Apple Crisp Cupcakes (with video)
Hello fall baking! Today we are making these awesome fall cupcakes: Apple Crisp Cupcakes! And also make sure to check out the video on this page where I show you how to make this recipe!
This is such a fun baking project! If you love baking, this one is for you!
You will make:
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- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Apple Pie Filling
- Crumble Topping
- Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
All of these elements are assembled into the delicious Apple Crisp Cupcakes.
These apple cupcakes would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table, or any holiday festivities!
Many elements of these cupcakes can be done ahead, like the apple pie filling, and the crumble topping. They will keep well for a few days. And even the cupcakes, and the frosting. If you choose to refrigerate the Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting, take it out of the fridge about 1 hour before you wish to frost your cupcakes, and whisk the frosting until it becomes smooth again.
So this makes it very easy for you to plan all of your baking and cooking around the holidays.
So let’s talk about the cupcakes
How to make Apple Crisp Cupcakes
I started by making the Apple Pie Filling, so it could have a chance to cool down in the fridge.
You can make the apple pie filling the night before, or even a couple of days before if you wish so, to save you time when assembling. I made mine just a couple of hours before assembling the apple cupcakes.
Next on the list, make the cupcakes. So they also have a chance to cool down before filling and frosting.
These are simple vanilla cupcakes! Look how golden and perfect! The secret here is to fill up only 2/3 of the cupcake tin with batter.
Once the apple pie filling is made, the cupcakes baked, you can make the crumble! You can also make the crumble and the cupcakes the night before of assembling. The crumble will last about 5 days at room temperature, in an air tight container. And the cupcakes will last about 5 days in the fridge, and 1 month in the freezer.
The crumble is super easy to make. You will notice on the video in this page I made a huge amount of crumble! We used it to top ice cream, yogurt bowls, and etc. But I am giving you the right amount here, enough to top the cupcakes.
It’s so buttery and delicious!!
After everything has cooled down, you can make the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. You can also make this frosting the day before, keep it refrigerated, and remove it from the fridge about 1 hour before it’s time to frost the cupcakes, and give it a little whisk to smooth the frosting back up and fluff it up.
When all is said and done, cupcakes are baked and cooled down, apple pie filling chilled through, crumble topping also cooled, and the frosting is ready, you can start assembling the cupcakes.
Take a look at the video to watch how I assembled the cupcakes. The video is located in this page, and you can also find it on my youtube channel HERE.
Start by cutting out the middle of the cupcakes with a spoon. And then use a spoon to put some apple pie filling in the center of the cupcakes.
Now, place the frosting in a piping bag. And pipe a tall ring of frosting around the edges of the cupcake.
I like to leave some room in the middle so I can top it off with some more apple pie filling.
Now spoon some apple pie filling in the center of the cupcakes, inside the ring of frosting.
And then sprinkle some of the crumble topping right on top of the cupcakes.
What do you think? Do you love these Apple Crisp Cupcakes as much as I do?
These Apple Crisp Cupcakes were a huge hit with my husband. One of his favorite desserts is apple crisp, he asked me not to share these cupcakes with anybody else 😂since I am always giving my sweets away. He wanted these cupcakes all for himself.
If you like this recipe, here are some more suggestions of desserts to bake for Thanksgiving, or any holidays that you may like.
- Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes (hint, it also takes the same Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting from this recipe!)
- Mousse Cake
- Creme Brûlée pie
- Chocolate Strawberry Cake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons
- Pumpkin Tiramisu
- Flan Cake
Well, I really hope you enjoyed today’s recipe as much as I have enjoyed baking it, writing it, filming it, photographing it, and eating it!
If you make this tag me on instagram, I love to see what you create!
Have a fabulous day! Much love and peace!
Apple Crisp Cupcakes
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 191 grams, 6.75 oz
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams, 7.1 oz
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened 113 grams, 4 oz
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk room temperature 118 ml
Apple Pie Filling
- 3 1/2 cups chopped apples
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 stick of cinnamon optional
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
Crumble Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder
- 4 tbsp butter cold diced
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup cream cheese softened 226 grams, 8 oz
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened 113 grams, 4 oz
- 4 cups powdered sugar 510 grams 18 oz
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2-1 tbsp of ground Ceylon cinnamon
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Line 16 cupcake tins with paper or grease with butter and flour.
