Caramel Apple Muffins {Applefest Recipe #10!}

This recipe originally called for butterscotch chips; which I thought sounded fantastic!  So off I went to the grocery to gather supplies.  I had the butterscotch chips in my hand and then I spotted these:

If butterscotch chips would be good...can you imagine caramel???  They did not disappoint!  These muffins are really yummy.  Bits of apple...bits of caramel...crunchy brown sugar on the top.  mmmm.  And surprisingly, they aren't too sweet.  They would make a great breakfast treat!

2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ cup old-fashioned oats
8 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
½ cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup applesauce (I had this applesauce already made so I used it.)
2 large eggs
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk
¾ cup caramel bits
¾ cup chopped apples
1/3 cup toasted pecans, chopped (I left these out because I'm allergic.)

For topping:
about 1/3 cup brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Grease muffin tins.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Mix lightly with a fork to blend.  Stir in the oats.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and smooth, 1-2 minutes.  Beat in the applesauce, eggs and vanilla extract until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and beating just until incorporated.  Fold in the caramel bits and apples with a rubber spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups.  Top each muffin with 1/2 tsp. of brown sugar and press down.  The batter is quite thick so it needs to be pushed down a little.  Bake about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Sugar Plum

Thanks so much for hanging out with me the last ten days!  It's been fun trying out all of these apple recipes!  There will be more themed postings to come.  In a couple of weeks I will be posting five days of Halloween goodies.  Check back!