Published: September 6, 2026

These Apple Oatmeal Muffins are soft, moist and full of diced apples, rolled oats and warm cinnamon flavor. Filled with a smooth cream cheese filling, they’re a cozy little treat that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch or an afternoon snack.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

❤️Soft and moist - These muffins have a lovely soft texture.

❤️Warm cinnamon flavor - Cinnamon pairs beautifully with the apples and gives these muffins that classic fall-inspired flavor.

❤️Cream cheese filling - The smooth cream cheese filling adds a rich, slightly tangy contrast to the sweet apple muffins.

❤️Easy to make - The batter comes together easily with simple ingredients and doesn’t require any complicated techniques.

❤️Great for fall - Apples, oats and cinnamon make these especially perfect for the cooler months.

Tips & Tricks

→ Use tall muffin liners - I used tulip-style muffin liners for these muffins, which are taller than regular cupcake liners and give the muffins more room to rise upwards. They also make these muffins look a little more bakery-style and help keep the taller shape as they bake.

→ Choose between jumbo or smaller muffins - This recipe can be made into either 8 large jumbo muffins or around 15 smaller muffins, depending on the size you prefer. If you make smaller muffins, keep an eye on the baking time as they will need less time in the oven.

→ Do not overmix the batter - Once you add the dry ingredients, mix only until everything is just combined. Overmixing can develop too much gluten and result in muffins that are dense or chewy instead of soft and tender.

→ Dice the apples into small pieces - Smaller pieces distribute more evenly throughout the batter and are less likely to sink to the bottom of the muffins. Larger chunks can be heavier and may sink during baking.

→ Toss the apples with flour - Before adding the diced apples to the batter, toss them with 1-2 tablespoons of flour. This lightly coats the apples and helps them stay distributed throughout the muffins instead of sinking to the bottom.

→ Keep the streusel chilled while preparing the batter - Prepare the streusel first and place it in the fridge while you make the muffin batter. Keeping the streusel cold helps it hold its shape better while baking instead of melting too quickly into the muffins.

→ Let the muffins cool completely before filling - Make sure the muffins are fully cooled before adding the cream cheese filling. Filling them while they’re still warm can cause the filling to soften too much.

→ Use softened butter for the filling - Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature before making the filling. This makes it much easier to mix with the sugar and cream cheese and helps you achieve a smooth, creamy consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How should I store these muffins?
Because of the cream cheese filling, I recommend storing the filled muffins in the refrigerator. Place them in an airtight container and keep them refrigerated for up to 3 days. Since the fridge can make both the muffins and the filling a little firmer, I recommend taking them out about 30–45 minutes before serving and letting them come closer to room temperature.

Alternatively, you can leave the muffins unfilled and store the cream cheese filling separately. Keep the filling in a piping bag in the refrigerator, while the unfilled muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2–3 days for the best freshness. Then simply fill them right before serving. This is actually a great option if you’re making them ahead of time.

2. Can I freeze these muffins?
Yes! I recommend freezing the muffins without the cream cheese filling. Once the muffins have completely cooled, wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to serve them, let them thaw completely at room temperature, prepare the filling if needed and fill the muffins before serving.

3. Why didn’t my muffins rise?
There are a few possible reasons. Make sure your baking powder is still active, as old or expired leavening agents may not give the muffins enough lift. Overmixing the batter after adding the dry ingredients can also develop too much gluten and make it harder for the muffins to rise properly. Finally, make sure your oven is fully preheated before the muffins go in, as the initial heat helps activate the leavening agents and gives the muffins their rise.

4. Can I make these muffins using brown butter?
Yes! Brown butter would be delicious in these muffins and would add a lovely nutty, caramelized flavor. However, browning butter causes some of its water content to evaporate, so I recommend starting with 15g more butter than the recipe calls for before browning it. Once browned, let it cool before adding it to the batter.

5. Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats?
Yes, but the texture will be slightly different. Rolled oats are larger and give the muffins more texture and a slightly chewy bite, while quick oats are finer and become softer throughout the batter. If you only have quick oats, you can use them, but I personally prefer rolled oats for this recipe.

