If you love apple pie but also love cupcakes, why not enjoy both in one delicious treat? These Apple Pie Cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and filled with warm spiced apple pie filling, then topped with creamy frosting!
This treat is one of my fall favorites that's perfect for parties, holiday gatherings, or just when I want a sweet and cozy treat. This and Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls are my go-to recipes when I don’t feel like whipping up an entire pie but still want the same flavor!
I loved the surprise of the gooey apple filling inside the soft cupcake, which reminds me of my grandma's homemade pie but in a fun, portable form.
With a cinnamon-spiced cupcake base, tender apple filling, and smooth buttercream frosting, each bite has the perfect mix of flavors. Add a drizzle of caramel sauce or an apple wedge garnish, and you've got cupcakes that look just as good as they taste!
🧾 Ingredients Needed
For the cupcakes:
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- apple pie spice
- ground cinnamon
- salt
- sugar
- unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- large eggs
- vanilla extract
- milk
For the filling:
- unsalted butter
- Granny Smith apples, cored and diced
- brown sugar, packed
- cornstarch
- water
For the frosting:
- unsalted butter, room temperature
- powdered sugar
- salt
- vanilla extract
- heavy cream
📌 Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with quantities and step-by-step instructions!
🔁 Variations
- Try Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples for a sweeter filling, or mix these apple varieties for more depth of flavor.
- Replace the vanilla extract with maple extract for a richer autumn twist!
- Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar or streusel crumbs on top of the frosting for a bakery-style finish.
- Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour to make the recipe gluten-free.
- Turn this recipe into a 9×9-inch cake by spreading the batter in a pan for 35-40 minutes and layering the apple filling on top before adding frosting!
🥣 How to Make
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spritz with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, apple pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
STEP TWO: In a mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, blending well and scraping down the sides as needed.
STEP THREE: Add the flour mixture about ½ cup at a time alternating with the milk.
STEP FOUR: Portion the batter into the cupcake liners. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center returns clean. Allow to cool.
STEP FIVE: Meanwhile, prepare the apple pie filling by placing the butter, apples, and brown sugar into a skillet. Cook over medium heat until the apples are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir the cornstarch into the water until blended. Then, pour the cornstarch slurry into the apples. Continue cooking for about 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Allow to cool.
STEP SIX: When the cupcakes have cooled, use a paring knife or apple corer to remove half of the center from each cupcake. Do not pierce all the way through the bottom.
STEP SEVEN: Gently spoon the apple pie filling into each cupcake well, packing slightly.
STEP EIGHT: To make the frosting: Beat the butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla to the butter and beat on low until incorporated. Then, increase the speed to medium and add the heavy cream, beating the frosting until fluffy and smooth.
STEP NINE: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and top each cupcake with frosting. If desired, drizzle the cupcakes with caramel ice cream topping. Garnish with a dried apple wedge. Refrigerate the cupcakes until ready to serve.
⭐ Pro Tips ⭐
- Measure flour correctly by spooning it into the cup and leveling off. Too much flour makes cupcakes dense!
- Chill the apple filling slightly before adding it to the cupcakes to prevent the centers from becoming soggy.
- If you don't have a piping bag, scoop frosting into a zip-top bag, snip the corner, and pipe as usual.
- Let the butter for frosting soften at room temperature (not melted) for the smoothest buttercream texture!
- For neat, bakery-style presentation, wipe the knife or corer clean after each cupcake when hollowing out the centers.
More Fall Apple Recipe Ideas
If you tried this Apple Pie Cupcakes recipe or any other recipe on my site, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing your about your results and thoughts!
📖 Recipe
Apple Pie Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted, cooled
- 2 pcs large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
For the filling
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 pcs Granny Smith apples cored and diced
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon water
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalter butter room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- salt pinch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spritz with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, apple pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, blending well and scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add the flour mixture about ½ cup at a time alternating with the milk.
- Portion the batter into the cupcake liners. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center returns clean. Allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the apple pie filling by placing the butter, apples, and brown sugar into a skillet. Cook over medium heat until the apples are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir the cornstarch into the water until blended. Then, pour the cornstarch slurry into the apples. Continue cooking for about 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Allow to cool.
- When the cupcakes have cooled, use a paring knife or apple corer to remove half of the center from each cupcake. Do not pierce all the way through the bottom.
- Gently spoon the apple pie filling into each cupcake well, packing slightly.
- To make the frosting: Beat the butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla to the butter and beat on low until incorporated. Then, increase the speed to medium and add the heavy cream, beating the frosting until fluffy and smooth.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and top each cupcake with frosting. If desired, drizzle the cupcakes with caramel ice cream topping. Garnish with a dried apple wedge. Refrigerate the cupcakes until ready to serve
Notes
-
- Measure flour correctly by spooning it into the cup and leveling off. Too much flour makes cupcakes dense!
- Chill the apple filling slightly before adding it to the cupcakes to prevent the centers from becoming soggy.
- If you don't have a piping bag, scoop frosting into a zip-top bag, snip the corner, and pipe as usual.
- Let the butter for frosting soften at room temperature (not melted) for the smoothest buttercream texture!
- For neat, bakery-style presentation, wipe the knife or corer clean after each cupcake when hollowing out the centers.
Nutrition
Emma says
Nice recipe!!!Looks yummy. Must try soon. Thanks