These maple cupcakes with brown butter frosting take a classic cupcake and give it a delicious fall twist! They’re soft, fluffy, and loaded with maple flavor, but it’s that rich, nutty frosting that really steals the show.



 

I’ve made plenty of cupcakes over the years, but these maple cupcakes are definitely a new favorite! They’re soft, fluffy, and have just the right amount of sweetness. Plus, they’re such a fun change from the usual chocolate or vanilla!

And can we talk about that frosting? Browning the butter takes a few extra minutes, but trust me, it’s worth it! It gives the frosting a rich, nutty flavor that pairs so well with the cupcakes. I could seriously eat it straight from the bowl!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Brown butter makes everything better. That delicious toasted, almost caramel-like flavor takes both the cupcakes and frosting to a whole new level. A little extra effort with a BIG payoff!
  • Soft, fluffy perfection. These cupcakes bake up beautifully tender and moist, with a delicate crumb that practically melts in your mouth!
  • Perfect for fall celebrations. Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving, heading to a fall party, or just baking for fun, these cupcakes are sure to be a hit!
  • Bakery-worthy without the fuss. No complicated decorating required! A generous swirl of homemade frosting makes these cupcakes look beautiful and taste even better.

Ingredient Notes

Small bowls with flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, butter and other ingredients for maple cupcakes.
  • Unsalted butter: You’ll use brown butter in both the cupcakes and frosting, which adds a delicious rich, nutty flavor. Unsalted butter lets you control the amount of salt.
  • All-purpose flour: Be sure to measure your flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off. Too much flour can make the cupcakes dry and dense.
  • Baking powder and baking soda: These work together to help the cupcakes rise and give them a light, fluffy texture.
  • Salt: Just a little balances the sweetness and brings out all those delicious flavors.
  • Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cupcakes and helps keep them soft and tender.
  • Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature so they mix smoothly into the batter.
  • Maple syrup and maple extract: Pure maple syrup adds natural sweetness, while maple extract boosts the flavor. Be sure to use pure maple syrup rather than pancake syrup!
  • Vanilla extract: Adds a little warmth and enhances the flavor of both the cupcakes and frosting.
  • Milk: Keeps the cupcakes moist and tender. Room-temperature milk works best for a smooth, evenly mixed batter. It’s also used to thin the frosting.
  • Powdered sugar: Gives the frosting its sweetness and smooth texture. Sifting it first helps prevent lumps.

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Variations

Add some crunch. Sprinkle chopped toasted pecans or walnuts over the frosting for a little extra texture and nutty flavor.

Try a different frosting. Swap the brown butter frosting for classic cream cheese frosting or maple cream cheese frosting. Both pair beautifully with these cupcakes!

Make mini cupcakes. Use a mini muffin pan lined with paper liners and fill each about ⅔ full. Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

How to Make Maple Cupcakes

Collage showing browned butter, a whisk with flour, and mixing cupcake batter.
  1. Place butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat, stirring or swirling constantly as it melts and foams. Once golden brown flecks appear and the butter smells nutty, immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl. Let cool before using in the cupcakes and frosting.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, beat ½ cup brown butter and sugar until creamy and light in color, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the maple syrup, vanilla extract and maple extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
Adding batter to a muffins pan, mixing frosting and frosting cupcakes.
  1. Gradually add in the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk. Mix until batter is uniform and smooth.
  2. Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 16–18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
  3. Beat brown butter and softened butter until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Gradually mix in powdered sugar, then add vanilla and salt. Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute, adding milk as needed for desired consistency.
  4. Transfer to a frosting bag with tip and frost cooled cupcakes.

Expert Tips

Watch the butter closely. Brown butter can go from golden to burnt in seconds! Use a light-colored pan so you can easily see the color change, and remove it from the heat as soon as you notice golden brown flecks and a nutty aroma.

Don’t waste the brown bits. Those little toasted bits at the bottom of the pan are packed with flavor! Be sure to scrape them into the bowl when transferring the brown butter.

Let the butter cool. Make sure the brown butter has cooled to room temperature before using it. For the frosting, it should be soft but not melted, or the frosting may turn out runny.

Avoid overmixing. Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the cupcakes dense instead of soft and tender.

Don’t overbake. Start checking the cupcakes at 16 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Cool before frosting. Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before adding the frosting. Otherwise, that beautiful swirl of brown butter frosting will melt right off!