- Start by sifting the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter at medium speed, for about 1 minute.
- Add sugar and cream for another 2 minutes, until creamy and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined before adding the next egg.
- Add vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Now it’s time to slowly add the milk. Stir to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold until incorporated.
- Pour batter evenly onto cupcake tins, filling about 2/3 of the way.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating in between to bake evenly.
- You may need a couple more minutes. Check if cupcakes are ready when you press it gently on top of the cupcakes and they spring back.
- Let cupcakes cool down before filling and frosting.
Apple Pie filling
- Place apples, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan with a stick of cinnamon (if using).
- Cook apples over medium heat until softened, but not falling apart.
- Depending on what kind of apple you are using, it might take less or more time to cook them. Softer apples will cook faster.
- Remove the cinnamon stick.
- Add brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon powder, and salt.
- Cook for a minute to dissolve the brown sugar.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Mix to combine.
- Add this mixture to the pan.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes until the apple filling becomes thick.
- Remove to a bowl. Let it cool down in the fridge all the way before using.
Crumble topping
- Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
- Mix flour with white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Add cold butter to the mixture.
- Incorporate the butter, using a fork, or your hands. I like to use my hands because the warmth of my hands helps the butter incorporate nicely into the dry ingredients.
- The mixture should be like a coarse meal. You shouldn’t see pieces of butter in there, everything should be incorporated together.
- Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently in between, to break up the crumbs. If you let it bake without stirring, it will bake as a whole piece.
- Also stir it when you remove it from the oven.
- Bake until the crumbs are golden.
- Let it cool down. Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days, at room temperature.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Start by sifting the powdered sugar with the cinnamon. Set it aside.
- Now, cream the softened cream cheese and butter together in the bowl of an electric mixer, for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
- With the mixer off, add powdered sugar/cinnamon mixture to the bowl.
- Turn mixer on low to incorporate the powdered sugar with the cream cheese and butter.
- Once you see no streaks of dry powdered sugar, cream mixture on medium high for one minute.
- This frosting will store well in the fridge for up to 5 days, covered.
- Make sure to always leave your frosting covered. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, because otherwise, the surface will dry out and get hard.
To assemble
- Use a spoon to remove the middle of the cupcakes.
- Spoon some apple pie filling in there.
- Frost the top of the cupcake around the middle, leaving a hole in the middle.
- Spoon a bit more apple pie filling in the middle. Check my pictures above and my video to see how I did this.
- Top with some of the crumble topping.
Storage
- Store cupcakes in the fridge for up to 5 days, if they last that long.
The filling and frosting turned out ok (I halved the amount of cinnamon in the frosting), but the cupcakes turned out very dry.
Thank you for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback! I’m glad the filling and frosting turned out well for you! As for the cupcakes, dryness can sometimes happen if they’re slightly overbaked or if too much flour is accidentally added (even a little can make a difference). Using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients or baking for the minimum time can help prevent that. This recipe has been tried and loved by many, and I’d love for you to enjoy it to the fullest! Let me know if you give it another go!
Could this be done with a spice cupcake?
sure!
I don’t know how the proportions for the crumble were made but it does not make a “crumble”. It was a dough once you incorporated all that butter. I didn’t make the rest of the recipe but I wouldn’t trust it now.
Have you baked and stirred during baking to form the crumbs? That’s how the crumbs are formed, as the crumble dough bakes and sets, and you stir it to break it into crumbs.
I multiplied the cupcake and filling recipe by 1.5 and kept the frosting amt the same and got 21 cupcakes instead of 24 (i did fill to almost only half the cup), but twice as much filling as needed and plenty of extra frosting too. But I’m certainly not gonna complain because these were delicious! I did skip the crumble topping because they were already quite time-consuming. They were delicious without. Thank you!
Que delícia 😋 😋 😋 😋 adorei o recheio! Saboroso e crocante!!
Que delícia!! Para um lanche à tarde ou para uma festa, ficarão incríveis!! Sucesso total!