Caramel Apple Muffins

For Muffins
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie (or apple pie) spice (or you can find lots of recipes online for a homemade version)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
1 cup homemade buttermilk (Add 1 tbsp vinegar to a 1 cup measuring cup, add evaporated milk to make 1 cup of buttermilk.  Mix and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before using.)
1/2 cup canola
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 cups peeled and coarsely chopped Granny Smith Apples (about 1 1/2 apples)

Pecan Topping
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons rolled oats
1/2 cup toasted pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Caramel Drizzle
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup half and half
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla
pinch of salt

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a muffin pan with paper liners.

Prepare Muffins

• In a bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.
• In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, oil vanilla and both the dark and light brown sugar. Mix together until contents are well combined and mixture looks like caramel.
• Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour your wet ingredients into the dry.  Gently mix until the mixture is just combined, it is okay to still see some flour at this point.
• Add the apples and gently fold the apples into the mixture.
• Using a large ice cream scoop, fill each muffin cup almost to the top.

Pecan Topping

• In a small bowl,  mix together the light and dark brown sugar, pecans, flour, oats.
• Add 3 tablespoons of melted butter and mix until all the ingredients are moistened and crumbly.
• Add a heaping tablespoon to the top of the muffin batter.
• Bake for about 25 minutes for standard, 35 minutes for jumbo and 20 minutes for mini, or until a toothpick come out cleanly.
• Cool in pan for 5 minutes and remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Caramel Topping

• In a small saucepan over medium high heat add both brown sugars, butter and half and half, bring to a boil stirring constantly with a whisk.  The mixture will thicken as heats, cook for about 5 minutes.
• Add vanilla extract and pinch of salt during last couple of minutes.
• Liberally drizzle caramel on the muffins.

recipe source here