Why not serve one of the season’s most popular flavors with these peppermint chocolate cupcakes? This creation is a symphony of delicious tangy cream cheese with a hint of cool, invigorating peppermint that dances on your taste buds. As the topper to a moist, chocolate cupcake, the flavor combination will leave you wanting more and the festive swirl of red and white frosting is a feast for the eyes AND the palate!
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Best Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes
It’s that time of year when all-things-chocolate-peppermint arrive on the scene. The chocolate peppermint flavor is probably our favorite adding yet another reason to be excited for the holidays!
That’s where these best peppermint chocolate cupcakes come in. They are perfect for a party, family gathering, kids, a potluck, or even Christmas Day. They’re quite festive with their red and white swirl of frosting filled with yummy peppermint glory! Don’t they sort of look like a Santa hat?
Seriously, the moist chocolate cake made with cocoa powder topped with a cream cheese peppermint frosting is sure to be a hit for the holidays. My mouth is watering right now and I’m betting yours is too!
This recipe came from the desire to combine two of my favorite things in life: chocolate peppermint and cupcakes. Simply put, a fantastic marriage (if you ask me). While the idea isn’t original, we took a different path to exclude a filling and feature a pretty two-toned swirl of frosting!
Ingredients for Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes
These cupcakes are almost as fun to make as they are to eat. Let’s be honest, eating is ALWAYS the best part, right? Part of me didn’t want to mess them up since they are both delicious and pretty. Yeah, that didn’t last long.
I know you can’t wait to bite into them and who can blame you? I couldn’t wait either. So, let’s get down to it, shall we?
- Baking basics: unsalted butter, flour, sugar, oil, salt, milk, eggs, baking powder
- Vanilla
- Cocoa powder
- Cream cheese – softened
- Peppermint extract
- Powdered sugar
- Red food coloring
- Sprinkles (optional)
Note: Always check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients, amounts, and steps.
How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
Tag, you’re it. It’s now your turn to make these little flavorful delights!
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place liners in your cupcake pan(s). Set aside for later.
- Make the cupcake batter. Cream the softened butter and sugar in a stand mixer bowl until combined (~2 minutes). Add in the vanilla, peppermint extract, oil, and eggs. Mix well.
- Pour in the milk and mix again. Add in all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Mix thoroughly. Stop the machine, scrape down the sides, and mix again.
- Bake the cupcakes. Use an ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop out enough batter to fill each paper lined cupcake cavity about ⅔ full. Bake in the preheated oven for 14-16 minutes or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely before decorating.
- Make the icing (frosting if you aren’t southern ). Combine the softened butter, cream cheee, salt, peppermint extract, and half of the powdered sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Mix until combined. Add the remaining powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed and mix on medium/high for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Divide the frosting in half and tint one-half red with the red food coloring.
- Ice the cupcakes. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip. Place your piping bag in a cup and fold the ends over the edge of the cup. Place a scoop of white icing on one side of the piping bag. Place another scoop of equal size of red on the other side of the piping bag so that the two colors will swirl together as they combine. Pipe a large mound of frosting on each cupcake working in a spiral motion and drawing the frosting upwards. Top with sprinkles of choice. Enjoy!
FAQs – Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes
Of course not! Sometimes “get ‘er done” is the best solution. Feel free to frost them how you desire. Just realize you won’t have the swirl effect these have. However, you can manually frost them half white and half red, then top with sprinkles (or not) as an alternative.
They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Yes, you can freeze these for up to 3 months.
Sure! These take on the red and white colors of peppermints. However, if you would prefer green and white, substitute the red food coloring for green. You can even tint half of the frosting red and half of it green if you’d like. Get creative and do you!
Want to Change it Up?
The frosting for these peppermint chocolate cupcakes takes on the red and white colors of peppermints. However, if you would prefer green and white frosting, follow the instructions but substitute the red food coloring for green. You can even tint half of the frosting red and half of it green if you’d like.
Sprinkles are optional. Use whatever you desire. Tiny little candy canes, red and green sprinkles, or even crushed peppermints. For a Valentine’s Day spin, try hearts or pink sprinkles.
Get creative and do you!
More Christmas Recipes
Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2 cupcake pans-12 cup (or one 24-cup pan)
- food scoop (or 1/4 cup measuring cup)
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cocoa powder
Icing/Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- red food coloring
- sprinkles, to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place liners in your cupcake pan(s) and set aside.
Cupcakes
- Combine the softened butter and sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Cream until combined for about 2 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter, softened, ¾ cup sugar
- Add in the vanilla, peppermint extract, oil, and eggs. Mix well.¼ cup oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, 2 eggs
- Pour in the milk and mix again. The mixture will appear curdled – this is normal.¾ cup milk
- Add in all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Mix thoroughly. Stop the machine, scrape down the sides, and mix again.1 ¼ cups flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup cocoa powder
- Use an ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop out enough batter to fill each paper lined cupcake cavity about ⅔ full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 14-16 minutes or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely before decorating.
Icing/Frosting
- Combine the softened butter, cream cheese, salt, peppermint extract, and half of the powdered sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Mix until combined.1 cup unsalted butter, softened, 4 ounces cream cheese, softened, ½ teaspoon salt, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Add the remaining powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Increase the speed and mix on medium/high for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Divide the frosting in half and tint one-half red.red food coloring
- Fit your piping bag with a large star tip.
- Place your piping bag in a cup and fold the ends over the edge of the cup. Place a scoop of white icing on one side of the piping bag. Place another scoop of equal size of red on the other side of the piping bag so that the two colors will swirl together as they combine.
- Pipe a large mound of frosting on each cupcake working in a spiral motion and drawing the frosting upwards.
- Top with sprinkles of choice. Enjoy!sprinkles, to decorate
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information accuracy not guaranteed.
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