Frosted maple cupcakes with a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkle of chopped pecans.

Storage and Make Ahead Tips

Storing. Keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If serving the same day, they can sit at room temperature for a few hours. For the best flavor and texture, let refrigerated cupcakes come to room temperature before serving.

Freezing. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes individually wrapped in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. The brown butter frosting can also be frozen separately for up to 3 months. Thaw both in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature and rewhip the frosting before decorating.

Make ahead. Bake the cupcakes and prepare the frosting up to 2 days in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator until ready to assemble. Don’t make the cupcake batter ahead of time, as the leavening agents start working once the ingredients are mixed.

Recipe FAQ

What kind of maple syrup is best?

Pure maple syrup is a must for the best flavor! Avoid pancake syrup, which is typically made with corn syrup and artificial flavoring. I recommend dark or very dark maple syrup (formerly Grade B) for its stronger maple flavor, but amber maple syrup works well, too.

Why did my cupcakes turn out dense?

Overmixing the batter or adding too much flour can lead to dense cupcakes. Be sure to spoon and level your flour, use room-temperature ingredients, and mix just until everything is combined.

Maple cupcake with a bite taken out.

More Maple Recipes You’ll Love

Maple leaf sugar cookies decorated with a white icing.

Maple Leaf Sugar Cookies
Maple walnut scones drizzled with glaze near a bottle of maple syrup.

Maple Walnut Scones
Baked maple bacon donuts on a white plate served with coffee.

Maple Bacon Donuts
parchment paper with a few maple muffins with glaze and walnut on top.

Maple Muffins with Walnuts

Did you love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and if you REALLY loved it, consider leaving a comment further down the page.

Maple cupcakes topped with frosting and chopped pecans.

Get the Recipe: Maple Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting

Yield: 14 cupcakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
These maple cupcakes with brown butter frosting are soft, fluffy, and full of sweet maple flavor. Topped with rich, nutty brown butter frosting, they're a delicious fall treat!
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Ingredients

Brown Butter

  • 1 ¼ cup (280 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

Maple Cupcakes

  • 1 ¾ cups (219 g) all purpose flour, measured correctly
  • 2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) salt
  • ½ cup (113 g) brown butter, cooled to room temperature
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 (2) large eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup, (not pancake syrup)
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) maple extract
  • ½ cup (120 ml) milk, room temperature

Brown Butter Frosting

  • ½ cup (113 g) brown butter, cooled to room temperature
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch (Pinch) salt
  • 1-2 Tablespoons (15 ml) milk

Instructions 

Brown the Butter

  • Place butter pieces in a light-colored pan. Bring to medium heat and stir constantly with a rubber spatula or gently swirl the pan. Keep the butter moving so it melts evenly and doesn’t burn.
  • The butter will melt, then it will start to foam up. The foam will subside and the butter will start to brown. Once you see little brown flecks and the butter has a nutty aroma, remove it from the heat and immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl.
  • Let it cool in the bowl before using in cupcake batter and frosting.

Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with baking cups.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat ½ cup brown butter and sugar until creamy and light in color, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the maple syrup, vanilla extract and maple extract (it’s okay if the batter looks slightly curdled). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
  • Gradually add in the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk (So it goes flour, milk, flour, milk, flour). Mix until batter is uniform and smooth.
  • Fill baking cups about three-quarters full and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven, transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack, and allow them to cool to room temperature before frosting.

Frosting

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat ½ cup brown butter with ½ cup unsalted butter until fluffy, about 4 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the powdered sugar until completely incorporated.
  • With the mixer on medium speed, add the vanilla and salt, and beat for a minute, until fluffy. Add milk until desired consistency is reached.
  • Transfer to a frosting bag with tip and frost cooled cupcakes.

Notes

Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. IThey can sit at room temperature for a few hours while serving.
Pure maple syrup must be used and not pancake syrup, which is typically flavored corn syrup.
Browning butter: Once the butter is browned, remove it from the pan into a separate bowl so it stops cooking and starts cooling.
Serving: 1cupcake, Calories: 424kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 142mg, Potassium: 121mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 36g, Vitamin A: 769IU, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Haley D Williams
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

This post was previously sponsored by Fannie May. The recipe has since been updated to better suit my readers.

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