Pumpkin cranberry apple muffin recipe makes moist muffins that are packed with all the best fall flavors. The combination of pumpkin, apple, and cranberry keeps the muffins soft and tender.
These Pumpkin Cranberry Apple Muffins are everything you love about fall baked into one cozy muffin. They’re bursting with juicy apple, tart cranberry, and sweet pumpkin, which is the perfect mix of fall flavors for crisp mornings or afternoon snacks.
What makes these muffins special is how moist they are without relying on much oil. The fruit keeps them soft and tender while giving them a naturally sweet, wholesome flavor.
They’re great fresh out of the oven or make-ahead for breakfast meal prep, lunchboxes, or easy snacks throughout the week. Whether you’re baking for fall breakfast, Thanksgiving brunch, or just because you love pumpkin season, these muffins are a warm and delicious way to enjoy all your favorite seasonal flavors.
“These are the perfect fall muffin. We really enjoyed them and will definitely make them again.
Thank you!” – Debbie
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Pumpkin pie spice: You can make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice blend with this recipe.
- Brown sugar: Or use an equal amount of dark brown sugar.
- Pumpkin: Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix.
- Oil: I like to use a neutral oil like light olive oil or olive oil, but canola oil or vegetable oil will also work.
- Greek yogurt: You can use nonfat, 2%, or whole milk Greek yogurt in these muffins.
- Apple: Baking apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith work well.
How to make pumpkin cranberry apple muffins
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners. I like to use parchment paper liners because muffins don’t stick to those liners.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil, Greek yogurt, and apple cider in large mixer bowl until well-combined.
Step 4: Add flour mixture, and stir until just combined. You won’t want to overmix the batter. Overmixing can give you tough or heavy muffins.
Step 5: Gently stir in cranberries and diced apple. Gently stirring will help to avoid smashing the cranberries.
Step 6: Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.
Step 7: For the topping, stir together oats, brown sugar, and pecans.
Step 8: Cut in butter (or smoosh it in), and form crumbly clumps.
Step 9: Sprinkle over muffins. You can use a pastry cutter, two forks, or even your fingers. Muffins will be full, so if you’re worried about the crumble falling off into your oven, set the muffin tin on a sheet pan or baking sheet.
Step 10: Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Step 11: Cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then remove to wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Recipe Tips!
- Lining: I highly recommend using parchment paper liners when making muffins. It makes it easier to remove the muffins, and the muffins don’t stick.
- Mixing: I recommend mixing this batter by hand. It’s easy to mix up, and mixing by hand helps to avoid overmixing.
Storage
Store any leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature. The muffins will keep for about 3 days when properly stored.
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Pumpkin Cranberry Apple Muffin Recipe
Equipment
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
Muffins
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup apple cider or water
- ½ cup fresh cranberries
- 1 cup peeled, cored, and finely diced baking apple
Topping
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3 tablespoons cold salted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil, Greek yogurt, and apple cider in large mixer bowl until well-combined.¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup neutral oil, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, ¼ cup apple cider or water
- Add flour mixture, and stir until just combined.
- Gently stir in cranberries and diced apple.½ cup fresh cranberries, 1 cup peeled, cored, and finely diced baking apple
- Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.
- For the topping, stir together oats, brown sugar, and pecans.½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup chopped pecans, 1 cup rolled oats
- Cut in butter (or smoosh it in), and form crumbly clumps, and sprinkle over muffins.3 tablespoons cold salted butter
- Muffins will be full, so if you're worried about the crumble falling off into your oven, set the muffin tin on a sheet pan or baking sheet.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then remove to wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Pumpkin pie spice: You can make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice blend with this recipe.
- Brown sugar: Or use an equal amount of dark brown sugar.
- Pumpkin: Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix.
- Oil: I like to use a neutral oil like light olive oil or olive oil, but canola oil or vegetable oil will also work.
- Greek yogurt: You can use nonfat, 2%, or whole milk Greek yogurt in these muffins.
- Apple: Baking apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith work well.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Debbie says
These are the perfect fall muffin. We really enjoyed them and will definitely make them again.
Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you! We really enjoy these muffins, and it’s nice to hear that other people are enjoying them, too. Thanks for commenting! =)
Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama says
These look delicious & perfect for a holiday weekend breakfast! :)
Thank you for sharing at this week’s Marvelous Mondays party- pinned & sharing!
Diane says
Your muffins look SO tasty!! Must try! Pinning for the future!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
Wow, Kate! I don’t think these muffins could get any better. With so many fall flavors and that crumble looks to die for!
Winnie says
OMG !!!
These look scrumptious !!
I need to grab one right now
Pinning
Julia says
These look amazingly delicious. I’ve got to make them soon! And I’m with you in your dread of winter. Waking up to these warm muffins could make it a little easier though!
Kate says
Thanks!! =)
Happy Valley Chow says
Yummy those sound delicious! Perfect Thanksgiving side :)
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Kate says
Thanks!!