Peach Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting — Summer Dessert Recipe

Peach Cupcakes are the perfect summer treat: airy brown sugar cupcakes filled with a bright homemade peach pie filling and finished with a silky cinnamon cream cheese frosting. They’re aromatic, tender, and sure to impress anyone you serve them to.

Why you’ll love these Peach Cupcakes:

• Homemade peach pie filling – A simple stovetop filling made from ripe peaches gives these cupcakes fresh, juicy peach flavor.
• Moist, fluffy cupcakes – Brown sugar keeps the cake tender and adds a subtle caramel note, while a touch of cinnamon gives warmth.
• Cinnamon cream cheese frosting – Luxuriously smooth frosting with cinnamon and vanilla balances the bright peach filling.

Ingredient Overview:

• Fresh peaches – Use ripe, juicy peaches for the best flavor; frozen can work if fresh aren’t available.
• Salted butter – Adds flavor; you can substitute unsalted if preferred and add a pinch more salt.
• Milk – 2% works well; bring to room temperature for even mixing.
• Sour cream – Full fat sour cream keeps the cupcakes tender; full-fat Greek yogurt is a fine substitute.
• Egg whites – Room temperature egg whites are called for in the batter for lift and a lighter crumb.

Ingredient Substitutions:

• Peaches – Frozen, thawed peaches are an acceptable substitute when fresh peaches are out of season.
• Sour cream – Full-fat Greek yogurt can replace sour cream with similar results.
• Dairy-free – Swap butter, milk, cream cheese, and cream with your preferred dairy-free alternatives to make these cupcakes dairy free.

How to Make this Peach Cupcake Recipe:

Step 1: Peach pie filling. In a medium saucepan combine diced peaches, granulated and brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg. Cook over medium heat until bubbling and peaches soften, about 6 minutes. Stir together cornstarch and water, add to the pan, cook another minute to thicken, then remove from heat and cool completely in the refrigerator.

Step 2: Make the cupcakes. Cream butter and oil, then add granulated and brown sugar and beat until light. Add egg whites gradually, then mix in vanilla and sour cream until combined. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, then the milk; mix just until combined. The batter will be slightly loose.

Step 3: Bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line muffin tins with liners and fill each about two-thirds full. Bake 14–20 minutes, until tops spring back lightly and a toothpick shows moist crumbs, not wet batter. Cool in the pan briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.

Step 4: Cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Beat together butter and powdered sugar, adding the sugar in batches. Add heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg and salt. Finally, beat in softened cream cheese until smooth. Adjust powdered sugar and spices to taste for spreading or piping consistency.

Step 5: Fill and frost the cupcakes. Use a teaspoon to remove a small core from each cooled cupcake and spoon 1–2 teaspoons of peach filling into the cavity. Pipe or spread the cinnamon cream cheese frosting on top, then finish with a bit of the peach filling or a thin slice of fresh peach for garnish.

Expert Success Tips:

• Mixing order matters – Follow the sequence of creaming, adding wet, then dry ingredients to keep the crumb tender and evenly mixed.
• Scoop evenly – Use an ice cream scoop to portion batter into liners for consistent cupcakes.
• Peach topping option – Blend any leftover peach filling into a jamlike puree and spoon over the frosting for a glossy, concentrated peach finish.
• Oven accuracy – An oven thermometer helps ensure your oven is at the correct baking temperature.
• Weigh flour – A kitchen scale improves consistency by eliminating measuring-cup variability.

FAQs:

Recipe Variations:

• Filling swaps – Substitute peach jam or peach butter, or try apple butter for a fall twist.
• Brown butter frosting – Brown the butter before creaming for a deeper, nutty frosting flavor; chill and soften again before using.

Serving + Storing:

Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Bring them to room temperature for a short while before serving so the frosting softens and the flavors are more pronounced.

Special Tools:

• Immersion blender – Handy for pureeing leftover peach filling into a smooth jam without transferring to a blender.
• Piping tip – Use your favorite open star or round tip for decorative frosting swirls.
• Piping bag – Reusable or disposable bags both work well for piping the frosting.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and a star rating!

More Recipes to Make During Peach Season:

• Blueberry Peach Cobbler
• Salted Caramel Peach Hand Pies
• Vegan Peach Cobbler
• Peach Salsa
• Peach Cobbler Pound Cake

4.93 from 14 votes

Peach Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

By Stephanie Simmons

Peach Cupcakes are a dreamy summer dessert: fluffy brown sugar cupcakes filled with homemade peach pie filling and topped with a silky cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Prep: 1 hr

Cook: 23 mins

Peach Filling Cooling: 2 hrs

Servings: 18 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Peach Pie Filling

• 4 large ripe peaches, diced (about 4 cups)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp water

For the Cupcakes

• 5 tbsp salted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup milk, at room temperature (175 mL)
• 1 3/4 cups cake flour, spooned & leveled (192 grams)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

For the Frosting

• 1 1/2 cups salted butter, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 5 1/2 to 6 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (more to taste)
• Pinch of nutmeg (more to taste)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

• Make the peach pie filling: Add diced peaches, sugars, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook 6 minutes. Mix cornstarch and water and stir into the peaches, cook 1 more minute, then remove from heat and cool completely in the refrigerator.
• Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and oil, add sugars and beat until light. Add egg whites one at a time, then vanilla and sour cream. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients until mostly combined, then add milk and mix until just combined. Fold any remaining flour by hand.
• Bake: Line muffin tins and fill liners about 2/3 full. Bake 14–20 minutes until tops spring back and a toothpick shows moist crumbs. Cool in the pan briefly, then on a wire rack until completely cool.
• Make the frosting: Cream butter, add powdered sugar in batches, then heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Beat in softened cream cheese last for a stable, silky frosting. Adjust sugar and spices to taste.
• Assemble: Remove small centers from cooled cupcakes and fill each with 1–2 tsp peach filling. Pipe or spread frosting over each cupcake and top with a spoonful of peach puree or a thin peach slice if desired.
• Serve & store: Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. Allow to warm slightly before serving.
• Make-ahead tips: Peach filling can be refrigerated up to 3 days. Cupcakes can be baked the day before and stored unfrosted at room temperature in an airtight container until ready to frost.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cupcakeCalories: 504 kcalCarbohydrates: 71 gProtein: 5 gFat: 23 g

Nutrition information is an approximation.