Apple Poppers Recipe – Mini Apple Muffins

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If you love apple desserts, you are going to want to make these Apple Poppers! These bite-size treats are like a cross between a mini apple muffin and a baked doughnut hole, with plenty of warm cinnamon and apple flavor.
The best part? They are incredibly easy to make and take just about 27 minutes from start to finish.
Each little popper is baked in a mini muffin pan, then dipped in melted butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar. The result is a soft, tender apple treat with a sweet, buttery coating that makes them almost impossible to stop eating.
And because this recipe makes about 48 Apple Poppers, they are perfect for fall parties, after-school snacks, brunches, holiday gatherings, or simply enjoying with a cup of coffee.

Why You’ll Love These Apple Poppers

There are plenty of reasons these little apple bites disappear so quickly!

• Easy to make: No mixer or complicated techniques needed.
• Quick: They bake in only about 12 minutes.
• Bite-sized: They’re perfect for snacking and sharing.
• No frying: These are baked in a mini muffin pan.
• Full of fall flavor: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and apple make the perfect combination.
• Cinnamon-sugar coating: The buttery coating is what really takes them over the top.
• Makes a big batch: One recipe makes approximately 48 poppers.

They’re basically apple donut holes without the hassle of frying dough.

What Are Apple Poppers?

Think of Apple Poppers as the best parts of a mini muffin and a cinnamon-sugar doughnut rolled into one bite-sized treat.
The batter is flavored with warm fall spices and apple pie filling, then baked in a mini muffin pan. As they bake, the little muffins puff up into round, poppable bites.
Once they’re out of the oven, they’re dipped in melted butter and coated in cinnamon sugar.
That final step is important! The buttery cinnamon-sugar coating gives the outside a sweet finish that makes these taste more like little apple doughnuts than traditional muffins.

My guess if you’ll have most of the ingredients you need below, except maybe the apple pie filling. If you want to use fresh apples and cinnamon to make a homemade apple pie filling I’ve got a recipe here for you.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Apple Poppers

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Ground cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Ground cloves
• Neutral oil
• Brown sugar
• Egg
• Vanilla extract
• Apple pie filling
• Milk

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating

• Butter, melted
• Granulated sugar
• Ground cinnamon

One of the shortcuts I love about this recipe is using apple pie filling. It gives the poppers plenty of apple flavor without having to peel, chop, and cook fresh apples first.

And of course you want the Apple Popper Recipe….

Apple Poppers

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Bite sized apple treats that are rolled in cinnamon sugar.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Serving Size 48 poppers

Equipment

• mini muffin tin

Ingredients

Popper

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/3 cup neutral oil avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup apple pie filling
• 1/8 cup milk

Coating

• 1 stick of butter melted
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

Popper

• Preheat your oven to 350 and spray your mini muffin pan(s) with nonstick cooking spray.
• Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk till combined.
• In another bowl stir together the oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, apple pie filling, and milk until combined.
• Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix till the mixture is just combined (you don't want to over mix)
• Fill your mini muffin tins till almost full. Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 12 minutes.

Coating

• While they’re baking, melt your butter and in a small bowl combine your sugar and cinnamon.
• Let the poppers cool for a few minutes before rolling them around in the melted butter and then plunging them into their cinnamon sugar bath.

Notes

If you have leftovers, you can store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

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I hope you get a chance to try these Apple Poppers soon! I’m sure they’ll be a fall favorite in your house too.

Tips for Making Apple Poppers

Don’t overmix the batter. Stir just until the ingredients are combined for tender poppers.

Don’t skip the coating. The cinnamon-sugar finish is one of my favorite parts of this recipe and really makes the poppers taste like mini apple doughnuts.

Let them cool slightly first. Give the poppers a few minutes to cool after baking so they’re easier to handle when dipping them in butter.

Make a double batch for a party. With 48 poppers in one batch, there’s plenty to share, but these little treats have a way of disappearing quickly!

When to Serve Apple Poppers

These little apple bites aren’t just for dessert!

They’re great for:

• Fall brunch
• After-school snacks
• Halloween parties
• Thanksgiving gatherings
• Holiday cookie trays
• Apple-picking season
• Potlucks
• Coffee breaks
• Weekend baking
• Lunchbox treats

They’re also the kind of dessert that’s easy to put out for a crowd because nobody needs a plate, fork, or serving spoon.

Just grab one and pop it in your mouth!

More Apple Recipes to Try

If you’re on an apple-baking kick, here are a few more cozy recipes to add to your list:

• Apple Coffee Cake
• Spiced Apple Bread
• Apple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Galette
• Apple Bread Pudding Loaf
• Caramel Apple Poke Cake
• Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies
• Chocolate Caramel Apple Bark

Easy Apple Poppers Recipe

These Apple Poppers are one of those recipes that prove a fall dessert doesn’t have to be complicated.

With apple pie filling, warm spices, and a buttery cinnamon-sugar coating, they have all the cozy flavors you want in an autumn treat—just in a fun little bite-sized package.

Make a batch for your next fall gathering and don’t be surprised if you find yourself rationing them. They have a habit of disappearing fast!