Cinnamon Apple Pie Cupcakes
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Everyone's favorite classic apple pie in cupcake form. Filled with apple pie filling and topped with sweet vanilla buttercream, caramel drizzle and a cinnamon crumble.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 20
Ingredients
  • For Cupcakes:
  • ½ cup melted coconut oil or butter, cooled
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups King Arthur brand gluten free multi-purpose baking flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum*
  • 1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
  • For Vanilla Frosting:
  • 1½ sticks butter, room temperature (12 tablespoons)
  • 4½ cups powdered sugar
  • dash of salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 4-6 tablespoons milk
  • For Crumb Topping:
  • ¼ cup gluten free all-purpose flour (King Arthur)
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • Extras:
  • 1 can apple pie filling (I used Comstock, more fruit Apple)
  • caramel sauce for drizzling (I used Hershey's)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl or standing mixer, mix together melted coconut oil or butter, brown sugar, and eggs until pale and smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.
  3. Add cinnamon, flour, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum and mix until combined, scraping down sides of the bowl. Batter will be very thick.
  4. Add applesauce and mix on low until thoroughly combined. Batter will have thinned out. Beat for additional 2 minutes.
  5. Fill cupcake liners ⅔ way full with batter. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until tops bounce back at touch of finger or toothpicks inserted in middle come out clean. Rotate pan after 18 minutes if needed (if back cupcakes are browning more than front). Cool on cooling racks while making frosting and crumb topping.
  6. To make crumb topping, melt butter and set aside. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and xanthan gum. Pour melted butter on top. Stir together and mix with fingers to incorporate butter throughout mixture. Spread on parchment paper and bake for 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and let cool. Crumble with fingers if needed.
  7. To make frosting beat butter in a large bowl until light and smooth. Add 2½ cups of the powdered sugar. Beat until combined. This may take a minute. Mixture will go from powdery, to pea sized pieces, to thick batter. Add vanilla, salt, and 4 tablespoons of milk. Beat until combined and smooth. Add remaining 2 cups of sugar. Beat until combined and smooth. Add more milk for desired consistency.
  8. Assemble cupcakes by coring the middles with an apple corer, or cutting out the centers with a sharp knife, making sure not to cut to the bottom. You don't want pie filling spilling out the bottom when you remove the wrapper from the cupcake. Dice about half the can of the apple pie filling into very small pieces. Scoop enough pie filling into each cupcake to fill the centers and slightly mound over the top.
  9. Pipe, spread, or scoop using a small cookie scoop (this will make frosting look like a scoop of ice cream) frosting on top. Drizzle caramel sauce over frosting. Sprinkle crump topping over cupcakes. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*If using a different gluten free flour blend, only add this if your flour blend does not include xanthan gum.
Recipe by Breezy Bakes at https://www.breezybakes.com/cinnamon-apple-pie-cupcakes/