Chunky Apple Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

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The perfect muffins for fall

I decided to combine two of my favorite fall things into one. These chunky apple pumpkin streusel muffins have loads of creamy pumpkin, chunks of apple in every bite, and a crispy streusel top. Gluten free muffins are very easy to prepare, as long as you have a good all-purpose gluten-free flour that will keep all of your ingredients together! Be sure to mix the dry ingredients and apples into the wet ingredients with a spatula until just combined. The more you mix cake or muffin batter, the more air you’ll lose. This will cause the texture to become tight and rubbery, opposed to fluffy and cakey. The chunky apple pumpkin muffin is delicious on its own, but that extra streusel topping and maple drizzle is literally the icing on the cake! 

What does fall mean to us?

What are the first things that come to mind when we welcome fall with open arms every September? Sweaters, boots, scarves, hot toddies, pumpkin spice all over the place. We’ve all seen those people that go all out for basic stuff after just one fallen leaf sighting. But this change of season gets us eager for a reason! Pumpkins and apples are what I look forward to most. But it’s not just about them; it’s about what comes with them.

Pies, muffins, warm apple cider, tailgates, firepits, the prospect of the holidays. These are all little but significant things that make us feel good. Yes, it’s getting colder and darker as each day passes. But there’s comfort to be found in every change of season. Fall is like that last hoorah before hunkering down for your finals. So, the next time you see someone in a turtleneck poncho the day after Labor Day, just live and let live!

You can use an assortment of apples for these muffins. I used some gala and granny smith apples for some extra tart flavor. 
Use a spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients and apples into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not over-mix the batter.
Use a pastry cutter to cut cold butter into the streusel mix. You’ll end up with a crispy, crumbly top!

Why you'll love these chunky apple pumpkin streusel muffins

  • Fluffy, cakey texture
  • Crispy, crumbly streusel topping
  • Rich pumpkin and tart apple flavor
  • Easy to prepare in under 30 minutes
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Chunky Apple Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

  • Author: Maddy
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x
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Ingredients

Scale

For the apples:

  • 2 cups apples, cored, peeled, and diced (I used a combination of granny smith and gala apples)
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the muffins:

  • 3 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour, like mine!
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 additional teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (like Canola)
  • 1/3 cup 2% or whole milk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the streusel:

  • 1 1/3 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour, like mine!
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks butter, cold

For the glaze:

  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1–2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and grease or line a 12-muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix up your diced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Let the mixture sit while preparing the rest of the muffin components. The apples will soften and the entire mixture will start to look a little syrupy- that’s normal!
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk up your pumpkin puree and sugars. Whisk in the eggs, then vigorously whisk in the vegetable oil until well-combined. Finally, whisk in the milk and vanilla extract.
  5. Add your flour mixture – 1/2 at a time – to the large bowl of wet ingredients and use a spatula to mix until just combined.
  6. Fold the apples into the batter until just combined. Set aside while you prepare the streusel topping.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk up all of the streusel topping ingredients except for the butter. Slice your butter into about 12 cubes and add to the streusel mixture. Use a pastry cutter to combine everything until it starts to form a crumble. It’s okay to have some chunks of butter, but you want the majority of the streusel to be a sandy texture.
  8. Fill each muffin tin up with the muffin batter until it’s nearly full- you just need a little room at the top for the streusel. Top each one with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of streusel and use your fingers to gently press the streusel into the muffin batter.
  9. Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 16-20 minutes. When a toothpick comes out of the center of a muffin clean, they’re ready!
  10. Let them cool for about 20 minutes in the tin before transferring the muffins to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.
  11. Meanwhile, prepare the maple glaze by whisking all of those ingredients into a small bowl. When the muffins have cooled, use a spoon or whisk to lightly drizzle the glaze on top of each one. Let the glaze set for about 10 minutes before enjoying. These muffins are best enjoyed within three days, or can be refrigerated for up to five days or frozen for up to two months!
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 20

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