Ready for apple season? This easy, no bake Caramel Apple Dessert Cups recipe is delicious! Filled with fall flavor in a portable package.
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Skip the slice and prepare your pie in portable salted caramel apple dessert cups instead! We’ve made this snack mini-sized so you can eat your goodie on the go! No oven needed!
Caramel Apple Pie Cups
These Caramel Apple Cups take all the delicious tastes in a traditional apple pie and turn it into the cutest caramel apple cookie cups. Prepared like caramel apple pudding shots in plastic portion cups, this caramel apple dessert recipe pipes a thick layer of creamy pudding on top of a buttery cookie crumb crust, then piles on my favorite part of apple pie (the fruit filling of course!)
If you love the caramel and apple combination, try one of our other twists on apple pie desserts like our Caramel Apple Trifle, Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie Cups, Apple Pie Tacos, and Apple Pie Cookies,
Ingredient Notes
- Granny Smith Apples: Other firm apples, such as Honeycrisp or Braeburn, Gala, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples, can be used for a similar texture but with a slightly different sweetness level.
- Light Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar can be used for a deeper molasses flavor or white sugar if you’re in a pinch, though the flavor will change slightly.
- Salted Butter: Unsalted butter can be used with a pinch of salt added to the recipe.
- Ground Cinnamon: A pinch of nutmeg or allspice can be added along with or instead of cinnamon.
- Vanilla Wafers: We used Great Value brand suggested, but any brand of vanilla wafers or graham crackers will also work.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: Instant butterscotch pudding mix could be used for a different but complementary flavor.
- Whole Milk: 2% milk can be used, though the pudding may be slightly less rich.
- Salted Caramel Sauce: We used Ghirardelli brand. Regular caramel sauce can be used, and adding a pinch of salt. Homemade salted caramel sauce is also a great option if you have the time.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream are interchangeable. In a pinch, a dollop of store-bought whipped cream can be used, though the taste and texture will vary.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Caramel Apple Dessert Cups
- Make The Apple Mixture: Heat the the apples, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon until the apples have softened and the brown sugar sauce has thickened to canned apple pie filling consistency. Stir in the salted caramel sauce. Allow the apples to cool completely.
- Coat The Cookie Crumbs: Stir together the crushed cookies and melted butter to coat. Add the buttered crumbs to the bottom of each cup.
- Prepare The Pudding: Mix together the milk and instant pudding until the pudding begins to thicken. Mix in the remaining caramel sauce and heavy cream until the mixture has thickened.
- Create Your Cups: Pipe the pudding on top of the buttered crumb crust, about ⅔ of the way full, and cover with the cooled, cooked apples.
- Serve: Place the lids on the cups and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Make sure you use instant pudding and not the cook and serve kind.
- The apples should be finely diced — these are small dessert cups and the pieces of apple need to fit on top.
- The pudding mixture should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped into the cups
Storage Tips
- To Store: Covered dessert cups will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the cups for up to 1 month.
More Snack Size Desserts
More Caramel Apple Recipes
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Caramel Apple Dessert Cup
Serves — 28
Ready for apple season? This easy, no bake Caramel Apple Dessert Cups recipe is delicious! Filled with fall flavor in a portable package.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Rest Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and finely diced (You can also substitute honey crisp, gala, fuji or pink lady varieties. Remember these are small dessert cups and the pieces of apple need to fit on top)
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups crushed vanilla wafers I used Great Value brand
- ¼ cup salted butter melted and cooled
- 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix (you can substitute cheesecake pudding mix)
- 1¼ cups cold whole milk
- ¾ cup salted caramel sauce divided ¼ cup and ½ cup (I used Ghirardelli brand – you can substitute regular caramel sauce for the salted)
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Add the diced apples, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon to a 2-3 quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir the apples frequently, for about 7-9 minutes, until the apples have softened and the brown sugar sauce has thickened to canned apple pie filling consistency. Stir in ¼ cup of salted caramel sauce. Allow the apples to cool completely. (If you are pressed for time, you can chill the apples in the refrigerator. Be aware that condensation may occur on the lid or covering over the apples which may affect the consistency)3 cups Granny Smith apples, ⅓ cup light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons salted butter, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¾ cup salted caramel sauce
- Add the crushed vanilla wafers and melted butter to a small mixing bowl. Stir to completely coat the crumbs.2 cups crushed vanilla wafers, ¼ cup salted butter
- Add 2 teaspoons of the buttered crumbs to the cups. Use either a spoon or an extra cup to tamp down the buttered crumbs.
- Add the cold whole milk and instant pudding to a medium size mixing bowl. Use a handheld mixer on low, or a hand whisk, to mix until the pudding begins to thicken. This will take about 2-3 minutes3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix, 1¼ cups cold whole milk
- Mix in the remaining ½ cup of the salted caramel sauce to the pudding.
- Add in the cold heavy cream and continue mixing until the pudding has thickened. This should take about 3-4 minutes (The mixture should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped into the cups)1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- Add the thickened pudding to a piping bag, or a gallon size ziplock bag with a corner snipped off.
- Snip the end of the piping bag off. Use steady even pressure to squeeze the filling on top of the buttered crumb crust about ⅔ of the way full.
- Spoon the cooled, cooked apples on top of the pudding. (About 2 teaspoons) Place the lids on the cups and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. The dessert cups will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the cups for up to 1 month.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Covered dessert cups will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the cups for up to 1 month.
- Make sure you use instant pudding and not the cook and serve kind.
- The apples should be finely diced — these are small dessert cups and the pieces of apple need to fit on top.
- The pudding mixture should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped into the cups
Nutrition Info
Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 244IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 0.1mg
