Quick Apple and Cottage Cheese Muffins

Apple and cottage cheese muffins with oat streusel on a white marble board, with red apples behind

Quick Apple and Cottage Cheese Muffins

Tender, lightly spiced apple muffins made with cottage cheese and topped with a crunchy oat streusel. They're quick to mix, bake in about 20 minutes, and are perfect for breakfast on the go or a lunchbox snack.

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Servings: muffins

Equipment

Muffin tin
2 Mixing bowl
12 Muffin cases paper liners

Ingredients
US Customary - Metric

1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
½ cup white sugar (organic for vegan-friendly)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch salt
1 cup cottage cheese, 1% or 2%, small curd
1 cup apples, peeled and grated (about 1 large apple), excess moisture squeezed out
¼ cup oil, neutral, such as canola or sunflower
¼ cup milk, dairy or unsweetened plant-based
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg, large, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup oatmeal, old-fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
In a second bowl, whisk the cottage cheese, grated apple, oil, milk, egg and vanilla until well combined.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be thick and a little lumpy; don't overmix.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, oats and melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the muffins, pressing it lightly into the batter.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Make ahead: Measure the dry ingredients and mix the streusel topping up to a day in advance, storing each separately at room temperature in an airtight container. Grate the apple and combine the wet ingredients just before baking so the batter doesn't sit and lose its rise.

Storing: Once completely cool, keep muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because these muffins contain cottage cheese, the fridge is the safer choice if you won't finish them within a day or two.

Freezing: These muffins freeze beautifully. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature, then warm in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes, or microwave for 20-30 seconds, to bring back that fresh-baked texture.

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

Calories: 221kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 5gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 161mgPotassium: 118mgFiber: 2gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 178IUCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg

Course: Baking, Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: Apple and Cottage Cheese Muffins, muffins recipe

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