This post may contain affiliate links for which I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more info, check out my Disclosure Policy. Thank you for your support!
These Gluten Free Apple Crumble Cupcakes pay homage to one of my favourite autumn desserts, with juicy apple chunks, cinnamon buttercream frosting and crunchy crumble bits on top. The best bit is, nobody would know they’re completely gluten free!
Notes On My Gluten Free Apple Crumble Cupcakes
🍏 These Apple Crumble Cupcakes need a few different components, but all of them are super easy to make – and worth the time and effort for the EPIC taste!
🍏 Both the cupcakes and the crumble are gluten free and coeliac-safe and this recipe can easily be adapted to be dairy free with a few tweaks.
🍏 I first published this recipe in 2018 but have given it a big update for Fall 2026 with fresh photos, step-by-step images and a visual ingredients list.
Table of Contents
Don’t just take my word for it…
Fran made these and left a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review saying: “These are just delicious, my husband (not gluten free) said he could not tell this was gluten free and has eaten a good half of them. Thank you for sharing.”
Ingredients and Substitutions
There’s a printable recipe card below for these gluten free apple crumble cupcakes with the full quantities. But here are the main ingredients and ideas for any swaps.
- Apples: I find Granny Smith or Bramley apples best for this but any apple will work.
- Gluten Free Flour: You can use any plain and self-raising flours for this recipe. If you don’t have self-raising flour for the cake, you can add 1 tsp gluten free baking powder per 100g plain gluten free flour to make your own.
- Sugar: I use light brown sugar with the apples, caster sugar for the main bulk of the baking, and icing sugar for the buttercream frosting.
- Butter: Swap for vegan margarine if you need this recipe to be dairy free.
- Eggs
- Cinnamon: Or any of your favourite autumn spices – a little ginger or nutmeg would work well, or you could use a combination.
How to Make Gluten Free Apple Crumble Cupcakes
There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this gluten free apple crumble cupcakes recipe is to make.
Storing, Freezing and Making Ahead
TO STORE: Once baked, these cupcakes will store for up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature.
TO FREEZE: You can freeze these cupcakes both before and after decorating – the defrost whenever you fancy one!
TO MAKE AHEAD: You can also prep the cupcakes and crumble ahead of time. Once baked and cooled, freeze and defrost before decorating – or keep in an airtight container for up to 24 hours before frosting.
Gluten Free Apple Crumble Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 2 apples, (approx 350g – Bramley or Granny Smith work best)
- 1 tsp plain gluten free flour
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 150 g caster sugar
- 150 g gluten free self-raising flour, (I use FREEE)
- 0.25 tsp xanthan gum, (Omit if your flour already contains it)
- 3 large eggs
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
For the crumble:
- 60 g plain gluten free flour
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 30 g caster sugar
For the frosting:
- 100 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 200 g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare the apples:
- First preheat the oven to 180C / Fan 160C / Gas Mark 4. Place 12 cupcake cases in a 12-hole muffin tray and set aside.
- Peel and core the apples and cut into 1cm cubes. Place in a bowl with the brown sugar and 1 tsp plain gluten free flour and stir until coated.
Prepare the crumble:
- Make the crumble by rubbing the butter, flour and sugar together until it resembles breadcrumbs. Put this and the apple mixture to one side while you make the cake batter.
Make the cupcakes:
- For the cake batter, add the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale. Add the eggs and beat again until combined. Add the self-raising flour, xanthan gum and cinnamon, and beat again. Once combined, fold in the apples.
- Spoon the cake mixture evenly between the cupcake cases. Sprinkle each cake with around half a teaspoon of the crumble mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool cakes completely on a wire rack.
Cook the crumble:
- While the cakes are cooling and the oven is still hot, spread the rest of the crumble mixture over baking paper on a baking tray and bake for around 5-10 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and cool on the tray completely.
To make the frosting:
- Beat the butter with an electric whisk for a minute-or-two until soft.
- Add the icing sugar, milk, cinnamon and vanilla extract and beat again until fully mixed.
- Spoon the icing into an icing bag and using a closed star tip, pipe the buttercream frosting on in a swirl. Sprinkle with the cooked crumble mixture to finish.
Notes
- Top tip: Keep an eye on the crumble when baking as it tends to cook quite quickly. Remove from the oven when it goes golden brown.
- To make the recipe dairy free: Swap the butter in the cakes, crumble and frosting for a vegan margarine.
- Storage: These cupcakes will store at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container, and can also be frozen both before and after decorating.
Nutrition
More Gluten Free Apple Recipes
If you like this gluten free apple crumble cupcakes recipe then make sure you check out these other gluten free apple recipes too…
- Gluten Free Dorset Apple Cake
- Gluten Free Apple Crumble
- Gluten Free Apple Turnovers
- Gluten Free Apple Pie
- Gluten Free Apple Muffins
Have you tried this recipe?
I have a huge favour to ask! It’s getting more and more difficult to get my recipes out there to the world – so if you try this and love it, it would mean a HUGE amount if you’d come back and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and a little comment telling me what you thought! Just 30 seconds of your time would be such a huge support! 💛
Want to connect further?
- Tag me on Instagram with your amazing creations so I can share them!
- Join my Facebook group to meet other awesome gluten free people.
- Subscribe to my Mailing List for all my new gluten free recipes first!
These sound lovely, I adore apple crumble and would love these
These are just delicious, my husband (not gluten free) said he could not tell this was gluten free and has eaten a good half of them. Thank you for sharing