Spiced Apple Raisin Muffins (Printable)

Fluffy muffins with diced apples, raisins, and aromatic spices make a cozy, delightful snack or breakfast.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
09 - 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 - 1/2 cup milk

→ Fruits

13 - 1 1/2 cups peeled, diced apples (about 2 medium apples)
14 - 3/4 cup raisins

→ Optional Topping

15 - 2 tablespoons demerara sugar
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# How-to Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a large bowl.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk vegetable oil and brown sugar until blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and milk.
04 - Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Carefully fold diced apples and raisins into the batter.
06 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
07 - If desired, combine demerara sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over muffin tops.
08 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • They bake up tender and moist without any fuss, so even sleepy mornings feel manageable.
  • The apples stay soft and sweet while the raisins add little bursts of natural sugar in every bite.
  • One batch keeps you fed all week, whether you toast them for breakfast or grab one on your way out the door.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the batter once you add the wet to the dry, a few lumps are fine and the muffins will be tender instead of rubbery.
  • If your raisins are dry or hard, soak them in warm apple juice for 10 minutes and drain them before folding in, they'll bake up plump and sweet.
  • Use room temperature eggs so they blend more easily and don't cool down the batter, which can affect the rise.
03 -
  • Dice your apples small and uniform so they distribute evenly and bake through without leaving wet pockets in the batter.
  • Don't skip the demerara topping if you have it, that crunchy cinnamon sugar crust is what makes people ask for seconds.
  • Let the muffins cool for the full 5 minutes in the tin before moving them, or the bottoms might stick and tear.

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