Continuing with using fruits in season in my recipes. What better way to use up some of the apples we picked at the Orchard this past weekend. They are so tasty in these Caramel Apple & Banana Muffins. The Granny Smith apple is a great choice for making caramel apples and for use in baking. Their tart flavor pair so nicely with the sweetness of the caramel. They are a great addition to these muffins.
Pick your own, Apple Orchard
I usually like to make a big batch of the muffins and freeze some of them. That way we can eat some now and then have a few for later when the first batch is gone.
Pick your own, Apple Orchard
Caramel Apple & Banana Muffins
Ingredients
Caramel Apples:
2 Apples, Granny Smith, finely chopped
4 Tablespoons, Butter, unsalted
½ Cup, Light Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon, Salt
1 Teaspoon, Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons, Sugar
Dry Ingredients:
2 Cups, Flour
½ Cup, Sugar
3 Teaspoons, Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon, Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon, Salt
Muffins-Wet Ingredients:
3 Ripe Bananas, Chopped/mashed
½ Cup, Buttermilk
½ Cup, Apple Butter
½ Cup, Butter, melted
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon, Vanilla
Streusel Topping Ingredients:
½ Cup, Quick Oats
½ Cup, Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon, Cinnamon
½ cup, Flour
4 Tablespoons, Butter, cubed
Instructions
On stove over medium-high heat, add the 4 tablespoons of butter. Once melted add brown sugar and stir really well. Add the apples, salt, cinnamon and sugar and combine. Simmer on low heat until you get a nice caramel color, about 5-10 minutes then let them cool. While that is simmering, mix the dry ingredients for the muffins in a small bowl; set aside. In a mixer, add all the wet ingredients and mix well. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined. Fold in caramel apples.
Caramelized Apples
Make streusel topping: combine streusel ingredients in a small bowl and either use a fork to combine or you can use your hands. Be careful not to overwork; you don’t want the butter to get too warm/soft. You want a somewhat crumbly topping. You can also use a processor and pulse the streusel ingredients a few times.
Add muffin mixture to your muffin tins; filling about 2/3 of the tin. Add Streusel topping on each to just cover the muffin. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean in the center of muffin. Cool on wire rack.
Tips
These muffins are great with toasted nuts also. You can add walnuts or pecans or any type of nut you like.