They’re a ton of fun to make and decorate, and most are both delicious and festive! Honestly, the only cupcakes that are more fun might be Halloween cupcakes, but even then, I’m not sure. Making these is exciting, and you can turn it into fun for the whole family. For example, your kids will love helping you add M&Ms to your Christmas lights cupcakes, and the Santa, snowman, and polar bear cupcakes are always a big hit, as well. And even those grinches who won’t help you make these adorable Christmas cupcakes will undoubtedly show up full of Christmas cheer when it’s time to eat them!
Festive Cupcake Recipes for Christmas
1. Hot Chocolate Cupcakes With Marshmallow Buttercream
When it comes to winter treats, it’s hard to beat a nice, sweet mug of hot chocolate. That’s not what this is, but it is what it looks like. Plus, it contains cocoa and marshmallow creme, so it tastes like it, too – only sweeter. The best part of these, though, is how strikingly lovely they look. (Don’t get me wrong; they taste fantastic, too!) But thanks to the rich brown color of the chocolate cupcake and the peppermint and marshmallow decorations, it really looks like a cup of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream.
2. Eggnog Cupcakes
These may not look as fancy and festive, but one bite of their spiced eggnog yumminess, and you’ll understand why they’re ideal for Christmas. They’re easy to make, smell great, and taste even better; you just can’t beat that.
3. Reindeer Cupcakes
All you’ll need to make these adorable reindeer cupcakes are cakes made from devil’s food cake mix, and butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and milk for the frosting. You’ll use pretzel twists to make the antlers, a Nilla wafer for each muzzle, brown M&Ms for noses (except for Rudolph – he needs a red M&M), and candy eyes for eyes. You can also use white mint M&Ms and a dab of chocolate frosting for the eyes if you prefer.
4. Carrot Cake Cupcakes
I could eat carrot cake and carrot cake cupcakes all fall and winter long, and to me, that makes them the perfect Christmas cupcake. They’re light, moist, and full of spiced carrot cake flavor. The decadent cream cheese frosting doesn’t hurt my feelings, either.
5. Christmas Light Cupcakes
If you’re looking for something fun, colorful, and festive, check out these Christmas light cupcakes. They’re standard chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream icing. However, you’ll decorate them with colorful M&Ms and a little black frosting to make the strings. At a glance, the result makes it look like you covered each cupcake in a strand of mini, colored Christmas lights, and that’s just too cute.
6. Gingerbread Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
To make these look exactly like the picture, you’ll have to do a little work. Luckily, it isn’t necessarily hard work. It’s just a bit time-consuming. Gingerbread is the ultimate Christmas treat, and its rich, molasses-like flavor contrasts perfectly with the tangy cream cheese icing on top. Top each one off with a well-decorated gingerbread man, and you’ll have a gorgeous, elegant treat that’ll look great on any Christmas dessert table. Plus, it’s two desserts in one – a cookie and a cupcake.
7. Snickerdoodle Cupcakes With Cinnamon Swirl Frosting
These taste just like snickerdoodles, but they’re lighter, more cake-like, and have a double-dose of cinnamon, thanks to the cake and the cinnamon swirl frosting. If you’re looking for a Christmas cupcake that smells as good as it tastes, this one is the one for you.
8. Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes
Even people who aren’t usually fond of peppermint often enjoy the chocolate and peppermint combination. And these peppermint chocolate cupcakes have both in spades. If you’re in a hurry, you can make the chocolate cupcakes using a boxed cake mix, spending most of your time on the peppermint frosting. However, if time permits, I highly encourage you to use this recipe to make homemade chocolate cupcakes. They are moister, more chocolatey, and simply more decadent and delicious than boxed cupcakes could ever be.
9. Stuffed Cannoli Cupcakes
If you enjoy the sweetly spiced, slightly tangy taste of cannoli but are more in the mood for cupcakes, this recipe can give you the best of both worlds. You’ll get all the cheesy and chocolatey flavor of a cannoli but the soft, spongy texture of a cupcake. Additionally, they’ll look incredible and are very festive.
