Last updated on December 26th, 2023 at 09:47 pm
I am so glad you found this page! This recipe for Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Browned Butter Maple Frosting is absolutely heavenly. These beauties are made with a basic cake mix as a base, with some fancy trimmings to dress it up! There’s a sweet and creamy pecan pie filling, and a homemade browned butter maple frosting that will have your friends and families drooling. Keep reading through this simple tutorial so you can learn how to make these delicious pecan pie-inspired treats!
Tools You Need to make Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Browned Butter Maple Frosting
Cupcake corer: You can buy these on Amazon or at a store that sells baking supplies. This is a tool that will remove the center of your baked cupcakes so that you can then fill them with yummy pecan pie filling!
Yellow cake recipe or box mix: I went for the box mix because I’m a little lazy and a lotta short on time. I love the Duncan Hines cake mixes in general. Make sure you have all the required ingredients for your yellow cake recipe or box mix (eggs, milk, butter, etc.)
Cupcake liners: They just make life easier!
Basic Cooking Tools: You’ll need a cookie sheet to roast your pecans, a small saucepan to make your pecan pie filling, and a cupcake tin to bake the cupcakes,
That’s about it! Now, on to the actual cooking!
How to Make the Pecan Pie Filling
Let’s start things off with the heart of these cupcakes – the dreamy Pecan Pie Filling.
Ingredients:
– 1 cup chopped pecans
– 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
– 1/4 cup maple syrup
– 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
– 1/4 cup heavy cream
– Pinch of salt
Instructions:
1. Toast the Pecans:
– Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
– Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast them for 8-10 minutes until they release a rich aroma. Keep an eye on them – you don’t want to burn them. Honestly, this step is optional, but I thought it added a nice touch!
2. Make the Filling
– In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the brown sugar, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved.
– Pour in the maple syrup, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Keep stirring until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency.
– Add the toasted pecans and let them soak in the sugary mix. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until the filling thickens.
– Set aside and let it cool while you move on to the next steps.
How to Make Browned Butter Maple Frosting
So, the crowning glory of these cupcakes (And my favorite frosting right now!)– the Browned Butter Maple Frosting. Brace yourself for a flavor explosion!
Ingredients:
– 1 cup unsalted butter, browned (see instructions below)
– 4 cups powdered sugar
– 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
– 2-4 tablespoons of milk or heavy whipping cream
Instructions:
1. Brown the Butter:
– In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
– Once melted, the butter will kind of start to froth, and then the froth will go away. Finally, the froth will come back, and if you move it aside, you’ll see little brown specks at the bottom of your browned butter. When you see those, remove immediate from the heat.
– In order for us to make frosting with this, we actually have to put this browned butter in the fridge until it solidifies again. After your browned butter has cooled a bit on the stove, transfer it to a heat safe bowl and place that bowl in the fridge until your butter is solid again. This takes about an hour.
2. Mix the Frosting:
– Put your browned butter in a large mixing bowl. You may have to microwave it for 5-10 seconds to get it out of the bowl you chilled it in, but make sure you don’t re-melt your butter!
– Add powdered sugar, maple syrup and 2 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream to your butter. Mix on a low speed, gradually increasing the speed until you have a smooth frosting.
– If your frosting is too thick, add more milk or cream a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a consistency you like.
How to Make Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Browned Butter Maple Frosting
Now comes the fun part – assembling these little bundles of joy~
Ingredients:
– Prepared Pecan Pie Filling
– Prepared Browned Butter Maple Frosting
– Yellow Cupcake Batter (use your favorite recipe or grab a box mix. I used the Duncan Hines mix.)
Instructions:
1. Bake the cupcakes:
– Preheat your oven according to your cupcake recipe or box mix.
– Prepare your cupcake batter according to the recipe or box mix instructions
– Line your cupcake tin with paper liners and fill each cup about ⅔ of the way with cupcake batter.
