Description
These Gooey Caramel Apple Muffins combine tender, cinnamon-spiced apple muffins with a decadent melted caramel center. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, they offer a delightful contrast of soft crumb and gooey caramel, enhanced with warm spices and an optional brown sugar-cinnamon topping.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Add-ins and Topping
- 1 1/2 cups peeled and finely chopped apples (such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- 12 soft caramel candies, halved or quartered
- Optional topping: 2 tablespoons brown sugar + 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, mixed
- Extra caramel sauce for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until evenly combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream; whisk until the mixture is fully combined and creamy.
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually stir the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing gently just until no flour streaks remain to keep the batter tender.
- Add Apples: Gently fold the finely chopped peeled apples into the batter, ensuring they are evenly distributed without overmixing.
- Fill Muffin Cups and Add Caramel: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Press one or two pieces of caramel candy into the center of each muffin and cover with a small amount of additional batter to encase the candies.
- Apply Optional Topping: If desired, sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture for added texture and flavor.
- Bake: Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted near the edge (avoiding the caramel center) comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Drizzle warm caramel sauce over the muffins before serving if you like an extra gooey touch.
Notes
- Best enjoyed slightly warm to keep the caramel center gooey and melty.
- Store muffins at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Reheat in the microwave for 10–15 seconds to restore gooey texture before serving.
- If you prefer, substitute sour cream with plain Greek yogurt without altering the flavor profile significantly.