10. Creme Brulee Cupcakes
These delectable, elegant cupcakes have a scrumptious vanilla bean pastry cream topping and a caramelized brulee crisp that’s absolutely delightful to bite into. Add whipped cream and a raspberry for that little extra touch of Christmas cheer.
11. Christmas Tree Cupcakes
I know what you’re thinking; these look like something you’d learn towards the end of the semester at an advanced baking class. Actually, they’re unbelievably simple. That intricate, delicate-looking Christmas tree is just an upside-down ice cream cone with star-shaped dollops of green icing and powdered sugar. As long as you have the right tip for your piping gun, you could almost make these with your eyes closed. (But you don’t have to tell anyone how easy they were. Let them think otherwise.)
12. Santa Cupcakes
With these Santa cupcakes, too, it’s all about finding the right tool to get the job done. The charming Santa faces look like they take a lot of work, but they’re simple with the right icing tip. The chocolate cupcakes are light and flavorful, and the buttercream frosting is delicious and super sweet, no matter what color it happens to be. Plus, it doesn’t get much more jovial and merry than Santa cupcakes at Christmas.
13. Snowman Cupcakes
These snowman cupcakes call for chocolate cake, as well, but as with any of the highly decorative cupcakes, you can use whatever cupcake base you like. And all you’ll need to decorate the tasty treats are marshmallows, vanilla frosting, black icing, and Funfetti or sugar pearls. (I prefer sugar pearls.) If you want cutesy cupcakes but aren’t sure how to use a piping bag and tips, these are the simplest options, as the marshmallow is what makes up most of the cupcake.
14. Tricolor Christmas Cupcakes
You can make two dozen of these red, white, and green cupcakes in just 45 minutes! Start with boxed vanilla (or white) cake mix and go from there. Primarily, they taste like standard vanilla cupcakes, but they look phenomenal, and each one has just a hint of peppermint flavoring in it, as well.
15. Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes
Kahlua chocolate cupcakes may not be as decorative or make as much sense for Christmas as most of the other options on the list. However, if your Christmas is about decadence and over-indulgence, then these are the perfect fit. There’s a rich, warm burst of Kahlua in every aspect of these cupcakes. You’ll add it – along with espresso powder, semi-sweet chocolate, cocoa powder, cinnamon, sugar, and more – to the cupcakes. You’ll add it to the buttercream. You’ll add it to the ganache. You’ll add it until there’s Kahlua in every bite. They’re moist, as soft as a cloud, and undeniably chocolatey. These are incredibly rich, though, so eat slowly and don’t overdo it.
16. Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes
I’m not going to lie; these cinnamon roll cupcakes take some work! They aren’t boxed cupcakes that you can whip up in 20 minutes with minimal effort. However, the payoff is extraordinary. I mean, just look at them! These are some next-level Magnolia Bakery-worthy cupcakes right here! And as a bonus, you get a sweet and spicy cinnamon roll with every cake!
17. Ultimate Salted Caramel Cupcakes
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably automatically predisposed to loving anything with the words “salted caramel” in the name, but these ultimate salted caramel cupcakes go a step beyond. Most salted caramel cupcakes put all the salt and caramel in the frosting. For these, you’ll hollow out the cinnamon-sugary cakes and fill the hole with thick, creamy caramel sauce. Then, you’ll top each one with sweet, sugary frosting, a caramel square, liquid caramel sauce, and plenty of flaky sea salt. Put simply, these are divine.
18. Apple Pie Cupcakes
Thanks to the nutty, sugary crumble topping, these dense, fluffy sweets are more like muffins than cupcakes. Each one tastes remarkably like a sweet and spiced apple pie. You’ll make them with refrigerated cinnamon roll dough, which gives them a slightly different texture than traditional cupcakes and a much richer depth of flavor.
19. Grinch Cupcakes
If you’re a fan of How the Grinch Stole Christmas – or any of its variations – you’ll adore these enchanting Grinch cupcakes. Despite their vibrantly green (and red) appearance, they taste just like red velvet cupcakes, and those are always delicious.
20. Red Velvet Cupcakes
Speaking of red velvet cupcakes, let’s not leave them off the list either. This recipe will help you make them from scratch, right down to the sweet and tangy cream cheese icing. Best of all, you can whip up an entire batch in just 35 minutes.
