Description
Caramel Apple Muffins: Warm, tender muffins with sweet apples & gooey caramel. Your perfect fall breakfast or snack, straight from my kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
- Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Wet Ingredients:
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¾ cup (180ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Apple & Caramel Stars:
- 1 ½ cups (about 2 medium) apples, peeled, cored, and diced small (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- ½ cup (100g) caramel bits
- Topping:
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Prep Your Apples & Dry Mix:: First things first, get those apples ready. Peel, core, and dice them into small, even pieces – about a quarter-inch. This ensures they cook through nicely and are distributed in every bite. While you’re at it, grab a big bowl and whisk together your flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Give it a good whisk until everything is well combined. I always take a moment to smell the spices, honestly, it just sets the mood for baking.
- Whisk the Wet Ingredients:: In a separate medium bowl, crack your egg and give it a quick whisk. Then, pour in the milk, the cooled melted butter (make sure it’s not hot, or you’ll scramble the egg!), and the vanilla extract. Whisk this mixture until it’s smooth and uniform. This is where I once forgot to let the butter cool and ended up with tiny cooked egg bits – not ideal, but it taught me a lesson! We’re aiming for a perfectly emulsified liquid here.
- Combine Gently, Don’t Overmix!:: Now, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Grab a spatula and mix until *just* combined. And I mean *just*. A few lumps are totally okay, even desirable! Overmixing is the enemy of tender muffins; it develops the gluten too much, making them tough. I’ve been guilty of overmixing more times than I care to admit, resulting in dense, chewy muffins. We want light and fluffy Caramel Apple Muffins, so be gentle!
- Fold in the Stars of the Show:: Once the batter is mostly combined, gently fold in your diced apples and those lovely caramel bits. Distribute them evenly throughout the batter, but again, don’t overmix. You want those distinct apple chunks and gooey caramel pockets. This is where the Caramel Apple Muffins really start to come alive, and you can see all those delicious elements waiting to bake.
- Fill ‘Em Up and Top:: Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well. Using an ice cream scoop (my secret weapon for even muffins!), divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Sprinkle a little turbinado sugar over the top of each muffin for that gorgeous, crunchy finish. I love seeing the sparkle before they go into the oven, it just promises something special.
- Bake to Golden Perfection:: Pop your muffin tin into a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The initial high heat helps create those beautiful domed tops. The house will smell absolutely divine, hon. Let them cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.