caramel apple muffins

The last few Tuesdays, I left my apartment at 9 am and didn't get back until 11:30 pm. 14.5 hour days are exhausting... and then there's homework on top of that.

But this Tuesday, my day ended right after class at 4:30. So naturally, I treated myself to figuring out a new recipe and then cooked dinner with my roommate, which is something that we don't get to do often enough. After running around between classes, work, and meetings all day, it's really nice to share a meal with someone and just take a moment to reflect with them.

I'm really happy with how these muffins turned out! They are the perfect fall dessert (or breakfast :) ).

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Makes 14 muffins

Muffin ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 or 1.5 apples, peeled and chopped

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 cups flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1 tsp cinnamon

Caramel sauce ingredients

***I only had brown sugar on hand, and I prefer its flavor to regular caramel sauce. But if you prefer regular caramel sauce, I recommend halving this recipe***

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 2 tbs water

• 1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil (solid)

• 1/4 cup heavy creme

Streusel ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup quick oats

• 2 tbs flour

• 2 tbs melted coconut oil (more if still dry)

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Glaze Ingredients

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 - 2 tbs milk or heavy creme

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Instructions

1. Make caramel sauce first: Over medium heat, combine brown sugar and water. Bring to boil, let boil for 3-4 minutes. Then, take off heat and immediately add heavy creme and butter/coconut oil and stir until well-combined. Let cool until room temperature, then refrigerate, stirring every so often.

2. Preheat oven to 375. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl.

4. Whisk together oil, maple syrup, and brown sugar until well-combined, about 2 minutes.

5. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

6. Fold in apples.

7. Add dry ingredient mix and stir until well-combined.

8. Fill cupcake liners until 1/2 to 2/3 full with batter.

9. Drizzle caramel sauce over muffins, making sure to preserve half for the baked muffins.

10. Make streusel: Combine oats, cinnamon, brown sugar, and flour in bowl. Add in coconut oil until the mixture forms clumps. If still too dry, add slightly more coconut oil.

11. Spoon streusel over muffins.

12. Bake for 12-14 minutes on middle rack. When done, take out and transfer to wire cooling rack.

13. While still warm (but not hot) spoon the remaining caramel sauce over the muffins.

14. Make glaze: combine glaze ingredients in bowl, adding slightly (a little goes a LONG way!) more milk/creme if you want a thinner glaze. Drizzle over cool muffins.

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Enjoy these perfect fall treats!