These apple pie cupcakes are stuffed with a sweet apple pie filling and topped with cinnamon buttercream. Soft, moist and spiced, they taste like pie but in a cupcake!
Love apple desserts? Try my brown bag apple pie, Dutch apple pie and apple pie bars, too!
Table of Contents
Apple Pie Cupcake Recipe
These apple pie cupcakes are a great solution for when you’re craving apple pie, but want an easier alternative. Each bite is full of comforting fall flavors and is the perfect ratio of apple filling to cinnamon sugar frosting.
Grab a box of your favorite yellow cake mix and some canned apple filling and you’ll be on your way to making apple filled cupcakes that are soft, fluff and delicious in no time. Along with apple dump cake these are one my favorite boxed cake mix recipes of the season!
Why I Love These Cupcakes
- Apple cupcakes using cake mix. I love a good homemade cupcake, but I don’t always have the time to make my favorite vanilla cupcakes from scratch. A box of cake mix saves time while still tasting delicious.
- Canned apple filling. A can of apple pie filling is another easy shortcut that doesn’t compromise taste. Apple pie filled cupcakes are ready in 30 minutes!
Recipe Ingredients
- Yellow cake mix: A boxed cake mix saves time, but you can use my yellow cake recipe if you would like! You will need ingredients included on the back of the box.
- Apple pie filling: Another time-saver when it comes to this apple pie cupcake recipe.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds warm fall flavor to the tender cupcakes.
- Frosting: Butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, heavy cream and cinnamon.
Variations
- Swap the yellow cake mix for a spice cake mix or my vanilla cake mix.
- Add a dash of nutmeg to the batter for even more fall flavor. Or use an apple spice blend that’s made with cinnamon, nutmeg and ground all-spice.
- Make a homemade apple pie filling with fresh picked apples.
- Use cream cheese frosting or maple cream cheese frosting with a sprinkle of cinnamon for a tangier flavor. You could simply top with whipped cream, too!
- Add a crumble topping or streusel topping instead of buttercream.
- Drizzle homemade caramel sauce over icing before serving.
How to Make Apple Pie Cupcakes
- Prepare the cake mix according to package directions. Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Fill the cupcakes liners about 2/3 of the way full with batter. Coarsely chop the apple pie filling into bite sized pieces then add a spoonful of filling in each muffin cup.
- Bake at 350°F for about 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
- Combine frosting ingredients and pipe or spread frosting on top.
Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
This cinnamon buttercream is the perfect compliment to these apple pie cupcakes. It’s rich, creamy and has a hint of spice flavor from the cinnamon without being too overpowering.
You can either pipe the frosting on the cupcakes, or use a knife to spread it over the top. Piping will require more frosting, so I’d recommend doubling the buttercream so that you have enough use the rest for topping this snickerdoodle muffin recipe or pumpkin spice cupcakes. I like to use a 1M star tip for best results.
After the frosting is on, drizzle some salted caramel sauce over the tops to take these cupcakes to the next level. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
Learn how to frost the perfect cupcakes with this easy step-by-step tutorial. With only a few simple tools, you’ll be frosting bakery-style cupcakes in no time.
More easy fall desserts to make include apple fritters, spice cake mix cookies and my favorite pumpkin crunch cake!
More Apple Recipes
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Apple Pie Cupcakes
Video
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 15.25 ounce box yellow cake mix , plus ingredients on box
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1- ½ cups apple pie filling , can use a can
Frosting:
- ½ cup salted butter
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar , measured then sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tablespoons heavy cream , more or less as needed
- ½ to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For topping (optional): caramel sauce, apple slices
Instructions
- Prepare cake mix. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Prepare the cake mix with 1 teaspoon cinnamon according to package directions. Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Fill cupcakes. Fill the cupcakes liners about 2/3 of the way full with batter. Coarsely chop the apple pie filling into bite sized pieces. You can add the can to a food processor to make it easier. Just be careful not to puree. Then add a spoonful of filling in each muffin cup. You don't need to use all of it, you want to leave a little space at the top.
- Bake. Bake in oven for about 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
- Make frosting. While the cupcakes cool, beat together 1/2 cup butter, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1-2 Tablespoons of cream and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 1 minute). Taste and add more cinnamon if desired. Add more cream as needed.
- Frost cupcakes. Then frost the cooled cupcakes with the icing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
For the apple pie filling Granny Smith is a favorite for baked apple treats although Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Braeburn or Gala also work good.
You can store leftover cupcakes on the counter in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator up to 7 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
First, don’t over bake them. Second, adding yogurt or sour cream can really help your cupcakes stay extra moist, I use this tip in my carrot cupcakes! Just a 1/2 cup is all you need!
Categorized as: American, Cake + Cupcakes, Desserts, Fruit Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Can I mix the can of apple pie filling into the prepared cake mix recipe then bake?
Yes you can, you just wont taste the apple pie filling as much as you would in the center :)
Thank you for this recipe. I made it over the weekend, minus the frosting, and added cinnamon to the batter. It was a big hit with my husband.
Yummy! I’m so glad you enjoy it Laura!
Have you tried freezing the cupcakes before applying icing? I would like to freeze some cupcakes to add frosting later.
Yes! That will work great! I like to flash freeze first and then add them to a airtight container. These are great cupcakes for making ahead!
Hello…i did not see any yogurt in the ingredients but i see yogurt in some of the comments.Do we ned yogurt?
I edited the recipe after testing it and there was yogurt in the original recipe but not anymore. These apple pie cupcakes are perfected without the yogurt too. Hope that clarifies things!
I made them sometime ago with the yogurt recipe. They were delicious. My son-in-law said it was the best cupcake he had ever had. 😊
Yay, love to hear this! Thanks for your comment and review Gloria :)
Did this recipe change? Where is the one that used yogurt in it?
Hi Beth! Yes, we recently updated the recipe. We will email you the original version :)
We love apples at home so I had to try this and we have no regrets at all. It was delicious, easy to make, and one of the best apple pie recipes that we’ve tried.
I think I like these better than apple pie!! They are heavenly! Love the pieces of apple you get in each bite & the frosting is amazing!!
Oh my goodness, these apple pie cupcakes are beautiful! I bet they taste amaaazing!
Could you use spice cake mix insread?
Sure! You could leave the cinnamon out or use a little less since the spice cake mix probably already has a strong cinnamon flavor.
can I use home made whip cream frosting instead of the can ?
Definitely!
I love that these can be in my belly in about 1/2 an hour! I also love that my home will smell amazing for the rest of the day too!
These look so delicious and tasty! I can’t wait to give these a try! My family is going to love these!
these were awsome and so easy to make. I love to make different things. Love not using extra oil or sugar
My sons and I just baked these together! They smelled amazing while baking! We couldn’t wait for them to cool to frost.
My only concern for next time: adding the oil
Are we to follow the box instructions for the oil at least and sub the water w/ apple juice?
Should we spray the cupcake liners since the recipe here seems to deviate from the box? My cupcakes have stuck to my liner. So we have to enjoy them in parts. Can’t wait to try again, but I wamt them to turn out “right”.
Thanks!
Hi Erika! You don’t need to add any of the box ingredients, just the ingredients listed in the recipe. I’m sorry your cupcakes stuck to your liner, I’m not sure why they stuck. I’ve never sprayed cupcake liners before, only the pan when I didn’t use cupcake liners. Glad you enjoyed them with your sons!
Yummy! All the flavor of a pie in a cute little cupcake, love it!
Wow. These sounds so delicious! Perfect for fall!!
xo Michael
These apple pie cupcakes sound perfect for fall. Holy yum!