– Bake according to the recipe or box mix instructions.
– Allow to cool completely before filling or frosting
2. Filling Time:
– Once your cupcakes have cooled completely, use a cupcake corer to remove the middle.
– Place your corer directly over the middle of your cooled cupcake and gently push down into the center of the cupcake. Then, gently lift it up and out. The corer should remove a circular portion from the middle of your cupcake.
– Then, fill that hole you just make with your pecan pie filling you already prepared. I like to use a little baby food spoon to do this because the hole is pretty tiny. Also, if you find your hole isn’t quite deep enough and you want to add just a smidge more filling, you can use a baby food spoon to carefully (I mean carefully!) scrape out a bit more of that cupcake center.
– I like to replace about half of the part I cut out of the cupcake back on top (I eat the other halft as a yummy cupcake decorating treat!). However, this is just a personal preference, You do not have to do this, and no one will be able to tell because you’re going to put frosting on next!
3. Frosting Time:
– Once your cupcakes are cooled, generously frost them with the Browned Butter Maple Frosting.
– I like to fill a piping bag and use the Wilton 1M tip for cupcakes.
– If you’re feeling really inspired, you can sprinkle on some chopped pecans on top of your frosting.
Voila! You’ve just created a masterpiece – Yellow Cupcakes oozing with Pecan Pie Filling and adorned with the irresistible Browned Butter Maple Frosting. These pecan pie cupcakes make any occasion (Or just a regular day) extra special!
Looking for More Browned Butter Maple Recipes? Check Out:
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones with Browned Butter Maple Glaze
- Pancake Cupcakes with Browned Butter Maple Frosting
- Browned Butter Maple Scones with Browned Butter Maple Glaze
- Gooey Browned Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Browned Butter Maple Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 batch of yellow cupcakes I used the Duncan Hines mix
For Pecan Pie Filling
- 1 cup pecans coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 pinch salt
For Browned Butter Maple Frosting
- 1 cup butter browned and chilled until sold again
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2-4 Tbsp milk or heavy whipping cream for texture
Instructions
- Prepare your yellow cupcakes and bake according to the recipe you have or the box mix you are using.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
Prepare Pecan Pie Filling
- Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread your pecans in a thin layer on your prepared cookie sheet. Toast the pecans for 8-10 minutes until they start smelling nutty. Be careful not to leave them in too long, or they'll burn!
- Place a saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Melt the butter and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Avoid letting the mixture boil.
- Add in the maple syrup, heaving cream and a pinch of salt. Keep stirring until smooth.
- Add the pecans in last and let them soak in the buttery, sugary mixture for about 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens.
- Remove pan from the heat, and set filling aside. You'll want the filling to be room temperature before you try to fill your cupcakes.
Prepare Browned Butter Maple Frosting
- Brown your butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Start by melting the butter. Then, your butter will start to foam and froth. Next, the foaming will stop, and you may see white flecks of solidified milk fat floating around in your pan. Finally, the foam and forth will come back a little. Move your foam and froth aside so you can see into the pan. When you see dark brown flecks, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.
- After your browned butter has cooled, put it in a heat-safe dish. Place that dish in the fridge to cool completely. You want your butter to be solid again before making frosting with it.
- You can wait to mix your frosting until your cupcakes are filled if you wish to. This is what I do!
- To mix the frosting, just place the chilled browned butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup and 2 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream in a large mixing bowl. Mix until it forms a smooth frosting mixture.
- If your frosting seems too thick, add more milk or heavy cream by the tablespoon until you reach your desired consistency.
Assemble Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Browned Butter Maple Frosting
- Once your cupcakes and pecan pie filling have cooled completely, use a cupcake corer to remove the center from all of your cupcakes.
- Carefully fill each cupcake with the pecan pie filling. You will probably have some filling leftover.
- Put your browned butter maple frosting in a piping bag with a tip, and pipe onto your filled cupcakes.
