Description
Fluffy Apple Spice Muffins with Caramel Glaze bring autumn joy. My simple recipe shares kitchen stories and tips for your next baking adventure.
Ingredients
Scale
- Muffin Dry Ingredients & Spices:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Nutmeg
- Ground Allspice
- Salt
- Muffin Wet Ingredients & Apples:
- Large Egg
- Whole Milk
- Vegetable Oil
- Vanilla Extract
- 2 medium Apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and diced
- Caramel Glaze:
- 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
- ¼ cup Heavy Cream
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Prep Your Apples and Dry Mix: First things first, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Then, grab your apples – I usually go for two medium ones – peel ’em, core ’em, and dice ’em into small, roughly ¼-inch pieces. Tiny is key here, so they soften up nicely. In a big bowl, whisk together your flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Give it a good whisk, making sure there are no lumpy bits. This is where I sometimes forget to really get into the corners of the bowl, so don’t be like me!
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate, smaller bowl, crack in your egg, then pour in the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk it all up until it’s fully combined and looks pretty smooth. Honestly, I’ve had moments where I’m rushing and don’t whisk enough, and then I get little streaks of egg white in my batter – totally edible, but not the prettiest. Just take your time here; it makes a difference in the final texture of your Apple Spice Muffins.
- Fold It All Together: Now, pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Grab a spatula and gently fold until *just* combined. And I mean *just*. Overmixing is the enemy of a tender muffin; you’ll end up with tough, chewy muffins, and nobody wants that! A few lumps in the batter are totally okay, even desirable. Then, gently fold in your diced apples. It should smell like autumn already, even before baking!
- Fill and Bake: Divide the batter evenly among your 12 prepared muffin cups. I like to use an ice cream scoop for this; it helps keep things tidy and ensures consistent muffin sizes. Fill them about two-thirds full. Pop the muffin tin into your preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. My oven sometimes runs a little hot, so I always start checking around the 18-minute mark. Don’t be afraid to peek!
- Whip Up the Caramel Glaze: While your muffins are cooling, let’s get that glorious caramel glaze going. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Once melted, stir in the light brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until the sugar dissolves and it smells wonderfully rich. Then, slowly pour in the heavy cream, still stirring. Bring it to a gentle simmer and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring, until it thickens slightly. Remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Be careful, this stuff is hot! I once splattered a bit on my hand; oops!
- Glaze Your Apple Spice Muffins: Let the caramel glaze cool for about 5-10 minutes – it’ll thicken up a bit more as it cools, making it easier to drizzle. Once your Apple Spice Muffins are completely cooled (or at least mostly cool; warm is okay!), drizzle that luscious caramel glaze generously over the tops. It’ll look shiny and inviting, and honestly, the smell is just divine. Let the glaze set a little before serving, if you can resist! These are best enjoyed fresh, maybe with a cup of coffee.