Apple Crisp Cupcakes

These Apple Crisp Cupcakes are a delicious fall dessert topped with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting, apple pie filling and crumb topping! 

This recipe is a little intense, but it’s big on flavor and totally worth the effort to make it. The instructions and ingredients come in three parts but bear with me because when you are done you will have made one of the best tasting seasonal cupcakes you’ve ever tried.

People go to festivals and theme parks to get these kinds of cupcakes just to take a selfie with them. Not only do these look and taste great, but they epitomize the crisp clean goodness of the fall season. If this cupcake doesn’t make your dream of apple picking in the mountains at least it will have you savoring the sweet and spicy flavors of the harvest.

To Top it All Off

This cupcake recipe yields 22 cupcakes. That may seem like plenty, but they will go quickly. If you are bringing these cupcakes to a function, make sure you have enough. Part of the charm of these cupcakes is the multiple toppings that adorn them.

After making and cooling the cupcakes you will proceed to ice and then crumble a streusel-like mixture over the top. Then you finish it off with apple pie filling in the center. These gorgeous apple crisp cupcakes literally pile on the textures and flavors to make a seasonal treat superior to all others.

How to Make Stiff Peaks

When working the frosting mixture, you will beat it until you get stiff peaks. This process is helped by the cream cheese, but it is important to use cold cream as well as warm cream destabilizes and will cause the mixture to fall flat. beat the mixture vigorously until the cream hardens. The cream cheese frosting adds some holiday vibes and pairs so well with the apple and spices. Stiff peaks take about five minutes to make by hand.

Cupcake Ingredients

2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
½ C unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
1 C light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

How to Make Apple Crisp Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

Using a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Mix to combine and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the room temperature butter and brown sugar, beat using an electric mixer until combined & creamy, about 30-60 seconds. Add in the eggs, beat again. Add in the applesauce, lightly beat.

Gradually add in the flour mixture, mixing by hand with a spatula until it’s just incorporated. The batter will be thick.

Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 19-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then move them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Crumble Topping Ingredients

3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 C plus 3 tablespoons flour
5 tbsp unsalted sweet cream butter, melted

How to Make Crumble Topping

Using a small bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar, and flour until combined. Mix in the melted butter until combined and clumping together.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

1 – 8 oz box, cream cheese, softened
1/4 C unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
2 C powdered sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
3-5 TBSP heavy whipping cream
1 large piping bag with star tip
1 C Apple Pie filling

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

Using a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, 2 tbsp ground cinnamon, powdered sugar, and heavy whipping cream. Continue beating until creamy and stiff with peaks.

Scoop frosting into piping bag. Frost cooled cupcakes around the edge, leaving the center open.

Sprinkle some of the crumble onto the frosting. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the apple pie filling into the center of the cupcakes. Enjoy!