First, get your oven warmed up to 375°F (190°C) and prepare your muffin tin. I usually reach for paper liners because they make cleanup a breeze, but if you don’t have any, just grease each cup lightly with oil or butter, it works just as well.

Next, peel and chop your Honeycrisp apples into bite-sized chunks, big enough to enjoy in every bite but not so big they feel chunky. Toss the apple pieces lightly with a little flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom.

Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl, whisking until thoroughly mixed. No need to sift, just make sure the spices and leavening are well mixed.

In a larger bowl, combine the vegetable oil, applesauce, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Whisk everything by hand until the mixture looks smooth and creamy. That rich caramel color from the brown sugar always tells me these muffins are going to be something special.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and gently fold together using a spatula or wooden spoon. Mix just until there are no big streaks of flour left, you want to keep the batter light and tender.

Slowly incorporate the chopped apples, blending them uniformly into the batter. I like to be careful here to keep those apple pieces intact and nicely distributed.

Scoop the batter into your muffin tin, filling each cup almost to the top but leaving a little room to rise. Using a cookie scoop makes this step quick and mess-free.

Pop the muffins in the oven and bake for about 25 to 28 minutes, or until they turn a lovely golden color and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, mix together the cinnamon and granulated sugar you reserved for the topping. Brush each muffin top with a bit of melted butter, then roll or sprinkle generously in the cinnamon sugar mix. This final touch adds that perfect sweet crunch. Enjoy every warm, cozy bite!