by weight for the most accurate results. I measure my grain before milling so I only mill what I need for that recipe, perhaps a couple grams extra to account for any loss (which is minimal with my mill). I use an older version of this inexpensive Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale daily. I’ve had it for years and it’s still going strong.

I also have this Oxo 11-pound scale I use mostly when bread making – the pull-out display is so handy when using big mixing bowls. If you don’t have a kitchen scale yet, I highly recommend adding one to your baking toolbox; it truly makes consistent, reliable baking so much easier!

Sweeteners: I like using allulose for the white sugar portion and sucanat for the brown sugar, but feel free to use your preferred sweeteners. There are plenty of sugar-free white and brown sugar replacements you can try out. If you’re using erythritol blends for the crumb topping, just know the sweetener might crystallize a bit and leave white streaks, but don’t worry, the muffins will still taste delicious!

If you’d rather skip sugar-free options but still avoid refined sugar, coconut sugar or date sugar should work well too, though I haven’t personally tested those swaps. Of course, you can always use regular granulated sugar and brown sugar if that’s what you prefer.

Buttermilk: I used store-bought buttermilk for this. I often use homemade kefir as a buttermilk swap so you can definitely use unsweetened homemade kefir if you have that on hand. You could also use yogurt or Greek yogurt as an alternative. See recipe card for details.

Apples: I used two medium Gala apples (about 2 cups, peeled and chopped). Any firm apple that holds its shape will work, such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, or even Granny Smith if you prefer a little more tartness. If you use tarter apples, you may want to increase the sweetener just a bit.

Instructions

The recipe couldn’t be simpler; here are general directions. See recipe card for full details and amounts.

1. Prep: Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Spray the insides lightly to ensure easy removal later. Prepare the crumb topping by whisking the flour, cinnamon and sugars together. Add melted butter and stir until crumbs form. Set aside.
2. Dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. Wet ingredients: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well, then stir in the buttermilk.
4. Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined; the batter will be quite thick.
5. Fold: Gently fold in the chopped apples.
6. Fill & Top: Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups; they’ll be nice and full. Top with crumb topping if you’re using it.
7. Rest & Bake: Let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 24-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
8. Cool: Let the muffins rest in the pan for about 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

FAQs

Can I skip the crumb topping?

Yes, you can leave them plain or sprinkle a little sweetener (plain or mixed with a bit of cinnamon) on top instead.

Can I use store-bought flour?

If you don’t have a home mill, you can definitely use store-bought flour. The original recipe called for all-purpose flour, along with Golden Wheat Flour, which is typically found at any local grocery. If I didn’t have a home mill, I would use all Golden Wheat Flour, or another brand of whole white wheat flour.

How should I store these muffins?

These Apple Cinnamon Muffins will keep at room temperature for 4-5 days. Note that the crumb topping will soften as they sit. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw overnight and serve at room temperature or warmed slightly.

If you love apples and cinnamon, check out this simple Apple Crisp, which can be easily adapted to fit your taste and preferences. And if you’d like those same flavors in cake form, my Apple Oatmeal Cake is an easy bake that works for snack time or dessert.

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Apple Walnut Bread

Granny Cake

Pumpkin Bread

Recipe inspiration: King Arthur Apple Muffins

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