My favourite treat for the holidays is chocolate with peppermint, so this Chocolate Christmas Cupcakes with peppermint frosting hits the spot! It’s also easy to make and adds a festive dessert on the table for Christmas dinner. Your family will want seconds!
Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
It wouldn’t be Christmas without having at least one candy cane during the holiday season. One of the main flavours during the holiday season is peppermint. It started with candy canes and other candies then people began adding it to desserts, drinks and anything chocolate. The main colours of candy canes are red and white, however, they do come in different colours and flavours. If you want a delicious Christmas dessert, then you will want to make this recipe for Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes.
Peppermint Candy Sticks
Did you know candy canes weren’t always shaped like a cane? They used to be just a plain white stick with the flavour of peppermint. I remember watching Little House on the Prairie and during a Christmas episode, inside the stockings was a white peppermint stick. The candy cane is symbolic of the Shepherds crook making it a Christmas favourite.
In the mid-1600s candy canes were created which wasn’t an easy task. It took hours of heating and twisting and pulling the ingredients to get a peppermint stick. It was not an easy candy to find because of the long process of creating them. In the 1950s the candy cane machine was invented and manufacturers were able to mass-produce.
Christmas Cupcakes
Chocolate and peppermint go so well together it makes for a yummy flavoured hot chocolate cupcake for Christmas time. Not only are they sprinkled with crushed candy canes but you can stick the candy cane in the cupcake to make it look so pretty and of course an added bonus. It’s like two treats in one.
If you are a fan of peppermint and hot chocolate then these Christmas cupcakes are just what you need. You will also want to whip up a batch of my Peppermint Meringue cookies. If you are looking for a last minute gift idea, try one of these 10 Peppermint DIY Body recipes.
Chocolate Christmas Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting Recipe
Cupcake Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 6 TBSP butter, room temp
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cupcake Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake paper liners.
- Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk hot water and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix the egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla until well combined.
- Add in the flour mixture, alternate with hot cocoa mix until there are no lumps.
- Using a large ice cream scoop the batter into the lined cupcake tins until they are 3/4’s filled.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven allowing cupcakes to cool in cupcake pan for 10 minutes.
- Take out of cupcake pan and place individual cupcakes on a wire rack to cool completely.
Peppermint Frosting
Frosting Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 – 2 TBSP heavy cream
- 2 tsp peppermint extract
- crushed candy canes
- candy canes to stick on top
Frosting Directions
- Beat butter and sugar till combined.
- Mix in heavy cream and extract and mix until blended.
- Spoon into a pastry bag with a large tip.
- Frost cupcakes from the outside working the tip toward the centre of the cupcake.
- Sprinkle crushed candy canes and top of the chocolate cupcakes with candy canes.
I hope you enjoyed my Christmas Chocolate Cupcakes with peppermint frosting as much as my family and I did. If you make this recipe, make sure to share with us on Facebook or Twitter! Also, check out all of our other Recipes.
Chocolate Christmas Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
Equipment
- cupcake tin with cupcake paper liners
- medium bowls
- Stand mixer
- pastry bag with a large tip
Ingredients
Cupcakes Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 6 TBSP butter room temp
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
PEPPERMINT FROSTING
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp heavy cream 1 or 2
- 2 tsp peppermint extract
- 4 candy canes crushed
- 24 candy canes to stick on top small
Instructions
CUPCAKE DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake paper liners.
- Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk hot water and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix the egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla until well combined.
- Add in the flour mixture, alternate with hot cocoa mix until there are no lumps.
- Using a large ice cream scoop the batter into the lined cupcake tins until they are 3/4’s filled.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven allowing cupcakes to cool in cupcake pan for 10 minutes.
- Take out of cupcake pan and place individual cupcakes on a wire rack to cool completely.
FROSTING DIRECTIONS
- Beat butter and sugar till combined
- Mix in heavy cream and extract and mix until blended.
- Spoon into a pastry bag with a large tip.
- Frost cupcakes from the outside working the tip toward the center of the cupcake.
- Sprinkle crushed candy canes and top with candy canes
Those are very colourful and a definite eye pleaser. I bet they taste fantastic.
These would be great for a holiday party!
oh my gosh how adorable are these!!!! They are absolutely perfect for the holidays and the canes canes are such a nice touch
Oh my, these look so adorable and I’ll bet these taste super good too 🙂
They certainly do!
They look super cute!! I love the candy cane on top! Great idea I will have to try 🙂
They looks so yummy but so pretty that it’s a shame to bite into them, not that I wouldn’t bite them I definitely would.
These look great! They’re adorable and you can do so much in decorating them!
These are the perfect treat for Christmas, they look so good!!
My kids love peppermint hot chocolate so I know that these cupcakes would be a huge hit!
How many cupcakes does this make, gonna make for Christmas this year.
I love the candy cane topper – what a creative and decorative touch!
These look amazing! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Thank you!
Thank you for this awesome recipe
I love peppermint so this sounds delicious
These would go over really well in our house. Hubby and the grandchildren wouldn’t leave many for me.
they look too pretty to eat.
These look perfect! Thank you 🙂
There are so many fun recipes to make over the holidays now! Love this one 🙂
This would be great for me because I love chocolate mint
I totally love the presentation,these would be beautiful to serve!
I love these cupcakes, would be great to make during the holidays! on my list!
wow sounds yummy and looks just as yummy 🙂
Me also… there is no better time for peppermint treats during the holiday season. I also love how festive these cupcakes look!
These cupcakes look delicious and the way they are decorated with the mini candy canes are so festive and cute.
Will have to make these for the family when they were here during the holidays.