Apple Pie Cupcake Jars: A Spoonful of Fall in Every Bite

Intro: When Cupcakes Met Apple Pie… Sparks Flew Into a Jar

If apple pie and cupcakes had a love child, it would be this dessert — and it comes conveniently packaged in a jar. Think moist cinnamon-spiced cupcakes, warm apple filling, and a swirl of cloud-light frosting, all stacked beautifully so every spoonful tastes like autumn comfort. These cupcake jars travel well, look like a bakery display, and taste even better. Whether you’re gifting, hosting, or just craving something cozy, this recipe delivers fall flavor in a format that’s as charming as it is delicious.

Why You’ll Love These Apple Pie Cupcake Jars

• Portable and Giftable: Perfect for bake sales, lunchboxes, and hostess gifts.
• Flavorful Layers: Each spoonful includes frosting, cake, and filling.
• Simple Ingredients: Pantry staples with bakery-level payoff.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: Store beautifully for up to 24 hours.
• Customizable: Swap fillings, spices, or presentation styles with ease.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Cupcakes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 package vanilla cake mix
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 7 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs

Frosting

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Filling

• 2 cans (21 ounces each) apple pie filling
• 1/2 cup red currant jelly, melted
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Assembly

• 12 (8-ounce) canning jars

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Bake the Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 12 muffin cups and line another 12 with cupcake liners. Mix flour, 3/4 cup cake mix, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add melted butter to form coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl, beat remaining cake mix, milk, sour cream, and eggs until fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon batter to unlined cups, top with crumb mixture. Fill lined cups 2/3 full with remaining batter. Bake 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

2. Make the Frosting

Beat butter until creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar gradually. Mix in milk and cinnamon, then beat until smooth and fluffy.

3. Prepare the Filling

Combine apple pie filling, melted jelly, and lemon juice. Stir gently.

4. Assemble the Jars

• Reserve 3/4 cup frosting.
• Slice cupcakes in half.
• Layer in each jar: cupcake half → 1 tbsp apple filling → 2 1/2 tbsp frosting.
• Repeat layers.
• Top with crumb-topped cupcake and pipe reserved frosting.

Expert Tips for Success

• Chill jars 24 hours for best flavor.
• Dice apples if filling chunks are large.
• For gifting, tie jars with twine and add mini wooden spoons.

Variations & Creative Twists

• Use spiced cake mix for deeper fall flavor.
• Swap apple for pear, cherry, or pumpkin.
• Add a drizzle of salted caramel between layers.
• Try homemade apple pie spice.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve chilled or room temperature.
• Pair with hot caramel cider, pumpkin spice latte, or black coffee.
• Drizzle with Homemade Caramel Sauce.

FAQs

Make ahead? Yes — up to 48 hours refrigerated.

Freeze? Freeze cupcakes only, not assembled jars.

Jar size? 8-ounce jars give the best visual layers.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Try also: Apple Pear Raspberry Pies in Jars and Banana Bread.

Final Thoughts

This recipe turns a classic fall flavor into a cozy, portable dessert. Beautiful to gift, easy to store, and irresistible to eat.

Continue to Content

Yield: 12 Apple Pie Cupcake Jars

Apple Pie Cupcake Jars: A Spoonful of Fall in Every Bite

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

These Apple Pie Cupcake Jars bring together tender cinnamon cupcakes, a cozy apple pie filling, and a swirl of creamy cinnamon frosting—all layered in a cute jar you can serve, gift, or take on the go. If you love seasonal treats, be sure to explore more warm and comforting bakes in my Fall Recipe Collection.

Print

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 package vanilla cake mix (divided as noted in instructions)
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 7 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs

Frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature
• 4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Filling:

• 2 (21-ounce) cans apple pie filling
• 1/2 cup red currant jelly, melted
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Assembly:

• 12 (8-ounce) canning jars

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray 12 muffin cups with baking spray that contains flour, and line 12 additional muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, 3/4 cup of the dry cake mix, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, beat the remaining cake mix, milk, sour cream, and eggs on medium-high speed until the batter is smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into each of the unlined muffin cups. Top each with about 1/4 cup of the crumb mixture.
5. Divide the remaining batter evenly among the lined muffin cups (they should fill about 2/3 full).
6. Bake both cupcake batches for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
7. To make the frosting, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, 1–2 minutes. Gradually mix in the confectioners’ sugar, followed by the milk and cinnamon. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy, 1–2 minutes.
8. For the filling, combine apple pie filling, melted red currant jelly, and lemon juice in a bowl; stir to blend.
9. Remove cupcakes from the liners and slice each one in half horizontally.
10. To assemble: In each jar, place one cupcake half in the bottom. Add a rounded tablespoon of apple filling and about 2 1/2 tablespoons frosting. Repeat layers a second time. Top each jar with a crumb-topped cupcake half.
11. Transfer about 3/4 cup of the frosting to a piping bag and pipe a finish swirl on top.
12. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

Notes

These cupcake jars keep well refrigerated, making them perfect for parties, gifting, and make-ahead holiday desserts. For more cozy seasonal bakes and inspiration, browse my Fall Dessert Recipes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 843Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 22gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 279mgCarbohydrates: 132gFiber: 2gSugar: 111gProtein: 4g

The Nutritional Information may not be accurate. This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram