These apple pie cupcakes are moist, fluffy and full of apple, cinnamon and spice flavors. If you love the classic apple pie taste, then these cupcakes are a must try. Perfect for fall, thanksgiving and more.
The combination of apples, cinnamon, sugar and spices is a classic flavor combination that is usually tossed into a pie. However, mixing it all together and creating these apple pie cupcakes is also a homerun.
Cupcakes with filling like these are easy to make and are bursting with flavor. Some other options include: Nutella Cupcakes and Biscoff Cupcakes.
Or, if you are looking for other classic dessert flavors, try out these lemon meringue pie cupcakes.
These cupcakes are a versatile treat perfect for Fall, Thanksgiving, Birthday's and more.
🧁Why To Try This Recipe
Classic Flavor - the flavor of apples, cinnamon and other spices is a classic flavor everyone can enjoy.
Easy to Make - this recipe is ready in about 45 minutes and is super easy to make.
Customizable - you can make this recipe your own by adding a streusel topping, cream cheese frosting and more.
Jump to:
📋Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- Butter - softened
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Milk
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Baking Powder
- Allspice
- Nutmeg
- Ginger
- Cardamom
- Flour
For the Apple Filling:
- Apples
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Corn Starch
- Water
For the Frosting:
- Butter - softened
- Vanilla
- Salt
- Heavy Cream
- Powdered Sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
📖Substitutions & Variations
Here are a few quick ideas for ingredient substitutions and variations to change the recipe up a little.
- Add streusel topping - some apple pies have a crumbly streusel topping sprinkled over them. You can add one to these cupcakes as well, if desired. (You can find a streusel recipe here on this apple crumble cheesecake).
- Use canned apple pie filling - speed things up by using a canned apple pie filling to stuff the cupcakes instead of making your own from scratch.
- Boxed cake or cupcake mix - if you don't want to make the cupcakes from scratch, use a vanilla cake mix and add in the spices. Or, you can used a spiced cake mix.
Love apple pie, but don't want cupcakes? Try these mini apple pie tarts instead.
⏲️Instructions
Follow along with these easy step-by-step instructions to make your own cupcakes.
Step one: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake/muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set the tin aside for later.
Step two: In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter on medium - takes 2 to 3 minutes.
Step three: Add in eggs, vanilla and milk. Mix on low until well combined.
Step four: Add in flour, baking powder, salt & spices. Mix on low until completely combined.
Step five: Scoop batter into cupcake liners until they are about ⅔ of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 14 minutes.
Step six: Add diced apples, butter and brown sugar to a pan. Heat on medium for around 10 mins - sugar will dissolve & apples become tender.
Step seven: In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and water. Pour over apples and stir until they thicken.
Step eight: Add butter, vanilla, salt, heavy cream and powdered sugar to mixing bowl.
Step nine: Mix on low until well combined. Then turn to medium high for another 2 - 3 minutes until stiff peaks form.
Step ten: Once cupcakes have cooled, scoop the center of each cupcake out. Then, spoon apple pie filling into each hole.
Step eleven: Scoop frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Place a large swirl on frosting on top of each cupcake.
Hint: when scooping the center of the cupcake out, do not go all the way to the bottom. Make sure that the bottom part of the cupcake is still in tact so that the filling is contained.
⭐Recipe Tips for Success
- Room temperature - for the lightest, fluffiest cupcakes you want to be sure not to overmix the batter. To do this, use room temperature eggs and softened butter so that they mix quicker and more thoroughly.
- Frosting consistency - the frosting should be thick enough to hold small peaks in the bowl, but not so thick that it's difficult to move through the piping bag. Add more sugar to thicken and more milk to thin it.
- Coring the cupcake - there are many ways to core the cupcake for the filling. You can use an actual cupcake corer, a small spoon or a knife just to name a few ways. Just be sure not to cut through to the bottom of the cupcake.
Storage
These cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 - 5 days.
If they wont be consumed in that time, you can freeze them. Flash freeze the cupcakes, then wrap in cling wrap and place in a freezer bag or an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Apple Pie Cupcakes
Equipment
- Measuring Spoons
- measuring cups
- Cupcake/Muffin Tin
- Cupcake Liners
- Mixing bowl
- Hand or Stand Mixer
- Spatula or Large Spoon
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- ¾ Cup Butter softened
- ¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ Cup Milk
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Allspice
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon Ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon cardamom
- 2 Cups Flour
For apple pie filling:
- 2 Medium Apples Peeled & diced
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon Water
For the frosting:
- 1 Cup Butter Softened
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 3 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
- 3 Cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Line muffin/cupcake tin with liners and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cream together ¾ cup butter and ¾ cup sugar in a bowl with a mixer. This usually takes about 2 minutes. It should become light and fluffy.
- Add in 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and ½ cup of milk and mix on low until well combined.
- Add in 2 cups flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon allspice and nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ginger and cardamom. Then mix on low, scraping sides down until well combined.
- Scoop about ¼ cup of batter into each of the cupcake liners - they should be about ⅔ of the way full.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 - 14 minutes or until edges are slightly brown.
For Apple Pie Filling:
- While baking cupcakes, in a small saucepan combine 2 diced apples, 1 Tablespoon butter and ½ cup brown sugar.
- Heat on medium for about 10 minutes while stirring frequently. Sugar will dissolve and apples will become tender.
- Combine 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and water in a separate bowl. Then, pour over apple mixture and continue stirring until it thickens.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
For Frosting:
- Combine 1 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons heavy cream and 3 cups of powdered sugar in a mixing bowl.
- Mix on low to combined and then mix on medium until frosting becomes fluffy, smooth and forms small peaks.
- Place frosting in a piping bag with a large star tip.
Cupcake Assembly:
- Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small spoon, cupcake corer or knife to remove the center of each cupcake.
- Fill the center of each cupcake with the apple filling.
- Pipe frosting in a spiral patter over the top of each cupcake.
Notes
- Speed them up - use boxed cake mix for the cupcakes and/or canned apple pie filling for the filling.
- Don't overmix batter - use room temperature eggs and softened butter so that you don't overmix the batter. This will keep the cupcakes fluffy and light.
- Leave the bottom - when coring the center out, leave the bottom of the cupcakes so that the filling stays contained.
- Frosting consistency- if frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, add another splash of heavy cream.
- Keep in the fridge for 3 - 5 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze for up to 3 months by flash freezing, wrapping in cling wrap and then packing in freezer bags or an airtight container.
Nutrition information provided is just an estimate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.
