Apple Brown Butter Biscoff Cupcakes
These brown butter apple cupcakes are soft, cozy, and full of warm cinnamon apple flavor. The brown butter gives them that deep, nutty bakery-style base, while the sour cream keeps the crumb soft and tender.
They’re finished with a creamy Biscoff frosting that makes them taste like apple pie, cookie butter, and spice cake all in one bite.
Highlights Of This Recipe
Deep Flavor Base: Brown butter provides a rich, nutty foundation that perfectly complements the warm spices.
Ultra-Moist Crumb: The combination of sour cream and fresh, finely chopped apples guarantees an incredibly soft and tender texture.
Irresistible Frosting: A creamy, fluffy Biscoff cookie butter frosting adds the perfect spiced sweetness to top it all off.
Essential Prep for Success
Cool the Brown Butter: Ensure your brown butter is completely cooled to room temperature before beginning. If it is too warm, it can scramble the eggs or cause the batter to separate and become greasy.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Bring your eggs, sour cream, milk, and frosting butter to room temperature to ensure everything emulsifies smoothly.
Chop Finely: Cut the apples into very small, uniform pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the batter without sinking to the bottom.
Secrets for the Perfect Recipe
Don't Overmix: When combining your wet and dry ingredients, fold gently until just combined to keep the cupcake crumb light and delicate.
The Perfect Drizzle: For a beautiful bakery finish, gently warm a spoonful of Biscoff spread in the microwave until fluid, then drizzle it over the frosted cupcakes.
Serve at Room Temperature: To experience the best texture where the cake is perfectly soft and the frosting is creamy, always serve these at room temperature.
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Brown Butter Apple Cupcakes
Ingredients
160 g all-purpose flour
80 g granulated sugar
80 g brown sugar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
100 g sour cream
120 ml brown butter, cooled
75 ml milk
150 g finely chopped apples
Biscoff Frosting
Ingredients
150 g unsalted butter, room temperature
125 g Biscoff cookie butter
270 g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Big pinch of salt
30–45 ml heavy cream or milk
Make the Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cooled brown butter, honey, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and glossy.
Add the eggs and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is slightly lightened.
Add the sour cream and whisk until fully combined.
Add half of the dry ingredients and fold gently.
Add the milk and mix until mostly combined.
Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold until a smooth batter forms.
Fold in the finely chopped apples.
Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full.
Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Make the Biscoff Frosting
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the butter until pale, light, and fluffy.
Add the Biscoff cookie butter and whip again until smooth and fully combined.
Lower the speed and add the icing sugar gradually.
Add the vanilla and salt.
Pour in the cream, starting with 30 ml, and whip until the frosting is smooth, creamy, and fluffy.
Add a little more cream if needed until the frosting is soft enough to pipe.
Assemble
Pipe or spread the Biscoff frosting over the cooled apple cupcakes.
Finish with crushed Biscoff cookies, a little cinnamon, or a drizzle of warm cookie butter.
Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Make sure the brown butter is cooled before adding it to the batter so it doesn’t scramble the eggs or make the batter greasy. For the prettiest finish, warm a spoonful of Biscoff until fluid and drizzle it over the frosted cupcakes. These are best served at room temperature, when the cupcake is soft and the frosting is creamy.
Faqs About Apple Brown Butter Biscoff Cupcakes
Can I use a different type of apple?
Yes! Firm, tart, or crisp baking apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji work best because they hold their structure well and balance the sweetness of the batter.
How should I store these cupcakes?
Store the cupcakes in an airtight container. If frosted, they can be kept at room temperature for up to two days, or in the refrigerator for up to five days. Always bring them back to room temperature before serving.
Can I make the brown butter in advance?
Absolutely. You can brown the butter ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Just make sure to bring it back to a fluid, cooled state before mixing it into your cupcake batter.
Show Me Your Work
Did you make these cozy cupcakes? I would love to see how they turned out! Take a photo of your beautiful creation and tag @sashacakeschicago on Instagram so I can share the love!
If you loved the cozy flavors of these apple cupcakes with Biscoff frosting, you will find even more inspiration in my Fantastic Pastry Cookies ebook. This guide is curated specifically for the home baker who wants to master unique textures and sophisticated flavor combinations—like that nutty, rich brown butter and spiced cookie butter—right in their own kitchen. 🍰✨
Download the Fantastic Pastry Cookies Ebook Here
Disclaimer: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase—thank you for supporting my baking projects!
Apple Brown Butter Biscoff Cupcakes
These brown butter apple cupcakes are soft, cozy, and full of warm cinnamon apple flavor. The brown butter gives them that deep, nutty bakery-style base, while the sour cream keeps the crumb soft and tender.
Ingredients
- 160 g all-purpose flour
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 80 g brown sugar
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Dash of nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 100 g sour cream
- 120 ml brown butter, cooled
- 75 ml milk
- 150 g finely chopped apples
- 150 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 125 g Biscoff cookie butter
- 270 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Big pinch of salt
- 30–45 ml heavy cream or milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cooled brown butter, honey, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and glossy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is slightly lightened.
- Add the sour cream and whisk until fully combined.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and fold gently.
- Add the milk and mix until mostly combined.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold until a smooth batter forms.
- Fold in the finely chopped apples.
- Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the butter until pale, light, and fluffy.
- Add the Biscoff cookie butter and whip again until smooth and fully combined.
- Lower the speed and add the icing sugar gradually.
- Add the vanilla and salt.
- Pour in the cream, starting with 30 ml, and whip until the frosting is smooth, creamy, and fluffy.
- Add a little more cream if needed until the frosting is soft enough to pipe.
- Pipe or spread the Biscoff frosting over the cooled apple cupcakes.
- Finish with crushed Biscoff cookies, a little cinnamon, or a drizzle of warm cookie butter.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Make sure the brown butter is cooled before adding it to the batter so it doesn’t scramble the eggs or make the batter greasy. For the prettiest finish, warm a spoonful of Biscoff until fluid and drizzle it over the frosted cupcakes. These are best served at room temperature, when the cupcake is soft and the frosting is creamy.
