Apple Butter Swirled Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel
The Perfect Way to Use Your Homemade Apple Butter
There’s something extra special about fall baking. The kitchen feels a little cozier, the spices smell a little warmer, and suddenly that jar of homemade apple butter in your refrigerator is calling your name. These Apple Butter Swirled Muffins are one of my very favorite ways to put it to use.
Each muffin starts with a tender, bakery-style batter, thick and rich thanks to sour cream and real butter. Then we swirl in a generous spoonful of apple butter, so every bite has that deep apple flavor and sweetness. And because no fall muffin is complete without a little flourish, we finish them with a buttery cinnamon streusel that bakes into golden, crunchy perfection.
If you need a recipe that tastes like fall in every bite, this is the one.
Apple Butter Swirled Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel
Equipment
- muffin tin
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleaced all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1½ tsp cinnamon (or apple pie spice)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup pure cane sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
Cinnamon Streusel
- 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with parchment liners.Make the Streusel:Combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly. Set aside.Mix the Batter:Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon or spice mix.In another bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy.Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla and sour cream.Mix in buttermilk, then fold in dry ingredients just until combined.Batter will be thick but scoopable.Assemble:Fill muffin cups halfway with batter, add a heaping teaspoon of apple butter, top with remaining batter, and swirl lightly with a knife or skewer.Top:Sprinkle generously with cinnamon streusel.Bake 20–24 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack.