2 Ingredient Apple Pie Cups
These 2 ingredient apple pie cups are the easy fall treat I make when I want something warm and cozy without a long project.
They taste like mini apple pies with a light cinnamon note, and the base is just pre made cinnamon roll dough and canned apple pie filling. Serve them plain, or drizzle caramel sauce over the top for a caramel apple version.
They are simple enough for a fall breakfast and sweet enough for dessert, so they fit just about any time of day.
Jump to:
- 2 Ingredient Apple Pie Cups
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Ingredient Notes
- How to make apple pie cups
- Make Them Mini
- Expert Tips
- FAQs
- What kind of cinnamon rolls are best for making apple pie cups?
- How long do you bake apple pie cups and at what temperature?
- Can you use fresh apples instead of canned pie filling for apple pie cups?
- How do you store leftover apple pie cups and reheat them?
- 2-Ingredient Apple Pie Cups
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Last Step:
- Nutrition
- Did you make this recipe?
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The recipe leans on two base ingredients: pre made refrigerated cinnamon rolls and canned apple pie filling. That is the core of it. The dough brings the cinnamon flavor and the icing, and the filling brings the spiced apple sweetness, so there is very little left for you to do.
It is also genuinely hard to screw up. If you can press dough into a muffin cup and spoon filling on top, you can make these cups. Total time from starting to eating is under 20 minutes, with about 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of baking.
The timing is flexible, which is why they show up so often at my house. I have served them for breakfast next to hot coffee, set them out on a fall brunch table, packed them as an afternoon snack, and finished dinner with one alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
They are also a fun option for an apple party, a fall brunch, or a little neighbor gift tied with an apple gift tag.
- Only two base ingredients to buy
- Under 20 minutes from start to eating
- Easy and hard to get wrong
- Works as breakfast, brunch, a snack, or dessert
- The icing comes right in the cinnamon roll can
Ingredients
- 1 can (8 count) refrigerated cinnamon rolls, icing included
- 21 ounces canned apple pie filling
Optional for serving: caramel sauce or caramel ice cream topping, plus vanilla ice cream if you like.
The source recipe lists the following nutrition values.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 75 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 19 g |
| Protein | 0.1 g |
| Fat | 0.1 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.01 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Sodium | 36 mg |
Ingredient Notes
For the cinnamon rolls, reach for a standard 8 count can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls. The small ones, not the large fluffy rolls people use for the viral TikTok cinnamon roll hack. The small size fits a regular muffin cup and forms a neat little crust around the filling.
You can use one can or two cans. If you want more cups, two cans give you 16 cups, and you still only need one can of apple pie filling. That is one of those small details that saves you from buying more than you actually need.
For the filling, any canned apple pie filling works. I have used the plainest store brand and the fancier spiced versions, and both bake up nicely. If you prefer to go homemade, you can make your own apple pie filling and use that instead.
Caramel sauce is completely optional, but it turns these into caramel apple pie cups. A jar of caramel ice cream topping works well because it drizzles easily and stays soft. If you skip it, the icing that comes in the cinnamon roll can is plenty on its own.
How to make apple pie cups
Here is the entire process, start to finish. It is a short list, and that is the whole point.
- Preheat and prep the pan. Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease 8 cups of a muffin pan, or spray them well. I spray generously because the cinnamon roll crust likes to stick, even in a good nonstick pan.
- Form the dough cups. Separate the cinnamon roll dough into individual rolls. Press one section into each greased muffin cup, covering the bottom and pressing gently up the sides. You are building a small cup with a rim, so the filling has somewhere to sit.
- Spoon in the filling. Add about 2 tablespoons of apple pie filling on top of the dough in each cup. Much of that filling bakes down into the roll as it rises, which is exactly what you want.
- Bake. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown. Every oven runs a little different, so check at 15 minutes and give them another minute or two if they need it.
- Cool for five minutes. Pull the pan out and let the cups cool for 5 minutes. This short rest makes them easier to remove and keeps the icing from sliding off.
- Ice them. Move the cups to a wire rack, then drizzle with the icing that came with the cinnamon rolls. Serve any extra icing on the side for dipping.
Doubling the recipe is simple. Use two cans of cinnamon rolls and 16 muffin tin cups, and still just one can of apple pie filling. That single can stretches across all 16 cups because each cup only needs about 2 tablespoons.
If you want caramel apple pie cups, drizzle caramel sauce over the icing, or skip the icing and go straight for the caramel. Either way, a little goes a long way.
