These Apple Ginger Muffins bake up high with craggy, sugar-crusted tops. They're easy to make, require no mixer and take about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Step by step photos

These visual instructions help you see the process. You can also find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions at the end of the post.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, ground ginger and cinnamon.
Add the chopped apples to the flour mixture and gently toss to coat.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture.

Gently fold until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin liners and sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar.

Bake for 5 minutes at 400°F (200°C conventional) or 180°C fan. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C conventional) or 170°C fan. Continue baking for 10–12 minutes, checking at 10 minutes.
Insert a skewer into the centre of a muffin. It should come out without wet batter. Remove the muffins from the oven and leave them in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a plate or wire rack.

Storage

Let the muffins cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. Keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The sugar tops will soften slightly once stored.

Apple Ginger Muffins on plate half to show texture

Freeze the muffins for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature, or warm one in the microwave for 10–15 seconds.

What apples to use

Any apple variety works for these muffins. I used Pink Lady apples with the peel on, but you can peel them if you prefer.

Remove the core, then chop the apples into a mix of smaller (½ cm / ¼-inch) and chunkier (1 cm / ⅜-inch) pieces.
The smaller pieces soften as they bake, while the bigger ones give you chunks of apple throughout the muffins.

Sour cream substitutes

You can replace the sour cream with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt. The muffins will have a slightly tangier flavour and a soft texture.
Regular plain, unsweetened yogurt also works. It has a thinner consistency, so the muffins may bake up a little lighter. Full-fat yogurt works best.
The baking temperature stays the same for both substitutes. Check that a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, as the baking time may vary slightly.
Both substitutes make delicious muffins, so use whichever you have

Brown sugar substitute

I used light brown sugar for these muffins, but you can replace it with the same amount of white granulated sugar. The muffins will be slightly lighter in colour but just as delicious. No other changes are needed.

How to get tall muffin tops

If your muffins usually turn out flat or more like cupcakes, these few things will help them rise taller.

Start with a hot oven. Bake the muffins at the higher temperature for the first 5 minutes, then lower it for the remaining baking time. That first burst of heat helps the muffins rise quickly.
Check the batter consistency. The batter should be thick and scoopable. Don't add extra liquid to thin it out.
Fill the liners almost to the top. This gives you enough batter in each liner to rise above the pan and form those tall muffin tops.
Don't open the oven. After the muffins have baked for 5 minutes at the higher temperature, lower the temperature without opening the oven door and continue baking.
Those split tops are normal. As the muffins rise, the tops can naturally split open in places, forming those classic, rustic muffin tops. The sugar sprinkled over the batter adds a crisp crust as they bake.

Recipe

Apple Ginger Muffins

PREP TIME 15

COOK TIME 15

TOTAL TIME 30

12 muffins

These Apple Ginger Muffins have tall, craggy tops with a crunchy sugar crust, chunks of fresh apple and a warm ginger flavour. Easy to make in about 30 minutes, with no mixer needed.

Watch how to make the recipe

Ingredients

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose/plain flour
2 level teaspoons baking powder
¼ level teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup (130 g) packed light brown sugar (see notes below)
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
¾ cup (180 g) sour cream (see notes for substitutes)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups (170 g) chopped apples, a mix of small (¼-inch / ½ cm) and larger (½-inch / 1 cm) pieces. (see notes below)

Topping

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) or 180°C fan about 15 minutes before the muffins go into the oven. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Flour mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, ginger and cinnamon.
Add the chopped apples to the flour mixture and toss until coated.
Egg mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla extract until combined.
Combine: Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Gently fold until just combined. The batter should be thick and scoopable. Avoid overmixing.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin liners, filling them almost to the top. Sprinkle the granulated sugar evenly over the batter.
Bake for 5 minutes at 400°F (200°C conventional / 180°C fan). Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C conventional / 170°C fan).
Continue baking for 10–12 minutes, checking at 10 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the centre should come out clean.
Leave the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Storage

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or 5 days in the refrigerator. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Recipe Notes

Apples: I used Pink Lady apples with the peel on. Any apple variety works. Remove the core and chop into a mix of small and chunky pieces.
Sour cream substitutes: Use an equal amount of full-fat plain Greek yogurt or regular plain, unsweetened yogurt.
Brown sugar substitute: Replace the light brown sugar with the same amount of granulated sugar.

For more details on substitutions, apple varieties and baking tips, see the post above.

Nutrition

More Easy Muffin Recipes

Peach muffins topped with diced peaches and sugar, baked with fresh or canned peaches.

Peach Muffins (Fresh or Canned Peaches)

Name: Apple Ginger Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose/plain flour; 2 level teaspoons baking powder; ¼ level teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda); ½ teaspoon salt; ⅔ cup (130 g) packed light brown sugar ((see notes below)); 1½ teaspoons ground ginger; ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 large eggs (at room temperature); ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil; ¾ cup (180 g) sour cream ((see notes for substitutes)); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1¼ cups (170 g) chopped apples, a mix of small (¼-inch / ½ cm) and larger (½-inch / 1 cm) pieces. ((see notes below)); 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

These Peach Muffins can be made with either fresh or canned peaches, making them an easy recipe to bake any time of year. A sprinkle of sugar on top adds a light crust as they bake.

VIEW THE RECIPE