These muffins are bursting with apple flavor and bits of gooey caramel. They are balanced out with oatmeal, sourdough discard, whole wheat flour and yogurt as well. These muffins are a fabulous way to start your day off deliciously!
Take your sourdough and turn it into delicious muffins. These babies are loaded with fresh apples and bits of caramel.
The best part is you can use sourdough starter from the fridge or discard. You’ll love the balance of flavors, textures and just the right amount of sweet!
I am really starting to get excited about fall baking. The days are still feeling like summer but there is definitely a hint of fall in the evening breeze.
Plus our favorite local apple orchard is picking the early varieties of apples. Fresh cider is a little ways off still but they have the best cider slushies from last year’s pressing and the frozen cider is perfect for the still warm days.
So making muffins with apples just makes sense this time of year. While I love grandpa Joe’s apple pumpkin muffins, I have been on a sourdough muffin kick and wanted to keep that going.
Besides, I now have a virtual muffin friend on my Facebook page! We bonded over the chocolate chip sourdough muffins I posted way back when and have been bouncing ideas off each other ever since.
She was the inspiration for adding cherries and almond extract for the cherry chip muffins. She made a version with fresh strawberries too that I can’t wait to try in the spring. They are her husband’s favorite.
She mentioned wanting to try subbing applesauce for the oil and I couldn’t wait to try that as well. Honestly I wasn’t quite sure how they’d turn out.
While I love the idea of saving a few calories, sometimes you run the risk of a heavy dense muffin. Since I already use some whole wheat flour and a bunch of oatmeal I wasn’t sure if this would be too much.
Throwing caution to the wind, I went ahead and made them anyway. To really drive the apple flavor home I not only added the applesauce, I added apple juice and a chopped up apple as well.
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To even out all the healthiness, I went ahead and stirred in some caramel bits… because, well, caramel! (And I’m sure we all know by now sometimes I just can’t help myself. I didn’t frost them and let’s be thankful for that bit of restraint.)
Of course you could leave the caramel out and have yourself a pretty virtuous apple muffin.
So what’s the verdict? They baked up beautifully just like the muffins with oil and they smelled so good.
I was so excited that I immediately messaged a picture to my muffin baking pal. They were still hot, hadn’t been tasted and it was a bit premature for celebration, but I couldn’t help myself.
You know what? The celebration was warranted! These muffins were so moist and full of apple flavor. They also were beautifully soft and not too dense.
I could have probably gobbled them all up in a sitting or two if I would have allowed myself. As it was I had to taste test one right away.
Then I took a couple in my lunch bag each day for the next few days. One for a mid-morning breakfast and one for lunch! I reluctantly shared a few as well.
If you are looking for a new fall treat, these should definitely be on the list! What are your favorite apple recipes?
Caramel Apple Sourdough Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup apple juice
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- ½ cup sourdough starter*
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup applesauce I used unsweetened, but any should work
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 medium apple cored and diced
- ½ cup caramel bits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and grease enough muffin tins for 12 muffins
- In a large bowl, mix together oatmeal, apple juice, yogurt and sourdough starter. You may continue immediately, but I prefer to let this step sit for about 10 minutes to let everything soften a bit if I have the time.1 cup rolled oats, ½ cup apple juice, ½ cup plain yogurt, ½ cup sourdough starter*
- Stir in the brown sugar, applesauce, egg and vanilla extract.⅓ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup applesauce, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a small bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir into wet ingredients until just mixed.1 cup all purpose flour, ½ cup whole wheat flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt
- Fold in the diced apple and caramel bits and then spoon into the prepared muffin tin. (A large cookie scoop makes this process quick and easy.)1 medium apple, ½ cup caramel bits
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden and a toothpick tests done.
- Cool in muffin tin for about 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container for a few days on the counter or freeze until ready to eat.
Notes
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They were a great way to kick off apple season! Thanks, Helen!
Looks yummy!
Thanks, Kelly!
Hmmm…I've never had a sourdough apple muffin. Very curious as I LOVE all things sourdough. Thanks for sharing your recipe on Merry Monday. Pinned and will be featuring this in an apple round-up.
I hadn't either, but this certainly won't be the last time! I love sourdough too and the base recipe for these muffins is my favorite! Thanks, Erlene!
can you eliminate the sour dough and sub something else
I have not tried it without, so I am not sure. You would probably get a similar muffin if you replace it with equal parts of flour and water and just a tiny pinch of yeast. You could possibly try just omitting it as well. It might not have the exact same consistency, but it would likely still make a nice muffin.
That sounds amazing! Three of my favorites all in one!
Yay!! We really enjoyed them and hope you do too!
You are too funny. I can just see your muffins with frosting on them – unfortunately I would probably love them. I do love apples as well and these muffins sound so good with all 3 variations of apple in them. (I was thinking that you needed to find some apple yogurt). Thank you for sharing this recipe and have a great day!
I know I would love frosted muffins but then it's basically a cupcake and less acceptable for breakfast 😉
Hi Carlee, we've got similar weather now, with the days still be hot, but the nights feeling cooler. This morning I felt chilly when I got up.
This winter I really should have a go at making a sour dough starter! It's something I've been meaning to do and so many recipes I come across call for it. I would probably have taste tested two, the second one is to make sure the first one really did taste that good! I will be giving these ago just as soon as I get that starter on the go! Pinning for the future!
xx
You should definitely try the starter. It is kind of fun and pretty easy. I hope to make more homemade bread with it as the weather cools down more. There is nothing like the smell of baking bread!
I am absolutely in love with these! Sourdough in muffins? I never would have thought of that but now I can't wait to try them. Soooo good!
I love the final texture it gives these. I have a small collection of sourdough muffin recipes, I seem to make muffins and pizza dough with my sourdough more than anything else!
I'm kind of giddy just thinking about these muffins!! I will be making these! Have a fabulous Tuesday like a Monday, lol!!
Yay!!! I hope you love them! xoxox
Just the thought of caramel (taffy) apples in the fall makes me happy. To think I could have those flavors waiting for me to eat for breakfast-well-🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
Perfect, huh? Caramel apples are definitely a fun part of fall!