Apple Harvest Muffins

I woke up the other day feeling like baking a batch of muffins for breakfast. Instead of the usual blueberry or banana muffins, I wanted something spiced and packed full of fruit. This was the perfect choice, especially since apples are one of my favorite fruits. I literally eat one every day. These muffins started out with a thick batter, so thick that I thought I must have made a mistake when measuring the flour. I was worried that they would be dense and wouldn't rise. I wrong! Turning the heat of the oven to a much higher temperature for the first few minutes of the baking process really gave these a beautiful rise, domed and crusty on top! Inside the apples moistened the muffins creating a tender buttery crumb. They were absolutely delicious- I couldn't stop at one!!!

Apple Harvest Muffins
Ingredients
2 c. all-purpose flour
½ c. sugar
¼ c. brown sugar, packed
½ c. (1 stick) butter, room temperature
¾ c. buttermilk
¼ c. plain applesauce
1 egg
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. apple pie spice
½ tsp. vanilla
2 small apples, peeled and diced in ¼" cubes

Topping:
¼ c. brown sugar, packed
¼ c. rolled oats
¼ tsp. cinnamon
½ tbsp. butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with papers or spray the wells generously with baking spray, set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars for about 2-3 minutes on medium-high. Add egg, applesauce, and vanilla, mix on low until just combined.
3. In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and apple pie spice. With mixing speed on low, alternate buttermilk and dry ingredients, adding about ⅓ of each mixture at a time, until remaining ingredients are gone. Remove bowl from stand and gently fold in apples. Scoop mixture in to prepared muffin tin (note: the batter will be to the rim, so make sure you fill them generously).
4. To prepare the topping, in a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Sprinkle over each individual muffin. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 6-10 minutes. The muffins should have a little spring to them and the topping should be golden brown and crunchy. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Adapted from King Arthur Flour, Apple Muffins | Makes 12 standard size muffins