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These easy Christmas cupcakes are a festive favorite I love to make during the holiday season. They’re moist, flavorful, perfectly spiced with eggnog, then topped with the most adorable decorations!
Easy Christmas Cupcakes Recipe
This Christmas cupcakes recipe includes a creamy flavor of eggnog, baked directly into the batter. Then they are topped with an amazing eggnog buttercream frosting, which makes these cupcakes a must have for your all of your holiday parties.
Not only are they delicious, but they’re also fun to decorate, allowing you to get creative with holiday themes like snowmen, wreaths, or Christmas trees. Whether you’re hosting a party or looking for a sweet holiday project, these cupcakes are going to be show stoppers!
Ingredients for Eggnog Cupcakes
Cupcakes:
- unsalted butter, softened: Adds moisture and richness.
- granulated sugar: Sweetens the cupcakes perfectly.
- eggs, room temperature: Provides structure and a light texture.
- eggnog: Adds a festive flavor to the cupcakes.
- vanilla extract: Enhances the flavor.
- all-purpose flour: The base for a tender crumb.
- baking powder: Helps the cupcakes rise.
- ground cinnamon: Adds a hint of warm spice.
Eggnog Buttercream:
- butter, softened: Forms the creamy base of the frosting.
- powdered sugar: Sweetens the buttercream.
- eggnog: Adds flavor and adjusts the consistency.
- Green gel food coloring: For cupcake decorations. (Keep someone of the frosting white too!)
Optional Decorations
- Sprinkles: For a festive touch.
- Dark chocolate: For snowman and light string decorations.
- Marshmallows: Perfect for snowman cupcakes.
- Shredded coconut: Adds a snowy effect.
Eggnog Christmas Cupcake Variations
- Mini cupcakes: Use a mini muffin tin and reduce the baking time to 12-15 minutes.
- Flavor twist: Add a dash of nutmeg or rum extract to the batter for extra holiday cheer.
- Alternative frosting: Use cream cheese frosting instead of buttercream for a tangy contrast.
- Use a box mix: Need cupcakes in a hurry? Grab a boxed cake mix and a tub of buttercream frosting. I like the taste of homemade better, but in a pinch, store bought and box mix can work.
How to Make Eggnog Christmas Cupcakes
STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
STEP 3: Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and eggnog. Then continue mixing, until well combined.
STEP 4: Sift the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon into wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
STEP 5: Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
STEP 6: Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Make Eggnog Buttercream
STEP 7: Beat the softened butter for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Gradually sift in the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggnog one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
STEP 8: Set aside 3 tablespoons of the buttercream and mix in green food coloring for decorating.
How to Decorate Cupcakes
Snowman cupcakes
Pipe white frosting in circles, and then add a marshmallow to the center. Melt dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, then use a toothpick or skewer and dip it in the chocolate to draw the eyes and mouth.
Press an orange sprinkle onto the face for the snowman’s nose. Use melted dark chocolate for the face. Sprinkle shredded coconut for a snowy effect. You can then sprinkle some grated coconut on top.
Christmas wreath cupcakes
Frost the cupcakes with smooth white frosting. Trim the tops of the cupcakes if necessary, so they are flat. Add a drop of gel food coloring to a small bowl of white frosting and stir together until the green color is even in the frosting.
Fill a frosting bag with the green frosting and then use a small piping tip to create a wreath. Decorate with sprinkles.
Christmas lights cupcakes
Pipe a small amount of white buttercream onto the cupcakes. You might need to cut the tip of the cupcake to make it flat and even.
Melt dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and using a toothpick, draw on the white buttercream the wiring creating fun swirl shapes to simulate tangled Christmas light strings.
Place colorful sprinkles for Christmas lights along the wiring, before the chocolate cools so the sprinkles stick.
Christmas tree cupcakes
Pipe a small amount of white buttercream onto the cupcakes. You might need to cut the tip of the cupcake to make it flat and even.
Using a small piping tip, pipe green buttercream onto the cupcake to form a Christmas tree. Then, decorate with sprinkles for ornaments and use melted dark chocolate to draw the trunk.
If you are new to decorating and aren’t sure what frosting tip to use or how to pipe the look, be sure to check out Wilton’s Piping Tips 101 video. If you are looking for a great cake decorator set or bakeware, look at all of my favorites in my shop!
Tips for Making the Best Eggnog Christmas Cupcakes
- Use room temperature ingredients: This helps create a smoother batter and even baking.
- Don’t overmix: Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined to keep the cupcakes tender. Overmixing can cause them to be dense.
- Cool completely before decorating: Warm cupcakes can melt the frosting.
- Customize decorations: Have fun with different piping tips and colorful sprinkles.
FAQs
Yes, store bought eggnog works perfectly, or you can use homemade for a personal touch.
With buttercream frosting, I would only keep these stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for at least 3-4 days.
Yes, freeze the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting.
You can omit it or use natural alternatives like matcha powder for a light green tint.
More Holiday Desserts
Christmas Cupcakes
Equipment
- Cupcake Pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup eggnog
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Eggnog Buttercream Frosting
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons eggnog, or milk
Optional Decorations
- green gel food coloring
- sprinkles
- 2 tablespoon dark chocolate, for melting
- marshmallows
- 2 tablespoons shredded coconut
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and eggnog. Then continue mixing, until well combined.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon into wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Buttercream Frosting
- Beat the softened butter for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Gradually sift in the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggnog one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Set aside about 1/4 cup of the buttercream and mix in green food coloring for decorating.
Notes
Snowman cupcakes
Pipe white frosting in circles, and then add a marshmallow to the center. Melt dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, then use a toothpick or skewer and dip it in the chocolate to draw the eyes and mouth. Press an orange sprinkle onto the face for the snowman’s nose. Use melted dark chocolate for the face. Sprinkle shredded coconut for a snowy effect. You can then sprinkle some grated coconut on top.Christmas wreath cupcakes
Frost the cupcakes with smooth white frosting. Trim the tops of the cupcakes if necessary, so they are flat. Add a drop of gel food coloring to a small bowl of white frosting and stir together until the green color is even in the frosting. Fill a frosting bag with the green frosting and then use a leaf or star piping tip (349 for small leaf or 66 for a little bigger or 16 or 17) to create a wreath. Decorate with sprinkles.Christmas lights cupcakes
Spread a small amount of white buttercream onto the cupcakes. You might need to cut the tip of the cupcake to make it flat and even. Melt dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and using a toothpick (or 2 or 4 tip), draw on the white buttercream the wiring creating fun swirl shapes to simulate tangled Christmas light strings. Place colorful sprinkles for Christmas lights along the wiring, before the chocolate cools so the sprinkles stick.Christmas tree cupcakes
Spread a small amount of white buttercream onto the cupcakes. You might need to cut the tip of the cupcake to make it flat and even. Using a small star tip,(16 or 17) pipe green buttercream onto the cupcake to form a Christmas tree. Then, decorate with sprinkles for ornaments and use melted dark chocolate to draw the trunk.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.