It’s that time of year! Apple Cider Cupcakes are the perfect dessert to welcome the fall season! Delicious desserts like this are what warm fall flavors are all about. Now is the time to perfect this apple cider cupcake recipe to enjoy throughout the next few months.

Fall in love with the comforting flavors of the season with our irresistible Apple Cider Cupcake recipe. These moist and fluffy treats are a delightful celebration of autumn, capturing the essence of freshly pressed apple cider in every bite. The aroma alone will transport you to an orchard on a crisp, sunny day. Topped with a velvety swirl of cinnamon-spiced brown sugar frosting and a wedge of crisp apple, these cupcakes are a visual and culinary delight. Each bite is like a warm hug, comforting and satisfying to the core. They remind me of classic apple cider donuts.

I’m all about delicious cupcakes. And to be fair, I’ll eat cupcakes at any point in time, anywhere. Most people will say that making sweet treats like this should be reserved for a special occasion, but I’m not most people. When you have this recipe in hand to make the perfect fall cupcakes, that’s exactly what needs to happen. You’ll be obsessed with the delicious apple flavor – and love how these beautiful cupcakes turn out. (and yes – these would be a huge hit at a fall party as well!)

Once you whip up a batch of these sweet apple cider cupcakes, they’re all you’re going to think about. Forget other apple recipes for the time being, and just let this be your favorite new cupcake recipe. It’s one of my favorite things to make at home, and I think you’re going to agree.

Be sure to check out my Banana Caramel Tart for another fruit dessert. You can’t go wrong!

Ingredients

Salted butter – Used as the main fat added to the cupcake batter.

Sugar – For sweetening the cupcakes.

Eggs – Used as a binding agent. Large eggs work great.

Apple cider – You can use fresh apple cider or buy some at the grocery store.

Baking powder – Helps to make the cupcakes light and fluffy.

Cinnamon – For warmth and flavor.

Salt – Omit if you use salted butter.

Vanilla extract – For flavor.

All Purpose Flour – Needed to create the batter.

Brown sugar – This is used in the homemade frosting.

Powdered sugar – Adds sweetness and texture to the frosting.

Milk – Helps to make sure that the frosting isn’t too thick.

Apple slices – These can be optional, but we loved using Honey Crisp apples.

How to make Apple Cider Cupcakes

Step One: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add cupcake paper liners to a cupcake pan and set aside.

Step Two: Mix the sugar, softened butter, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Cream until smooth using an electric mixer.

Step Three: Add the eggs and apple cider and mix.

Step Four: Mix in the dry ingredients and mix for two minutes. The batter will get light and fluffy.

Step Five: Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ full.

Put the pan in the oven and bake for 14-16 minutes.

Step Six: Make the frosting. Mix the softened butter, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl until smooth.

Step Seven: Add the powdered sugar and mix well.

Step Eight: Add 2 T of milk and vanilla. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds and then medium speed for 1 minute.

Step Nine: Add the frosting to a piping bag with a star tip. Add the frosting on top of each cooled cupcake.

Step Ten: Decorate the top of each cupcake with a bit of cinnamon and a slice of apple.

Variations

Add sour cream – To add moistness to this easy fall cupcake recipe, add a tad bit of sour cream to the cupcake batter. You can also add unflavored Greek yogurt as well.

Use apple pie spice – Instead of using ground cinnamon, you can use apple pie spice to give these apple cupcakes even more of that yummy apple flavoring.

Apple juice – If you don’t have fresh apple cider on hand, a little bit of apple juice will do the trick.

Make mini cupcakes – You can easily make these amazing apple cider cupcakes smaller!

Use a different frosting – These apple cinnamon cupcakes would taste really delicious with caramel frosting as well.

Common Questions

What is the secret to moist cupcakes?

One of the biggest secrets that bakers claim works is to use brown sugar in recipes instead of using white sugar. I do use it to make the brown sugar cinnamon buttercream on top of this recipe, but I still prefer to use white sugar in the batter.

How do I store leftover cupcakes?

For the best results, store any remaining cupcakes in an airtight container and keep them stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Favorite desserts like this don’t last long, as everyone will want to gobble them up!