This easy recipe for caramelised apple muffins is quickly made from simple ingredients; perfect for weekend baking, lunchbox sweet treat or a fruity dessert.
Updated 2026 · Originally this post announced these muffins being published elsewhere but they are now on Maison Cupcake in full.
These quick apple muffins are topped with sticky, golden apple slices, almost good enough to eat on their own – think soft caramelised fruit with a hint of crunch at the edges.
They are wonderfully versatile. Not only can you whip them up as a delicious breakfast (made quicker if you weigh ingredients and set your equipment out the evening before), a muffin makes a perfect snack with hot drink and you can even serve them with custard or ice cream for pudding.
Using simple pantry ingredients means you won’t need a special shopping trip, and it’s a great way to turn a seasonal apple glut, or tired leftover apples in the fruit bowl, into a decent homemade dessert that doesn’t take long to cook.
These muffins are a re-working of my pear and ginger spelt muffins published previously, you could use spelt flour here too, or try some of the other variations given below.
Muffins are even easier to bake than cupcakes, and with real fruit and wholemeal flour they’re a healthier option too.
How To Caramelise Apple Slices
To caramelise the apples used for your muffin topping, first slice them into half-moon pieces. Then cook gently in butter over a medium heat until they soften.
Sprinkle over the sugar, allowing it to melt around the apples, becoming syrupy and lightly caramelised. Carefully turn over the apple slices so they get a nice coating, then reduce the heat allowing them to cook another couple of minutes.
You are aiming for tender golden slices with light caramelised coating, but not so over cooked they turn to mush or go dark brown.
I know it’s tempting here to eat a few from the pan – watch out though, they are hot!
Variations for Caramelised Apple Muffins
This is the base recipe for these easy apple muffins but you can vary the recipe ingredients slightly:
- Spice things up with half a teaspoon of cinnamon and/or nutmeg;
- Try using spelt flour;
- Add a handful of chopped nuts; walnut, pecan or almonds work well;
- Mix in two tablespoons of dried fruit such as raisins or sultanas.
A Note of Muffin Case Sizes
By “standard” cases I mean the smaller fairy cake size ones sold in supermarkets. I prefer the large greaseproof muffin cases sold in Lakeland, which look more generous, hold their shape and don’t go greasy.
If you prefer a smaller muffin, these amounts will give 12 muffins in the large cases. Although I always think a muffin looks more tempting when it’s slightly bursting over the edge.
A Final Tip When Eating Muffins!
Resist temptation to eat your just-baked muffins straight from the oven. Allow them to cool for at least 20 minutes otherwise you’ll lose half of them to the muffin papers.
Storage For Apple Muffins
These caramelised apple muffins are best eaten fresh on the day, whilst the apple topping is still slightly sticky and soft, but they will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container.
The muffins themselves can be frozen, but it’s best only doing this as a means of avoiding food waste rather than deliberately. The wrappers lose their stiffness after defrosting and the visual look of the muffins after their frozen slumber may be rather tired. Edible yes – but best way to enjoy? Not if presentation matters.
How to Make Caramelised Apple Muffins
Follow these steps to make your own caramelised apple muffins at home, perfect for breakfast, snacks or desserts. The full recipe and ingredients are available with a printable sheet below.
Caramelised Apple Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 apples any eating variety is fine
- 25 g butter
- 40 g demerara sugar with extra for sprinkling
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground nut oil or sunflower oil
- 1 egg large
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 140 ml buttermilk
- 100 g plain flour
- 75 g wholemeal flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200c / gas mark 6. (or 180c fan oven)
- Slice one of the apples into 5mm thick half moon slices and chop the other one into 1cm dice.
- Over a medium heat, melt the butter in a heavy base frying pan and when melted, spread the half moon slices of the first apple on top.
- When the apples have cooked a minute or so, spoon over the demerara sugar and leave to cook for a further minute. Turn the apple slices and agitate the melting sugar so that the slices are coated in caramel.
- Reduce the heat and leave to cook for 3-4 minutes. Check the slices and turn again if necessary so they become golden rather than brown.
- Meanwhile sift the flours, baking powders, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl or jug, stir the egg, oil and vanilla extract together.
- Fold the remaining chopped apple and into the dry flour mix. Fold in the wet ingredients into the dry flour mix until just incorporated - take care not to over mix.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the paper cases. Top each ball of muffin batter with a pair of caramelised apple slices and an extra sprinkle of demerara sugar. Bake the muffins for 15 minutes.
- Allow to cool in the trays for a few minutes before transferring to paper cases.
More Baking Ideas With Caramel Flavours
If you’d like a bigger cake or pudding with caramel flavour try:
- Pear and Caramel Cake with pine nuts;
- Toffee Apple Tart with Walnut’;
- Apple Pound Cake with Pine Nuts
- Banoffee Bread and Butter Pudding.
Pin this Caramelised Apple Muffin Recipe to save it for later.
Do you ever bake muffins for breakfast or a weekend treat? Tell me your favourites in the comments below!
I just love apple cake or muffins pure bliss!! 🙂
caramelised apple in muffins sounds incredible!
Love the sound of apple muffins and given that it’s apple season I must must some. Like how well muffins freeze too!