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Apple Pie Cupcakes

Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Kimberly Stroh

The fusion of two delicious desserts comes together in these Apple Pie Cupcakes! They’ve got a spice cake batter, a homemade apple pie filling and then topped with a vanilla buttercream frosting. If you love cake and apple pie, you’ve got to try this fall dessert mash up. They’re such a great individual dessert for any occasion.

These Apple Pie cupcakes are the perfect fall fusion dessert! They've got an apple pie filling in spice cake!

I love apple pie and it’s honestly one of my favorite desserts. I could make it all year round, not just in the fall season. Our family has an abundance of apples after a visit to the orchard, so I had to come up with a way to use all of our fresh apples. These Apple Pie Cupcakes were the result!

Start by putting together a simple homemade spice cake. While they’re baking in the oven, toss together an apple pie filling in the skillet. It gets stuffed into each cupcake before it’s frosted to finish. My kids love these cupcakes and I make them several times during the fall. They look like a lot of effort, but they’re quite easy – I promise!

Looking for even more great cupcake recipes? I’ve got you covered! Here are the most popular cupcake recipes on Savvy Mama Lifestyle:

Tips For Making Apple Pie Cupcakes

There are a few tools that you’ll need to make these cupcakes: a muffin tin, cupcake liners, mixing bowls, apple corer, skillet and piping bag for the frosting. If you don’t have an apple corer, you can use a spoon to gently remove excess cupcake. The piping bag helps make beautiful piped frosting, but use a knife if you don’t have a piping bag. The cupcakes will taste delicious either way!

Apple Pie Cupcakes Recipe
These Apple Pie Cupcakes are a delicious fall dessert perfect for any occasion.

When To Make Apple Pie Cupcakes

Cupcakes are great when you need to make individual desserts. I love making them for parties, showers, school events and potlucks. Cupcakes are a little more work than a traditional cake, but they serve a purpose when you need individual desserts. They’re also so cute! To transfer cupcakes, use a cupcake carrier. That will keep them from falling into each other.

Tips For Frosting These Cupcakes

Don’t be scared to use a piping bag and tip! If you’ve never piped frosting onto a cupcake, check out these cupcake frosting tips. Decorating the top of your cupcake will create a beautiful design. However, if you don’t have piping bags just use a butter knife.

How To Store Leftover Cupcakes

Transfer the cupcakes to an airtight food storage container. The cupcakes do not need to be refrigerated. However, keep the cupcakes away from direct heat to keep the frosting from melting. For the best freshness, enjoy the cupcakes within 4-5 days of baking. I like to add the caramel drizzle right before serving, and keep it off of cupcakes till they’re ready to eat.

The apple pie filling on the cupcakes
The apple pie filling is my favorite part! It’s so yummy.

Can You Freeze These Cupcakes?

Yes! These Apple Pie Cupcakes are easy to freeze. Once again, keep them in a freezer-friendly airtight food storage container. Store the cupcakes in the back of the freezer where the temperature is more stable. Keep the cupcakes frozen for up to three months. Let the cupcakes thaw on the countertop before enjoying again.

Recipe Variations

If you don’t want to make homemade apple pie filling, use canned apple pie filing. There’s nothing wrong with skipping the skillet cooking part and using canned. If it’s not apple season, this is a great option. Same for frosting- feel free to use store-bought canned frosting if you don’t want to make the homemade buttercream. I prefer the taste of everything homemade, though.

What You Need From The Grocery Store:

  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Baking Powder
  • Apple Pie Spice
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Salt
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Unsalted Butter
  • Egg
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Milk
  • Granny Smith Apples
  • Brown Sugar
  • Cornstarch
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Heavy Whipping Cream
Apple Pie Cupcakes Ingredients

Directions For Making Apple Pie Cupcakes

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.

Mixing the dry ingredients together

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.

Beating butter and sugars with eggs

Add the flour mixture about 1/2 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.

Cupcakes ready to bake in the oven

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.

Skillet Apple Pie Filling

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.

Apple corer to remove center of the cupcake

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.

Making the vanilla buttercream frosting

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.

Frosting the Apple Pie Cupcakes
Yield: 12 Cupcakes

Apple Pie Cupcakes

Easy Apple Pie Cupcakes Recipe

These Apple Pie Cupcakes are a spice cake stuffed with a cinnamon apple stuffing then finished with a buttercream frosting. They're delicious and perfect for fall!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

For The Cupcakes:

  • 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup milk

For The Filling:

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoon water

For The Frosting:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spritz with nonstick cooking spray.
    2. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, apple pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
    3. 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 1/2 cup at a time alternating with the milk.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. Gently spoon the apple pie filling into each cupcake well, packing slightly.
    8. 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.
    9. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and top each cupcake with frosting.
    10. If desired, drizzle the cupcakes with caramel ice cream topping. Garnish with a dried apple wedge. Refrigerate the cupcakes until ready to serve.

Notes

  • Store leftover Apple Pie Cupcakes in an airtight food storage container. For the best freshness, enjoy the cupcakes within 4-5 days of baking. Cupcakes do not need to be refrigerated, but should avoid direct heat.

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