These sourdough discard caramel apple muffins are bursting with fall flavors! They taste just like a green apple dipped in caramel sauce! Featuring sourdough discard, applesauce, vanilla, and homemade caramel.
1 light colored stainless steel pot for the caramel
1 Whisk
Ingredients
For Muffins
1stick butterroom temperature
3/4cup granulated sugar
2eggs
1/2tbspvanilla extract
1cupapplesauce
1/2cup sourdough discardflat, runny
2cupsall purpose flour
1.5tspbaking powder
1/2tspbaking soda
1tspsalt
1/4tspginger
1/4tspnutmeg
Crumb Topping
1/2cupall purposeflour
1/4cup brown sugarlightly packed
1/4tspginger
1/8tspnutmeg
1/4tspsalt
1/4cup cold butterchopped into small pieces
Caramel Sauce
1/2cupgranulated sugar
3tbspbutterunsalted
1/4cupheavy cream
1/2tspsalt
Instructions
For Muffins
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Add the applesauce and mix until combined.
1 stick butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract, 1 cup applesauce
Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger and nutmeg in a bowl. Add the flour mixture and the sourdough discard to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Fill each muffin liners just below the top. Rap the muffin tin on the counter to remove air bubbles.
Whisk the all purpose flour, light brown sugar, salt, nutmeg and ginger in a small bowl. Chop the cold butter into chunks and add it to the flour. Mash in the cold butter with a fork. Next, use your fingers to pinch the butter into pea sized pieces. Fluff up the mixture with your fork or fingers. Cover each muffin completely with crumb topping.
1/2 cup all purpose, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 cup cold butter
Bake Muffins
Bake for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Caramel Topping
Add the sugar to a medium sized stainless steel saucepan. Cook over medium heat, swirling the pan every 30 seconds until the sugar melts and turns a deep golden brown, about 6-8 minutes.
1/2 cup granulated sugar, 3 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/2 tsp salt
Turn off heat immediately. Stir in the butter with a wooden spoon or heat proof spatula until melted, then add the cream, whisking continuously. Remove from heat and let cool until thickened but still warm. Drizzle caramel sauce over each muffin.
Notes
Adding the applesauce to the wet ingredients will make the batter look curdled, but it's okay!
Use a wooden spoon or heat proof spatula for caramel.
Keep a close eye on the caramel as it cooks and do not leave the stove until it's finished.
Do not over mix the batter! Over mixing muffins will make them tough, not tender.