Christmas cupcakes are the perfect way to bring cheer (and sweetness!) to your holiday celebrations. This recipe features moist vanilla cupcakes topped with fluffy buttercream and decorated five magical ways: Santa hats, wreaths, poinsettias, Christmas trees, and melting snowmen. Whether you’re hosting a festive party or baking with the kids, these cupcakes are a merry addition to any occasion. With easy-to-follow instructions and show-stopping results, these treats will become a holiday tradition.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Christmas Cupcakes
- Kid-friendly & festive – Fun to decorate and even more fun to eat
- Moist vanilla cupcake base – Soft, fluffy, and perfect for any frosting
- Customizable buttercream – Use food coloring and simple piping tips for amazing designs
- Great for parties & gifting – Each cupcake is a mini masterpiece
- Make-ahead friendly – Bake the day before and decorate fresh
Looking for more holiday desserts? Check out Holiday Sugar Cookies, Peppermint Bark Brownies, or Eggnog Cheesecake Bites.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 egg whites
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
For the Vanilla Buttercream:
- 2 lbs powdered sugar
- 1 lb unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp whole milk
- Pinch of salt
- Red, green, orange food coloring
- Optional: silver/gold sugar pearls, large marshmallows, black candy melts
Instructions
1. Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites, sour cream, milk, vanilla, and melted butter until combined.
- Add wet ingredients to dry. Mix gently until just combined (lumps are OK).
- Fill liners ⅔ full and bake 15–20 minutes or until springy and golden.
- Cool completely before frosting.
2. Make the Buttercream
- In a stand mixer, beat butter until creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing between each addition.
- Add cream, vanilla, milk, and salt. Beat until fluffy and smooth.
- Divide into bowls and tint with food coloring: red, green, orange, black. Leave some white.
Decoration Ideas (Pick Your Favorites!)
🎅 Santa Hat
- Pipe a red swirl using a round tip (808) for the hat body.
- Add white dollop on top and along the base using a star tip.
- Optional: dip the white frosting in sanding sugar for sparkle.
❄️ Melting Snowman
- Frost cupcake with smooth white base.
- Cut large marshmallow and place on edge as the head.
- Attach orange buttercream “carrot nose.”
- Use black buttercream for arms, eyes, and mouth. Add pearl buttons.
🎄 Christmas Tree
- Spread a thin white layer on the cupcake.
- Pipe a brown tree stump with brown buttercream.
- Use a star tip to pipe green “branches” into a cone shape.
- Decorate with colorful pearls and top with a gold star sprinkle.
🌺 Poinsettia
- Pipe green leaves with a leaf tip.
- Layer red petals using another leaf tip.
- Add yellow buttercream dots to the center for the flower core.
🌿 Wreath
- Pipe a white base.
- Use a leaf tip to create overlapping green leaves in a ring.
- Pipe a red ribbon with a petal tip and decorate with sugar pearls.
Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Servings: 18 cupcakes
Nutrition Facts (Per Cupcake)
- Calories: 300 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Protein: 3g
- Fat: 23g
- Sugar: 34g
- Sodium: 210mg
Tips & Variations
- Don’t overmix the batter—this keeps the cupcakes fluffy.
- No sour cream? Sub plain Greek yogurt.
- Want less sweet frosting? Try Swiss or Italian meringue buttercream.
- Flavor twist: Add crushed peppermint candies or orange zest to the batter.
- Store undecorated cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Frosted ones are best enjoyed within 24 hours.
FAQs
Can I make these cupcakes in advance?
Yes! Bake the cupcakes a day ahead. Store at room temp and frost before serving.
Do I need special piping tips?
Not at all. A few basic round, leaf, and star tips help—but you can also snip piping bags for simple designs.
Can I freeze the cupcakes?
Yes. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes up to 1 month. Thaw, then decorate.
Are these cupcakes kid-friendly to decorate?
Absolutely! Kids love making snowmen or adding sprinkles to trees and wreaths.
Christmas Cupcakes
Equipment
- – Muffin tin & liners
- – Piping bags & tips
- – Stand mixer or hand mixer
- – Mixing bowls
- – Offset spatula or butter knife
Ingredients
- **For the Cupcakes:**
- – 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- – 1 cup granulated sugar
- – 1 tsp baking powder
- – 1/4 tsp baking soda
- – 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- – 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temp
- – 3 egg whites
- – 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- – 1/2 cup sour cream
- – 1/2 cup whole milk
- **For the Buttercream:**
- – 2 lbs powdered sugar
- – 1 lb unsalted butter room temp
- – 1 tbsp heavy cream
- – 1 tsp vanilla extract
- – 1 tsp whole milk
- – Pinch of salt
- – Food coloring: red green, orange
- – Decorations: sugar pearls marshmallows, black candy melts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pan with papers.
- Sift dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Whisk egg whites, sour cream, milk, vanilla, butter in another bowl.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Fill liners 2/3 full. Bake 15–20 min. Cool completely.
- Make buttercream: Cream butter, add sugar in batches, then add cream, milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy.
- Tint frosting and decorate as desired (see design ideas).
Notes
– Decorations can be adapted based on skill level.
– Store frosted cupcakes in fridge up to 2 days.
Conclusion
These Christmas cupcakes are as joyful to make as they are to eat. With festive flair, delicious vanilla flavor, and endless decorating possibilities, they’re guaranteed to wow your holiday guests. Perfect for cookie exchanges, class parties, or just a cozy baking day, they’ll bring sweetness and sparkle to the season.