Apple Spice Muffins make morning coffee even better! Topped with a dreamy caramel glaze, these moist muffins have hints of cinnamon and are packed with apples.
If you love apple recipes, you need to try our Apple Dumplings recipe. So easy to make and everyone loves it! Or give these Cranberry Apple Muffins a try next!
Why this Recipe Works
This Apple Spice Muffin recipe has everything I love most about fall:
- full apple flavor
- cinnamon spice
- caramel
The spiciness of the cloves makes the house smell amazing when these are in the oven.
These are the perfect addition to a crisp fall morning. Pour yourself a cup of dalgona coffee or pumpkin cream cold brew, wrap yourself in your favorite scarf and cozy up with a freshly baked muffin.
Whether you live somewhere with traditional “autumn weather” or not, a bite of Apple Spice Muffin will make you feel like you’re surrounded by falling leaves!
MORE APPLE RECIPES: Apple Pie | Apple Cinnamon Bread
Ingredient Notes
Apples.
- Choose a variety with lots of flavor and a nice balance of tartness and sweetness. Honeycrisps and Pink Ladies are great choices, along with Granny Smiths and Fuji apples.
- Core, peel and dice your apples before you begin preparing the muffins.
Orange Juice.
- I strongly recommend you squeeze your own from fresh oranges. Use a manual citrus squeezer or just do your best squeezing by hand.
Almond Extract.
- I also use almond extract in this recipe! It complements flavor of the apples and spices and makes these muffins smell extra good when they’re baking.
Step by Step Instructions
Once your ingredients are ready to go, these muffins are easy to make!
Make the muffin batter.
- Beat sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice and almond extract together in a large bowl. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt and cloves.
- Mix and then fold in the diced apples.
Bake.
- Fill paper lined muffin cups to half full. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes. Remove and cool.
- Apple Spice Muffins might taste good on their own but WOW does the caramel glaze really make them shine.
How to Make Caramel Glaze
Place brown sugar, butter and 1/4 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 2 full minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove the warm glaze from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Let the caramel cool for 15 minutes then whisk in powdered sugar and a little more milk to make a smooth spreadable icing.
Spread the finished caramel glaze on top of each muffin to make the best ever caramel apple muffin. Enjoy!
Aimee’s Pro Tip
Use our homemade caramel sauce in place of the glaze instead!
Recipe FAQs
Granny Smith and Fuji apples are my favorite varieties for baking, their tart balances with the sweetness.
Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to one week.
No, you can spray the cupcake tin with baking spray instead.
Yes. Freeze muffins before adding glaze, then make the caramel glaze fresh while the apple spice muffins thaw.
I love these with hot cocoa or tea for breakfast or even a quick dessert. They definitely have a moist “muffin-y” crumb but the swirl of caramel on top is more than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. You have to try them.
Hands down, these Apple Spice Muffins are the BEST apple muffin for fall!
More Fall Recipes
- Pumpkin Bread
- Cinnamon Spice Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats
- Peach Galette
- Pumpkin Donuts
Easy Muffin Recipes
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Apple Spice Muffins with Caramel Glaze
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
- 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup fresh orange juice I used 4 oranges
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ cups peeled diced apples
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 6 Tablespoons milk divided
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice and almond extract. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cloves. Mix until combined. Fold in apples.
- Fill paper lined muffin cups to half full. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes. Remove and cool.
- For the frosting, in a medium saucepan, heat brown sugar, butter and 1/4 cup milk (4Tbsp). Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil for 2 full minutes, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool 15 minutes.
- Whisk in the powdered sugar and remaining milk until smooth. Spread on cooled muffins. ENJOY!
Notes
- Apples- choose apples such as Honeycrisp or granny smith for best flavor
- Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to one week.
- Freeze muffins before adding glaze, then make the caramel glaze fresh while the apple spice muffins thaw.
Amazing! I have an apple spice cookie recipe that will surely go nicely with these muffins! I think I would do a caramel drizzle next time around. Thanks for sharing!
http://krumblecakesandsweets.blogspot.com/2012/09/apple-spice-cookies.html
I love apple cinnamon chip cookies!
I love making caramel apples at home!
My favorite Apple recipe is Fried Apple Pies! They are yummy!
keshakeke@aol.com
those look so delicious! i can’t wait to make them with some fresh cider apples!
Apple week–you’re kidding! This sounds like a swell idea. Out of curiosity, how did you gals get the idea to form this great week blog-off? You make such a tight-knit community, I just love hearing about these great events you pro planners all put together. Thanks for sharing!
Jocelyn and I met for a fun day and we brainstormed the idea months ago of having an apple week. We emailed a group of bloggers to see if they would be interested and they said yes! Not pro planners at all…just have to reach out. Best part of blogging, building a community!!
OMG…I just might run out of paper and/or ink printing all these yummy looking recipes!!!
haha! I know the feeling. My husband scoffs at me all the time when I ask him to pick up ink on his way home. He says, “you used to ask me to pick up milk!”
what a great recipe! hope i win this great giveaway!
Wow these look delicious! My favorite apple recipe is apple crumble.
So excited for apple week!! And we both know caramel and apples are a good way to start it. Aimee, thank you so much for your hard work putting this together! So amazing to be apart of! Love these muffins.
You’re so sweet. I definitely like the way we started the week off!! Glad you could be a part of it!
Aimee…these are AWESOME. I’ve been excited for this week because I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Thanks girlfriend!! I love apples so I’ve been pretty excited too!! Wait till later in the week….just sayin….that’s when I bring out the big guns!
Oh no!! I have finished all the apples! I want these muffins!
thanks for coordinating such a great week and your muffins and the GLAZE!!! sounds incredible!
I have an apple pound cake recipe that I love!
I love Simply Recipes’ apple pie!
My SIL makes some great Apple Cheesecake Bars with a Caramel Drizzle each year for Thanksgiving. Yum!
That sounds amazing…I think she needs to guest post that recipe on your blog!!
YUM!!! I am a sucker for muffins and that glaze sounds diving!! Jocelyn – I second the glaze & coffee combo!!
I am all over healthy breakfast cupcakes…errr I mean muffins! Especially with yummy fabulous glaze…although I might just eat that by the spoonfuls…or stir it into my coffee:-) Thanks for planning a fun Applicious Week with me:-)
This glaze is amazing! I think I’m in love with these muffins.
These look soooo good. I adore this glaze!
Thanks Cassie, can’t wait to see your recipe!!!