Browned butter, toffee and apples.... all wrapped up In a nice compact muffin -- the kind you might find at your local coffee shop or bakery and that you can make at home in less than a half hour of prep time. How yummy is that?
Applesauce, fresh crisp apples, and toffee chips are the perfect complement to the natural nutty flavor of browned butter in these streusel-topped muffins. Perfect for serving at brunch, with a morning cup of coffee or as a special after-school snack.
I was inspired to make these having just made chocolate chip cookies using browned butter and loved the natural nuttiness it imparted on the chewy cookies. And then I started thinking about caramel apples and the next thing you know I'm pulling out the muffin tins.
What I like about these brown butter toffee apple muffins is that you only need one bowl to prep them -- no need to get out the mixer! Melted browned butter makes mixing the ingredients effortless.
I used Heath Bar Bits O' Brickle English Toffee Baking Bits which can be found in the baking aisle at most grocery stores.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- applesauce
- sour cream
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla
- cinnamon
- salt
- baking powder
- baking soda
- flour
- toffee brickle
- large apple
- sugar
- sea salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Jump to RecipeInstructions
Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375°F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
Melt the butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, scraping milk solids off the bottom and sides of the pan, until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty.
Pour the butter and brown bits into a large bowl and cool for 10 minutes. Remove 3 tablespoons of the butter and reserve in a small bowl.
Add the sour cream, applesauce and brown sugar and whisk until smooth.
Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and whisk until smooth.
Whisk in the baking powder and soda until combined.
Then fold in the flour until combined. Fold in diced apples and toffee until combined.
Fold in diced apples and toffee until combined.
Make topping: Add the sugar, flour and cinnamon to the small bowl with the reserved browned butter and mix with fingers until crumbs form.
Spoon batter into muffin liners; they will be nearly full. Top evenly with topping mixture. Sprinkle tops with sea salt.
Bake until the muffins until puffed and golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
Hint: Browning butter requires a bit of attention to make sure you don't overshoot the browning and end up with burnt butter! Cooking over medium heat and stirring regularly will prevent burning. Once the milk solids have formed the color will slowly change from golden to deep amber. This is when it is done -- you have perfectly browned and nutty flavored butter!
Substitutions & Variations
- Bananas or Pears - no apples, substitute 1-½ cups diced banana or peeled ripe pear.
- Chocolate - consider dialing these muffins up and used chocolate covered toffee bits. If you can't find toffee bits in the baking aisle, crush 1-½ (1.4 oz.) Heath bars in to small pieces. I use a zip lock bag and a meat tenderizer (!)
- Yogurt - substitute whole milk plain yogurt for the sour cream
- Muffin Tin Liners -- I like using these because they make clean-up easier and help to maintain the muffin shape for storage, but they are not a requirement. Simply coat the muffin tin cups with a generous coating of butter (or cooking spray) prior to filling with batter.
Equipment
- medium mixing bowl
- 12-cup muffin tin or 2-6 cup muffin tins
- muffin liners (optional)
Storage
After the muffins have cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
🍽️ Recipe
Brown Butter Toffee Apple Muffins
Equipment
- medium mixing bowl
- 12-cup muffin tin or 2 6-cup muffin tins
Ingredients
Muffins
- 11 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¾ cup applesauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups flour
- ¾ cup toffee brickle
- 1 large apple peeled and diced
Topping
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375°F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- Melt the butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, scraping milk solids off the bottom and sides of the pan, until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty. Pour the butter and brown bits into a large bowl and cool for 10 minutes. Remove 3 tablespoons of the butter and reserve in a small bowl.
- Add the sour cream, applesauce and brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the baking powder and soda until combined. Then fold in the flour until combined. Fold in diced apples and toffee until combined.
- Make topping: Add the sugar, flour and cinnamon to the small bowl with the reserved browned butter and mix with fingers until crumbs form.
- Spoon batter into muffin liners; they will be nearly full. Top evenly with topping mixture. Sprinkle tops with sea salt.
- Bake until the muffins until puffed and golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
- Store leftover muffins at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 4 months.
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