21. Polar Bear Cupcakes
People will love these cupcakes because they look like tiny polar bears with sweet smiles on their faces. Once they take a bite and realize they’re white almond cupcakes instead of vanilla, though, they’ll love them for an entirely different reason. These have the most amazing, sweetly nutty flavor and the softest texture. The striking decorations are the least of what makes them great.
22. Candy Cane Cupcakes
These red and white swirled cupcakes are for anyone who loves the sweet but strong taste of peppermint in their desserts. The frosting is creamy and velvety smooth, and the smell and flavor of the cupcakes are overwhelmingly peppermint-flavored in the best way!
23. Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Cookies and cream cupcakes aren’t strictly Christmas cupcakes, but they are excellent all-occasion cupcakes. Honestly, I just love the Oreo buttercream so much that I think they deserve a spot on every dessert list ever. Despite their lovely appearance and their decadent taste, these aren’t hard to make at all. You can make over a dozen in under 40 minutes, and you’ll only need 10 ingredients for the cupcakes and another six (some are the same as the original ten) for the buttercream.
24. Sugar Cookie-Stuffed Cupcakes
All you need for the cake part of these monochromatic cupcakes is sugar cookie mix and devil’s food chocolate cake mix (and the required ingredients listed on the boxes of each). Then, for the buttercream, you’ll need milk, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and butter. So what makes these so special? The sugar cookie inside – yes, inside – each cupcake! I love any dessert that surprises me with an extra dessert inside, so these get an A+++ in my book!
25. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
These cupcakes have an extra surprise waiting inside them, too – chocolate chip cookie dough! The cupcakes are vanilla with chocolate chips, but each one is also packed with cookie dough. Then, you’ll ice them with more cookie dough frosting and stick a chocolate chip cookie on top of each one. It’s 100% chocolate chip cookie overload, and I’m 100% okay with that.
26. Ultimate Marble Cupcakes
These cupcakes seamlessly blend the yumminess of both chocolate and vanilla for a gorgeous marble cupcake that wouldn’t be out of place at even the swankiest of weddings. They take a bit of time and effort to make, but the ingredients list is simple, and the final product is spectacular enough to make it entirely worthwhile.
27. Shoofly Cupcakes
Shoofly cupcakes may not be the prettiest cupcakes on the list, but they are some of the moistest, softest, and tastiest — if you like molasses, that is. They’re also one of the easiest to prepare, requiring only six ingredients – flour, brown sugar, butter, boiling water, baking soda, and molasses. It takes about 30 minutes to make two dozen. You can also substitute shortening for the butter and make them vegan-friendly, as well.
28. Andes Mint Cupcakes
These cupcakes are gorgeous. The pale, mint green frosting looks lovely against the dark brown chocolate cupcake, and once you stick an Andes mint in the top of each one, these look bakery showcase ready. They also taste precisely like Andes mints, but they’re much softer, fluffier, and moister. Still, they make a very refreshing, clean dessert to enjoy after a meal.
29. Dr. Pepper Cupcakes
Somehow, these cupcakes manage to taste like chocolate, butter, and Dr. Pepper all rolled into one delectable package. They’re supremely soft, almost spongy, and look fantastic, too. You may think tasting Dr. Pepper in your dessert wouldn’t be a good thing, but I’m here to tell you unequivocally that you’re wrong. The bubbly drink gives these cupcakes an incredible taste.
30. Ultimate Nutella Cupcakes
If peanut butter and chocolate are some of your favorite flavor combinations, then you’re going to go bonkers for these ultimate Nutella cupcakes. They’re so soft and rich, and each fluffy chocolate cake features creamy, nutty Nutella inside it. You’ll also use a Nutella buttercream frosting for the topping. And if all that wasn’t fantastic enough, you’ll stick one of my all-time favorite chocolates – a Ferrero Rocher candy – on top for an extra touch of pizzazz. Bake these just once for a family gathering, and you’ll get requests for them every time you have another event after that. (I speak from experience.) Click on a star to rate it!
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