6. Can I use caramelized apples instead of raw diced apples?
Yes, but keep in mind that caramelized apples contain additional moisture and can make the batter heavier. Make sure the apples are cooked until most of their excess moisture has evaporated and let them cool completely before adding them to the batter. I also recommend keeping the pieces relatively small so they distribute evenly throughout the muffins.

7. Why did my apples sink to the bottom?
This can happen when the apple pieces are too large or heavy, especially if they contain a lot of moisture. I recommend dicing the apples into small pieces and tossing them with 1–2 tablespoons of flour before folding them into the batter. The light coating helps the apples stay suspended throughout the muffins instead of settling at the bottom.

8. Can I make these muffins without the cream cheese filling?
Absolutely! The muffins are delicious on their own, so you can simply leave out the filling. You could also replace the cream cheese filling with a simple vanilla glaze, caramel, or powdered sugar if you want a different topping.

Ingredients You Will Need For This Recipe

For the Crumble

Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps bind the crumble ingredients together. You can use salted butter if that's what you have.
All-purpose flour: Gives the crumble structure and helps create those little crumbly pieces on top of the muffins.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the crumble and helps it become lightly golden and crisp as it bakes.
Rolled oats: Add texture and a slightly chewy bite to the crumble , while also giving it that classic oatmeal muffin feel.
Ground vanilla powder: Adds a subtle vanilla flavor to the crumble.

For the Muffins

Eggs: I recommend using large eggs for this recipe.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the muffins and helps create a soft texture.
Dark brown sugar: Adds sweetness along with a deeper, slightly caramel-like flavor that pairs especially well with the apples and cinnamon.
Unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe, but salted butter can also be used if you reduce the added salt slightly.
Plain yogurt: Adds moisture and helps keep the muffins soft and tender.
Whole milk: Adds extra moisture to the batter.
Vanilla bean paste: Adds a warm, rich vanilla flavor.
All-purpose flour: Provides the structure for the muffins.
Rolled oats: Rolled oats work best here because they maintain some texture after baking.
Baking powder: Helps the muffins rise in the oven and gives them a light, fluffy texture.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors in the muffins.
Ground cinnamon: Adds warm spice and pairs naturally with the apples.
Apples: I recommend cutting them into small cubes and coating them lightly with flour to help prevent them from sinking to the bottom.

For the Filling

Unsalted butter: Gives the cream cheese filling a richer, smoother texture. Make sure it's softened to room temperature for easy mixing.
Full-fat cream cheese: Creates the creamy, slightly tangy base of the filling. Full-fat cream cheese is best here because it gives the filling a thicker and richer consistency.
Caster sugar or powdered sugar: Sweetens the filling. Powdered sugar will dissolve more easily and give you a smoother filling, while caster sugar can also be used.
Vanilla bean paste: Adds a strong vanilla flavor that balances the tanginess of the cream cheese.

Step By Step Instructions With Photos

1. First, prepare the crumble.

2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, vanilla bean powder and oats.

3. Add the butter and using your fingers, work everything together until it resembles coarse crumbs.

4. Once ready, place it in the fridge.

5. Next, make the muffins.

6. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a muffin tin with tall tulip-style muffin liners.

7. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.

8. Next, mix in the milk, yogurt, vanilla and cooled melted butter.

9. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and oats. Fold everything together until just combined.

10. Lastly, fold in the diced apples.

11. Distribute the batter equally between eight tall muffin liners and top with the crumble.

12. Bake in the preheated oven for about 22 to 25 minutes.

13. Once ready, take them out of the oven and let them cool completely before filling.

14. While the muffins are cooling, prepare the filling.

15. In a bowl, beat together the butter with the sugar until smooth.

16. Then add the cream cheese along with the vanilla and mix until everything is combined.

17. Transfer to a piping bag.

18. Once the muffins have cooled down, fill them generously with the cream cheese filling.

Yield: 8 Jumbo Muffins

Author: Angie