Every autumn, apples somehow find their way into almost everything I bake. We absolutely love them in our house, and I can’t imagine this time of year without a good supply of apples in the kitchen.
I still remember my dad buying entire wooden crates of apples to last us through the winter. We kept them out on the balcony, covered with a thick, heavy cloth to protect them from the cold. I can still picture those crates sitting there, waiting for someone to lift the cover and pick a few apples. It’s funny how something so ordinary can stay with you for years.
Perhaps that’s why I have such a soft spot for apple recipes. They remind me of home, of childhood, and of those autumn days when apples were simply part of everyday life.
Apple Muffins with Cinnamon, Crumble and Caramel
These apple muffins with crumble and caramel bring together pretty much everything I love about autumn baking.
I start by cutting the apples into small cubes and gently cooking them in a little butter with cinnamon and lemon juice. Honestly, the smell alone is enough to make me hungry. Within minutes, the whole house fills with that wonderful aroma of warm apples and cinnamon.
The apples become soft and fragrant, with just enough freshness from the lemon to balance their sweetness. They’re then folded into the muffin batter, giving every bite little pieces of tender, cinnamon-flavoured apple.
And of course, there’s the crumble. I love a good buttery crumble, especially when it forms those lovely little golden clusters on top. It adds a bit of crunch to the soft muffins and makes them delicious even without anything else.
Caramel Apple Muffins with Whipped Cream
Now, these apple muffins are already lovely on their own, especially when they’re still slightly warm. But add some freshly whipped cream and a generous drizzle of caramel, and you’ve got something closer to a proper dessert.
I love the contrast between the soft apple muffin, the crunchy crumble, the light whipped cream and the caramel running over the top. It’s a combination that’s difficult to resist.
The nice thing is that you don’t have to serve them all the same way. Leave out the whipped cream and caramel, and you’ve got a delicious homemade apple muffin to enjoy with your morning coffee. Add both, and suddenly you’ve got a dessert that feels a little more special.
Either way, they’re absolutely worth making.
A Little Taste of Autumn
For me, autumn baking has always been about apples, cinnamon and the smell of something homemade coming from the kitchen. These apple muffins with crumble and caramel bring all of that together.
They’re soft, full of tender apple pieces, topped with buttery crumble and, if you’re in the mood, finished with whipped cream and caramel.
Definitely an autumn must-eat in our house!
Apple Muffins with Crumble and Caramel
Course: DessertsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings25
minutes20
minutes320
kcalIngredients
- For the Apple Muffins
110 g butter, melted
2 eggs
200 g sugar
90 g plain yoghurt
85 ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
250 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
- For the Cinnamon Apples
180 g apples, peeled and diced
1 tbsp of unsalted butter, for frying
1tsp of cinnamon, to taste
a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- For the Crumble
65 g plain flour
100 g sugar
3 tbsp (36 ml) butter, melted
- For Serving
whipped cream
caramel sauce
Directions
- Prepare the cinnamon apples.
Peel and dice the apples. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a frying pan over moderate heat. Add the diced apples and 1 tsp cinnamon, then squeeze over a little fresh lemon juice. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften and become fragrant. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. - Preheat the oven to 205°C / 400°F. Place muffin liners in a muffin tin. In a small bowl, combine all the crumble ingredients and set aside.
- Make the batter. Mix the melted butter and sugar for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition, followed by the yoghurt, milk and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix just until combined, then gently fold in the cooled cinnamon apples. Don’t overmix.
- Fill the muffin cases. Divide the batter between 12 standard or 6 large muffin cases and generously top each one with the crumble.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 205°C / 400°F, then reduce the temperature to 180°C / 350°F and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool.
- Finish and serve. Enjoy them as they are, or top with whipped cream and a generous drizzle of caramel sauce for the full caramel apple muffin experience.
Notes
- Cook the apples over moderate heat so the butter doesn’t burn. They only need to soften slightly as they will continue cooking in the oven.
Don’t overmix the batter. Mix only until the flour is incorporated to keep the muffins soft.
The recipe makes 12 standard muffins or 6 large muffins.
The muffins are delicious on their own, but for the full caramel apple muffin version, let them cool before adding whipped cream and caramel sauce.
Store muffins without the whipped cream at room temperature in an airtight container. Add the cream and caramel just before serving.
