Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Muffins with Crumb Topping
Made with freshly milled flour, these Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Muffins are the the perfect taste of fall, topped with a crunchy sweet topping making them totally irresistible! They are the perfect treat for your family, to take to a party, or a wonderful addition to a picnic. An easy recipe you can mix together for a quick treat. Or prepare ahead and let it ferment overnight in the fridge, then bake fresh the next day.
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Why You’ll Love These Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Muffins
- Perfect for fall. While delicious anytime of the year, the blend of apple and cinnamon makes it the perfect fall treat.
- Made with fresh milled flour. Freshly milled flour gives these scones a wonderful depth of flavor while keeping them hearty and homemade.
- Perfect for sourdough baking. Sourdough adds another layer of flavor and is a great way to incorporate your starter into a delicious baked treat.
- Perfect with coffee or tea. They’re just the right size for a morning treat, afternoon snack, or simple dessert.
Why Fresh Milled Flour?
Fresh milled flour keeps the entire wheat berry intact, including the bran, germ, and endosperm. This means it delivers naturally occurring fiber, healthy fats, and essential nutrients in every bake. When you mill flour fresh, you preserve B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium that disappear during commercial processing.
By using fresh milled flour, you support digestion, steady energy, and overall wellness — not just empty calories.
I have the NutriMill Classic. I use mine several times a week and have had no issues in over two years. It is a great, affordable grain mill.
Why Use Sourdough?
Sourdough fermentation actively breaks down complex carbohydrates and reduces phytic acid in the grain. This process helps your body absorb minerals more easily and improves digestion. The natural bacteria and wild yeast in sourdough also slow down how quickly your body processes carbohydrates, which supports balanced blood sugar.
Sourdough adds depth of flavor while improving the structure and texture of baked goods. When you combine sourdough with fresh milled flour, the two work together to create baked goods that taste better and feel more nourishing.
I recommend using starter that has been fed within 24 hours to avoid having it taste too strong. After cutting the scones I like to refrigerate for up to a day to allow for a longer fermentation. Then bake according to the instructions. If you do not have sourdough starter, simply omit and continue the rest of the recipe as normal.
Apple Cinnamon Muffins Ingredients
- Soft white wheat – any soft wheat is ideal for muffins, but hard wheat will work too
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Apples – peeled and diced
- Cane sugar – you can also use regular granulated sugar
- Brown sugar – I like making my own brown sugar using cane sugar, I show you how to make brown sugar here
- Avocado oil
- Eggs
- Milk
- Sourdough starter – this is optional but I love the flavor and nutritional benefits it adds. Simply omit if you do not want to add it.
- Vanilla – I love using homemade vanilla extract!
Crumb Topping Ingredients
- Soft white wheat
- Cane sugar – you can also use regular granulated sugar
- Cinnamon
- Melted butter
Equipment You’ll Need
- Grain Mill
- Kitchen Scale
- Muffin Pan
- Muffin Liners – I love these tulip liners for beautiful big cupcakes! Putting the crumb topping on is so much easier with the tall sides.
- Stainless Steel Bowl Set – This is my go-to, daily use bowl set. I love that I can put it in the oven to melt butter, etc.
Fermentation Option
For a longer ferment, cover the muffin batter tightly and place it in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours. This allows the sourdough to develop more flavor and supports easier digestion. When ready to bake, continue with the instructions as written.
How to make Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Muffins
Prepare the Crumb Topping
Start by milling the flour for both the crumb topping and the muffins. Freshly milled flour adds flavor and improves texture.
Add the flour, sugar, and cinnamon to a small bowl. Stir briefly to combine. Pour in the melted butter, then use a fork to mix until a coarse, crumbly texture forms. The mixture should look rustic, not smooth.
Place the crumb topping in the refrigerator while you prepare the muffin batter. Chilling helps the topping hold its shape during baking and creates a better bakery-style finish.
Prep
Preheat your oven to 425°F so it is fully hot when the muffins go in.
Line a 12-count muffin tin with liners. Tulip-style liners work especially well for large, bakery-style muffins and help keep the crumb topping from sliding off as the muffins bake.
Making the Apple Cinnamon Muffin Batter
In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk to evenly distribute the dry ingredients.
Gently fold in the diced apples just until coated with flour. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom while baking.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugars and oil. Add the eggs, sourdough starter, milk, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and fully combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix. A slightly lumpy batter is normal and helps keep the muffins tender.
Assemble and Bake
Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin. Fill each liner generously for tall, bakery-style muffins. If using tulip liners I fill with batter to the top of the pan.
Remove the crumb topping from the refrigerator and sprinkle it evenly over each muffin.
Bake the muffins at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F without opening the door. Continue baking for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops turn light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Storage & Freezing
- Store muffins loosely covered, at room temperature, for up to three days.
- Freeze in a freezer safe bag for up to three months
Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Muffins with Crumb Topping
Equipment
- 1 Muffin Pan
- 12 muffin liners
- 1 kitchen scale
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 60 grams fresh milled soft white wheat 1/2 cup
- 50 grams cane sugar 1/4 cup
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 45 grams melted butter 3 tbsp
Dry Ingredients
- 250 grams fresh milled soft white wheat 2 cups
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups peeled and diced apples 2 medium apples
Wet Ingredients
- 100 grams cane sugar 1/2 cup
- 100 grams brown sugar 1/2 cup
- 100 grams avocado oil 1/2 cup
- 61 grams milk 1/4 cup
- 2 eggs
- 125 grams sourdough starter 1/2 cup
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Prepare the Crumb Topping
- Start by milling the flour for both the crumb topping and the muffins. Freshly milled flour adds flavor and improves texture.
- Add the flour, sugar, and cinnamon to a small bowl. Stir briefly to combine. Pour in the melted butter, then use a fork to mix until a coarse, crumbly texture forms. The mixture should look rustic, not smooth.
- Place the crumb topping in the refrigerator while you prepare the muffin batter. Chilling helps the topping hold its shape during baking and creates a better bakery-style finish.
Prep
- Preheat your oven to 425°F so it is fully hot when the muffins go in.
- Line a 12-count muffin tin with liners. Tulip-style liners work especially well for large, bakery-style muffins and help keep the crumb topping from sliding off as the muffins bake.
Making the Apple Cinnamon Muffin Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk to evenly distribute the dry ingredients.
- Gently fold in the diced apples just until coated with flour. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom while baking.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugars and oil. Add the eggs, sourdough starter, milk, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and fully combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix. A slightly lumpy batter is normal and helps keep the muffins tender.
Assemble and Bake
- Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin. Fill each liner generously for tall, bakery-style muffins. If using tulip liners I fill with batter to the top of the pan.
- Remove the crumb topping from the refrigerator and sprinkle it evenly over each muffin.
- Bake the muffins at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F without opening the door. Continue baking for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops turn light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
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