Across Britain, home kitchens answer grey skies with trays of apple and cinnamon muffins, a quick bake that suits after‑school pauses and sofa‑bound afternoons. The method uses one bowl, humble cupboard staples, and a short blast in a hot oven. The result brings steam, spice and a lift in mood that feels timely as the season turns.
Why rainy days invite apple and cinnamon
The pairing of sharp apple and warming spice hits a balance that feels honest and seasonal. Apples hold their shape in the heat and bring juicy pockets to the crumb. Cinnamon adds perfume and a gentle glow without the sugar surge of a frosting. The bake time is brief, so the payoff arrives before cabin fever sets in.
One bowl, two apples, 25 minutes at 180°C: the arithmetic of comfort is refreshingly simple.
Families lean on recipes that scale, travel in lunchboxes, and cope with interruptions. Muffins tick every box. They rise fast, take flavour well, and cool quickly enough to serve while the kettle boils.
What you need for 8 muffins
Simple cupboard staples
- 2 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1 cm dice (Elstar or Boskoop work well)
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 150 g light sugar (golden caster if you have it)
- 125 g plain yoghurt
- 180 g plain flour
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 sachet baking powder
- 1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch fine salt
- Optional: 1–2 tablespoons demerara sugar for a crunchy top
Choose apples that feel firm and juicy. Small dice cook through evenly and dot the batter so every bite carries fruit. Demerara creates a blonde crust that cracks pleasingly under the tooth. If you are short on cinnamon, mixed spice also suits the fruit.
How to bake them fast
Heat and prepare
Set the oven to 180°C (fan). Line a muffin tin or butter and flour the holes. Melt the butter gently and set it aside. Bring eggs and yoghurt to room temperature for better lift.
Mix without overworking
Whisk the eggs with the sugar until lightly foamy. Stir in the melted butter and yoghurt. Sift in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Fold until no dry patches remain. Fold in the apple cubes with a light hand to keep the batter airy.
Fill and bake
Spoon the mixture into the tin, filling each hole to three‑quarters. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon or demerara on each if you like texture and bite. Bake for 22–25 minutes, until domed and golden with fine cracks. A skewer should emerge with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
For an even rise, keep the door shut for the first 15 minutes and stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears.
Serve and store
Rest the muffins in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift to a rack. Eat warm for soft centres and vivid aroma. Keep leftovers in an airtight box for two days. A short burst in the microwave or a few minutes in a low oven revives the crumb.
Pounds and pence: a realistic cost breakdown
| Item | Amount | Approximate cost |
|---|---|---|
| Apples | 2 | £0.60 |
| Eggs | 2 | £0.40 |
| Sugar | 150 g | £0.20 |
| Yoghurt | 125 g | £0.20 |
| Flour | 180 g | £0.15 |
| Butter | 60 g | £0.60 |
| Baking powder, cinnamon, salt | — | £0.25 |
| Estimated total | 8 muffins | £2.40 |
Figures are estimates based on typical UK supermarket prices and will vary by brand and region. Energy use matters too: a 2 kW oven running for 25 minutes uses about 0.83 kWh, or roughly £0.25 at 30p/kWh.
Small upgrades that change the crumb
Fruit and spice swaps
Substitute half the apple with ripe pear for a softer bite. Stir in a handful of raisins or sultanas for sweetness that does not rely on extra sugar. Add orange zest to brighten the finish. If you prefer gentler spice, blend half cinnamon with half mixed spice.
Texture and topping
For a bakery‑style finish, rub 30 g cold butter with 30 g flour, 20 g oats and 20 g sugar to make a quick streusel. Scatter lightly over each portion before baking. Chopped walnuts add crunch and pair neatly with apple.
Freezer‑friendly planning
Cool fully, then freeze in a single layer. Bag and label. Reheat from frozen at 160°C for around 10 minutes, or until warmed through. The crust will crisp again and the centre stays soft.
Timing your bake around family life
- Morning rush: scale the dry mix the night before; dice apples just before baking to avoid browning.
- After school: preheat as coats come off; trays emerge golden by the time homework starts.
- Stormy weekend: double the batch and freeze half; future you will thank present you.
These timings fit real days. Preheat for 10 minutes, mix for 8, bake for 23, cool for 10. In roughly 51 minutes, a wet afternoon can turn into a shared plate and a gentler hour indoors.
Nutrition, allergens and smart swaps
Each muffin lands around 230–260 kcal depending on toppings. Yoghurt keeps the crumb tender while holding butter in check. For dairy‑free, use neutral oil instead of butter and a plant‑based yoghurt. For gluten‑free, use a 1:1 blend and add a tablespoon of yoghurt if the batter thickens. Check your baking powder is gluten‑free.
For young helpers, crack eggs into a separate bowl and measure flour with level spoons. Keep apple pieces at 1 cm so they cook through. Cool muffins on a rack to prevent soggy bottoms.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Soggy centres
Large fruit pieces or short bake time cause raw patches. Keep the dice small and test with a skewer at 22 minutes.
Dense tops
Overmixing knocks out air. Fold just until the flour vanishes and resist the urge to beat.
Sunken muffins
Opening the door early can collapse the rise. Wait until domes look set before you peek.
Make the rain work for you
Set a small ritual while the tray bakes: mugs warming, tea brewing, a short story queued. The house smells of spice before the news finishes, and plates empty as quickly as clouds move on.
If you want to go further, test a half‑batch with different apples to see how texture changes. Bramley brings tang and softness; Cox keeps shape and bite. Note baking time shifts by 1–2 minutes with fruit choice, oven quirks and tin colour, so watch the colour, not just the clock.
