These Are What I’ve Been Eating For Breakfast Every Day

Apple streusel muffins for meal prep.

YUM — these little meal prep apple muffins have been such a treat for my mornings!

Open windows! Crisp fall air! Hot coffee! A warm, streusely, lightly cinnamony apple muffin with tons of wholesome stuff in it and a generous pat of butter on top — it’s what I’m doing every day right now, and it’s my dream life.

The main ingredients here are shockingly basic:

  • oats
  • apples
  • eggs
  • yogurt
  • vanilla
  • cinnamon

I threw some brown sugar streusel on top, because streusel increases my interest in any muffin by about 500%.

I’ve been packing one of these in my girls’ lunchboxes almost every time we pack a cold lunch! I also bring them for a car snack after school pick up. My kids honestly eat one of these (or these pumpkin ones, or these zucchini ones) once a day at this point.

Things I Tried and Have Opinions About

I don’t know that anyone cares about this, but I spend too much time thinking about these things.

  • This recipe works best with Greek yogurt rather than regular yogurt. It gets more evenly brown and has a nice rise like you see in the pictures, whereas regular yogurt is wetter and makes the batter more dense. (It does still work, if you’re in a pinch.)
  • You want rolled old-fashioned oats for this one — don’t use the Costco sprouted oats, and do not use quick oats. They both absorb liquid in a different way. Quaker old-fashioned rolled oats work great.
  • I did try this with grating the apples, but I prefer just throwing them into the blender at the end of blending. It’s easier, and the muffins get a better rise with the apples more fully incorporated.
  • Our previous muffin recipes similar to this have used maple syrup, but it gets really expensive to use that much real maple syrup, so I switched to brown sugar for this one.
  • The streusel is optional — the muffins are still pretty and delicious without it.
  • The batter will bake differently the longer it sits. The sweet spot is about 10 minutes. You may find that your second batch gets a bit more puffy than your first.
  • I typically fill the muffin cups 2/3 of the way full so they rise up nicely but don’t completely spill over the top.

Apple streusel muffins in muffin tin, filled two-thirds full.

Recipe

Description

These apple streusel meal prep muffins are super wholesome, loaded with streusel, and ideal for prepping ahead. Kids love them!

Ingredients

For the Muffins:

  • 1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (Costco sprouted oats or quick oats not recommended)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups roughly chopped Honeycrisp apples (unpeeled)

For the Streusel:

  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a muffin tin or line with muffin liners.
  2. Add the yogurt, eggs, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt to a blender. Blend until mostly smooth.
  3. Add the chopped apples and pulse a few times until they are incorporated but still have some texture.
  4. Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes while you make the streusel.
  5. Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and flour together with a fork until crumbly.
  6. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full. Top each muffin with a generous pinch of streusel.
  7. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

  • Make ahead: These muffins store well in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
  • Freezer friendly: Freeze fully cooled muffins in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for 30–60 seconds.
  • Streusel is optional but highly recommended for texture and sweetness on top.
  • Second batches may bake up slightly puffier as the batter continues to absorb liquid — this is normal.

These muffins are a genuinely easy, wholesome option to bake once and enjoy all week long, whether for breakfast, lunchboxes, or an after-school snack.