I don’t know about you, but I like apple pie every day of the year. I don’t need a reason to eat apple pie – which is why I wanted to create a cupcake version with actual apple pie filling. And let me tell you – 10/10. The only thing that would make these better is a scoop of french vanilla ice cream on top.
I originally made these for my Fall Cupcake Lookbook, but they were so good I knew they deserved their own full tutorial so you can actually make them at home.
These apple pie cupcakes are perfect for Thanksgiving, fall gatherings, or even Christmas – and the best part? They’re actually very easy to make. You can go homemade or use boxed cake and canned filling. Either way, you’re getting delicious apple pie cupcakes that look like they came from a fancy bakery.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Piping Tips:
- Wilton 47 (basketweave tip) for lattice
- Wilton 102 (petal tip) for pie crust edge
- Coupler (so you can easily switch between tips)
Ingredients:
- Your spiced cake
- Apple pie filling
- Basic Buttercream or Cream Cheese Buttercream
- Gel food coloring for “pie crust” color (ivory/tan/hint of brown)
The Cupcakes
Making the Base
- Box mix hack: Use white or yellow box cake mix and add 1-2 tsp of apple spice or pumpkin spice blend to the batter
- From scratch option: Use my Pink Champagne Cake recipe – just swap the champagne for milk and add 1-2 tsp of apple spice or pumpkin spice blend
- Bake according to package or recipe directions
- Let cupcakes cool completely before filling
Creating the Filling
After cupcakes cool, use a cupcake corer, small knife or melon baller to scoop out the center.
For the filling, you have two options:
Canned apple pie filling is the easiest route – just cook it down in a saucepan over medium heat until it’s thick and most of the liquid has evaporated. You don’t want watery filling making your cupcakes soggy.
Or make a quick homemade version: Dice up a couple apples small, cook them in a pan with some butter, sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg (or pumpkin spice if that’s what you have). Let the apples soften and break down – this takes about 5-10 minutes. Once they’re tender and getting saucy, add a bit of cornstarch mixed with water to thicken everything up. Keep cooking until it’s nice and thick, not runny.
Either way, let your filling cool completely before adding it to the cupcakes. Optional flavor boost: Brush or drizzle your cupcake with spiced simple syrup before adding the filling. Mix equal parts sugar and water, simmer with cinnamon and nutmeg, let cool. This adds moisture and amps up the fall spice flavor.
The Buttercream Lattice
Buttercream Prep
- Make your buttercream – I have recipes for American Buttercream and Pipeable Cream Cheese Buttercream. Both work great for this!
- Note for the American Buttercream: My recipe is formulated stiff for piping flowers, so for this lattice you’ll want to use less powdered sugar. Aim for about 1:1.5 ratio (butter to powdered sugar) instead of the full 1:2 in the recipe. You want it firm enough to hold the lattice shape but not as stiff as flower petals need.
- Color it to look like pie crust: Start with natural buttercream, add a tiny bit of tan/brown until you get that golden pie crust color.
- Target consistency: Medium consistency – firm enough to hold shape but smooth enough to pipe easily
Piping Bag Setup
- Prepare a piping bag fitted with a coupler – this lets you easily switch between tips using the same bag of buttercream
- Fill your bag with the pie crust colored buttercream
- Start with the Wilton 47 tip attached for the lattice
The Lattice Technique
Step 1: Prep Your Tip
- Use a Wilton 47 basketweave tip
- Position the tip with the serrated edge facing DOWN. This gives you smooth strips instead of ridged texture (unless ridged is what you’re going for)
Step 2: Pipe the Lattice
- Start in the center: Position your tip at the edge of the cupcake, pipe your first line straight across the middle to the opposite edge
- Continue piping parallel lines on either side of that center line, working your way out – always starting from one edge and pulling across to the other side
- Space them as evenly as you can – I did 5 lines total going in this first direction
- Then repeat going the opposite direction: start with a center line from edge to edge, then work outward with parallel lines (5 lines total in this direction as well)
- No weaving needed!
Step 3: The Pie Crust Edge
- Switch to Wilton 102 petal tip
- Hold the tip at an angle with the narrow end facing UP
- To create the ruffle: Use slow, consistent pressure while piping in an up-and-down motion as you move along the edge of the cupcake
- Follow the perimeter where your lattice edges meet the cupcake top
- Pro tip: Feel free to pipe the edge in sections, pausing to rotate the cupcake as you go – this gives you better control and a more even ruffle
The ruffled edge should look like a crimped pie crust.
Tips For Success
- Keep your buttercream at the right consistency – if it’s too soft, the lattice will droop; too stiff and it won’t pipe smoothly
- Practice the lattice pattern on parchment paper first
- The lattice doesn’t have to be perfect – real pies have character!
- Make sure your cupcake and filling is completely cool before piping the lattice
- Store finished cupcakes in the fridge if your kitchen is warm (buttercream stability)
These apple pie lattice cupcakes are way easier to make than they look! Which makes them perfect for Thanksgiving, fall gatherings, or anytime you want to “show off” a little without the stress.
And here’s the best part: once you’ve mastered this lattice technique, you can use it with ANY pie filling. Cherry pie cupcakes? Blueberry? CHOCOLATE? The buttercream lattice works for all of them. Get creative!
I’d love to see your results! If you make these apple pie cupcakes, tag me on Instagram @alchemysweets so I can see your creations. Leave a comment below and let me know what pie flavor you’d turn into a cupcake next. And if you want more buttercream tutorials, subscribe to my YouTube channel!
Pin this for later so you have it when you need it!
Happy decorating! 🥧
