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Apple Crumble Cupcakes

Apple crumble cupcakes with moist, diced-apple batter and a generous oat crumble crown, baked until golden and topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Finish with a caramel drizzle for a bakery-style crumble texture in every bite.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes
Servings: 18 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For oat crumble
  • 0.5 cup oats
  • 0.33 cup flour
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp cold butter Cold butter helps the crumble stay sandy and crisp.
For apple cupcakes
  • 2 cup flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup butter
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.5 cup applesauce
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1.5 cup finely diced apple
For cinnamon cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese Use softened cream cheese for smooth piping.
  • 0.25 cup butter
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Caramel for drizzling
  • 1 caramel Use prepared caramel sauce or warm caramel bits for drizzling.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Make the oat crumble
  1. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes so it stays crisp on top.
Make the apple cupcake batter
  1. Beat butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then beat in applesauce, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth.
  2. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then fold just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the finely diced apple.
Bake the cupcakes
  1. Fill lined cupcake cups 2/3 full, then press a generous layer of oat crumble on top of each. Bake at 375°F for 20-22 minutes, until the tops are set and lightly golden.
Frost and finish
  1. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting. Pipe cinnamon cream cheese frosting around the edge of each cupcake.
  2. Drizzle caramel over the frosted cupcakes in thin lines for coverage.

Notes

Pro tip: For the best crumble crown, keep the oat crumble cold until it goes onto the batter, and cool the cupcakes fully so the cream cheese frosting doesn’t soften. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, then frost and drizzle. For a lighter option, you can replace half the butter in the frosting with cream cheese and keep the powdered sugar amount the same to maintain pipeable texture.