These Apple Pie Cupcakes are the perfect way to use extra apples and continue your fall baking. 

The apple pie filling in the center and on top is absolutely the perfect touch. 

It’s almost Thanksgiving and I hope that you will take advantage of some of these recipes and try my PREMIUM gluten free flour blend. It’s the best way to get the best results when you bake using my recipes. 

As usual if you make these, I’d love to see how they turn out. Please post a photo in our Stay Gluten Free Community. I hope you love them. 

Prep time: 20 Minutes, Cook time: 18-20 minutes, Makes 12 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

• 190 grams Paola’s OWN all-purpose gluten free flour*
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 large eggs, room tmeperature
• 150 grams granulated or cane sugar
• 3/4 cup Earth Balance butter sticks, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 whole milk or coconut milk beverage

For the Apple Filling:

• 3 tablespoons organic cane sugar
• 3 medium apples, cored, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons Earth Balance butter sticks
• 1 tablespoon Paola’s OWN all-purpose gluten free flour
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

For the Apple Frosting:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 240 grams powdered sugar (sift if necessary)
• 2 tablespoons whole milk or non-dairy alternative
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

For the Filling

1. In a medium bowl, mix the apples, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt together.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the apple mixture to it. Cook the apples stirring them frequently, until the apples are tender and the liquid is bubbling. This usually takes about 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the flour and stir until the coating on the apples thickens.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the filling cool completely. Transferring it to a new bowl can help speed up this process. Set it aside as you prepare the batter.

For the Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and nutmeg.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, mix together the sugar and eggs until creamy.
4. Gradually pour in the butter and vanilla as you continue mixing.
5. Next add half the flour mixture, then the milk, followed by the remaining flour. Mix well.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin pan.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted at the center of one cupcake comes out clean.
8. Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to let them cool completely.
9. Prepare the frosting and transfer it to a piping bag using the design tip of choice.
10. Once the cupcakes have cooled, remove the center of each cupcake using a cupcake corer/plunger. Try not to remove the very bottom of the cupcake so that the filling doesn’t fall out of the bottom when the liner is removed. Set the middles of each cupcake in a small bowl.
11. Using a small spoon, fill the middle of each cupcake with the apple pie filling.
12. Pipe a large circle around the top outer edge of each cupcake leaving and opening in the center.
13. Generously fill the center of each cupcake with additional apple pie filling.
14. Serve and enjoy!

Tip: Mix any leftover apple pie filling with the “middles” of the cupcakes to enjoy as well.

For the Frosting

1. In a medium bowl cream the shortening and vanilla together. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth adding the water one tablespoon at a time until you achieve your desired consistency.