Tender muffins with spiced apples, caramel, and sweet tea, ideal for breakfast or a comforting snack.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fruit
01 - 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and diced (about 1 cup)
→ Caramel
02 - 12 soft caramel candies, unwrapped and cut in half, or 1/2 cup caramel bits
→ Muffin Batter
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 3/4 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
11 - 1/2 cup brewed sweet tea, cooled
12 - 1/2 cup whole milk
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Topping
14 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each cup.
02 - In a small bowl, toss the diced apple with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and set aside.
03 - Whisk together flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with melted butter, sweet tea, milk, and vanilla extract until well blended.
05 - Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture, stirring gently just until combined. Avoid overmixing the batter.
06 - Gently fold the seasoned diced apples into the batter to distribute evenly.
07 - Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each halfway. Place a few caramel pieces or bits into the center of each, then top with remaining batter to fill the cups evenly.
08 - Stir together topping sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over each muffin.
09 - Bake in preheated oven for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center (avoiding caramel) emerges clean.
10 - Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