The texture is what really sells these. The cinnamon roll dough bakes up soft with slightly crisp edges, and the apple filling turns warm and jammy in the middle. Each one eats like a miniature apple pie with a cinnamon roll crust, and you get that whole combination from a single muffin cup.
These cups are good warm and they are good at room temperature. My favorite way to serve them is warm with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, which melts into the apple filling and turns the whole thing into a spoon dessert. If you are packing them for later, they hold up fine once cooled.
One quick note from experience. The first time I made these, I pressed the dough flat into the bottom of the cups and skipped the sides.
The filling baked right over the edges, and I ended up with apple pie filling sitting on top of a cinnamon roll instead of inside it. Tasty, but not the plan.
Press the sides and you get that neat little pie cup shape every single time.
Make Them Mini
For mini apple pie bites, make them in a mini muffin pan instead. Use a round cookie cutter to cut the cinnamon rolls into smaller bite size pieces, press each piece into a mini cup, and add about 2 teaspoons of apple filling on top instead of 2 tablespoons.
Everything else follows the same method, and the smaller size is perfect for a party tray or a lunchbox treat.
Expert Tips
These are the small details that make the difference between a good batch and a great one.
- Press gently and build the sides. Form a real cup shape so the filling has somewhere to go. Pressing only the bottom and not the sides leaves you with a mess of apple pie filling on top of a cinnamon roll.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator. An airtight container in the fridge keeps them for up to three days. They are best enjoyed warm and fresh, but they store and reheat okay.
- Save the extra filling. Keep leftover apple pie filling in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator. It is great spooned over oatmeal, yogurt, or pancakes, or used for another batch of these cups.
- Cool before you ice. Let the cups cool a few minutes before adding icing or caramel, or it will slide right off the top. If you want more control, brush the icing on with a pastry brush instead of drizzling it.
- Use a silicone spatula to release them. After a slight cooling, a silicone spatula helps pop the cinnamon roll crust out of the muffin cup. They may stick even when the pan is well greased.
- Skip the freezer. Freezing is not recommended because the texture changes after thawing. Fresh or refrigerated is the way to go here.
If you are making these for a crowd, bake them close to serving time so they are still warm when people reach for one. If you are making them ahead, ice them right before serving so the glaze stays glossy and does not disappear into the dough.
Warm from the pan with a drizzle of icing is the moment these cups are at their best. Everything after that is still good, just not quite the same.
FAQs
What kind of cinnamon rolls are best for making apple pie cups?
Use a standard 8-count can of small refrigerated cinnamon rolls, such as Pillsbury, with the original icing packet. Avoid large, fluffy cinnamon rolls designed for viral TikTok recipes, as the larger size will not form proper cups in a standard muffin pan.
How long do you bake apple pie cups and at what temperature?
Bake the apple pie cups in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cinnamon roll dough is golden brown. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack, then drizzle with the included icing.
Can you use fresh apples instead of canned pie filling for apple pie cups?
You can use fresh apples by making a quick homemade apple pie filling. Simply cook diced fresh apples with sugar, cinnamon, and a thickener like cornstarch until tender. However, the original recipe is designed for canned apple pie filling for maximum convenience.
How do you store leftover apple pie cups and reheat them?
Store leftover apple pie cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. They are best enjoyed warm; reheat them in a 350°F oven for 5 to 6 minutes to restore their original softness and warmth without making the dough chewy.
2-Ingredient Apple Pie Cups
2 Ingredient Apple Pie Cups These 2 ingredient apple pie cups are the easy fall treat I make when I want something warm and cozy without a long project. They taste like mini apple pies with a light cinnamon note, and the base is just pre made cinnamon roll dough and canned apple pie filling.
- Total Time: 20 min
Ingredients
Ingredients
1 can refrigerated cinnamon rolls, 8 count
21 ounces canned apple pie filling
Instructions
Instructions
1-Preheat oven to 375°F and grease 8: Preheat oven to 375°F and grease 8 cups of a muffin pan.
2-Separate the cinnamon roll dough and press: Separate the cinnamon roll dough and press one section into each of 8 greased muffin tin cups.
3-Add about 2 tablespoons of apple pie: Add about 2 tablespoons of apple pie filling to each muffin tin on top of the cinnamon roll dough.
4-Bake for 15 – 18 minutes, or: Bake for 15 – 18 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.
5-Remove from the oven and allow to: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes then drizzle with the icing that came with the cinnamon rolls.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Method: bake
Nutrition
- Calories: 75kcal
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 36mg
- Fat: 0.1g
- Saturated Fat: 0.01g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0.1g
