31 Christmas Cupcakes

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As the festive season draws near, there’s no better way to spread holiday cheer than with a delightful array of Christmas cupcakes. Whether you’re planning a cozy gathering with loved ones or simply want to indulge in some seasonal sweetness, these 31 Christmas cupcake ideas are sure to add a touch of magic to your celebrations. From classic flavours adorned with festive decorations to creative twists on traditional favourites, there’s a cupcake for every taste bud and occasion.

Shall we get right to it?

31 Christmas Cupcakes

Join us on a journey through a winter wonderland of flavours and decorations as we explore the joy of baking and sharing these delectable treats during the most wonderful time of the year. Who knows what else you’ll learn along the way!

1: Christmas Cupcakes with Brandy Frosting

By Tesco Real Food

If you’ve got 20 minutes of preparation time plus 25 minutes of baking time, you’ve got enough time to whip up this batch of delicious Christmas cupcakes with brandy frosting. Now, these have alcohol in them, so they’re not the kind of cupcakes you’d want to feed to the kids at Christmas events, but the adults are going to snap them up, I promise you that!

Christmas Cupcakes with Brandy Frosting by Tesco Real Food

These cupcakes are vegetarian-friendly, contain 256 calories per serving, and you’ll get 18 individual cakes if you follow the recipe. Infused with brandy, mixed spices and fruits, and cinnamon, it perfectly matches the festive theme.

And, in case you weren’t aware, brandy on fire is synonymous with Christmas because it is said to represent the passion of Christ. It’s a tradition that Charles Dickens specifically references in one piece of work: A Christmas Carol. The pudding is brought to the table already set alight, and people usually cheer and clap. It is, essentially, the ultimate Christmas dessert showstopper.

2: Chocolate Orange Christmas Cupcakes

By Dr Oetker IE

Oranges were first associated with Christmas during the nineteenth century, at pretty much the same time that stockings were first hung on or above the fireplace. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, this was in 1823 (at least,) when a poem was published referencing it. In it, Santa does one last thing before he exits the house after delivering presents under the tree: he fills the stockings that hang around the fireplace.

Chocolate Orange Christmas Cupcakes by Dr Oetker IE

You’ll need 40 minutes in total to whip up these delicious Christmas cupcakes, and the recipe is classed as easy, so it won’t be difficult to follow. You’ll get 12 cupcakes out of the recipe, and you could decorate it in a multitude of ways. The website suggests sprinkling the cupcakes with silver and gold edible glitter dust before serving, but you really could get inventive! In fact, we can’t wait to see what you cool and Christmassy creations you come up with!

3: Cute Reindeer Cupcakes

By British Bakels

While we’re talking about simple and easy recipes, these adorable reindeer Christmas cupcakes tick those boxes. Pretzels covered in chocolate make for great reindeer antlers, and piped frosting is a great way to create an animal face shape without a lot of effort. In fact, these cupcakes are perfect for getting the kids involved with the festivities. They’ll love making them, and everyone will love eating them!

Cute Reindeer Cupcakes by British Bakels

You will need to allow for 35 minutes of baking time along with as much decoration time you need. Preparation time should only be around 5 to 10 minutes. And, if you fancy giving your sweet treats an even more Christmassy touch, I recommend using festive-themed cupcake liners! They’re a super easy way to make any kind of cupcake fit the festive theme.

Christmas Cupcakes Liners

4: Gingerbread Cupcakes

By Bake with Stork

Easy to make and providing 12 individual Christmas-themed cupcakes, this recipe is great for those who don’t have lots of time to mess about with things like baking. You’ll just need 20 minutes of preparation time, then you can whack the cupcakes in the oven and let them bake for 30 minutes or so. You could quite easily make it vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free with the right substitutions, too.

Gingerbread Cupcakes by Bake with Stork

Gingerbread has been associated with Christmas for centuries. The experts think they were first linked at some point in the seventeenth century, and some reports credit the festive treat to Russia and local traditions. Published in 1812, Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm made the gingerbread house a literal household name. Interestingly, though, the actual story of the two siblings who were abandoned in the forest actually stemmed from folklore as early as 1250.

5: Cranberry Ripple Cheese-Cupcakes

By Barney Desmazery, BBC Good Food

Another easy festive recipe, these cranberry ripple cheese-cupcakes are, quite literally, a clever blend of both cupcakes and cheesecake. They are two of my favourite things, so you can imagine how excited I got about these fruity little treats. You’ll only need 20 minutes of fiddling-about and preparation work, then they can be forgotten about in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. You’ll get 12 cranberry-flavoured little treats when you’re done.

Cranberry Ripple Cheese-Cupcakes by Barney Desmazery, BBC Good Food

The good news gets better too because these festive cupcakes-slash-cheesecakes are freezable. I don’t predict there will be any left at the end of the day, but if there are, you can always pop them in the freezer, then take them out in enough time to defrost before you plan to eat or serve them up.

6: Vegan Santa Hat Cupcakes

By The Petite Cook

Ready in 28 minutes and suitable for both the gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan eaters at your Christmas dinner table, these Santa hat cupcakes are as healthy as they are cute – but that doesn’t mean they taste bland. In fact, they definitely do not. Incorporating cake with fruit, this is one healthy dish that your kids won’t moan about.

Vegan Santa Hat Cupcakes by The Petite Cook

According to English Heritage, the idea of Santa wearing a red festive suit didn’t come about until 1821, when a poem was published by an anonymous writer, being to live not just the red coat but also the sleigh and the reindeers that famously pulled it. The same poem was tweaked a little, a couple of years later, which brought about the idea that Santa had a big bushy beard plus the small army of reindeers magically pulling the sleigh through the sky.

7: Figgy Pudding Christmas Cupcakes

By My Kids Lick the Bowl

The best part about this recipe is that you can create whatever kind of cupcakes you like before decorating them in a festive fashion. Simple chocolate cupcakes, for example, could be adorned with cream cheese frosting, peanut M&Ms (the red ones,) and either jelly leaves or spearmint leaves, depending on whether you’re serving the little treats to kids, adults, or both. You could always create a combination of the two types, and the cupcakes could easily be vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free.

Figgy Pudding Christmas Cupcakes by My Kids Lick the Bowl

According to Delishably, the origins of figgy pudding, also known as Christmas or plum pudding, lie in the era of medieval England. Back in those days, the pudding wasn’t actually a pudding for dessert at all; instead, it was a way to keep meat safe to eat over the colder winter months. A pastry case was made in the style of a bag, and various dried pieces of fruit and meat were added to the inside along with things like broth, beef, spices, wine, prunes, currants, raisins, and mutton. It wasn’t until the Victorian era that the pudding started to evolve into what we know and love today.

8: Christmas Wreath-Topped Cupcakes

By British Bakels

This is another of those great recipes that you could easily customise by using your own cupcake recipes or even store-bought cupcakes! I won’t tell anyone if you don’t, that’s all I’m saying. But the wreath part of these Christmas cupcakes is what you should pay attention to. A simple bit of green icing and some festively themed decorations is all it takes to switch a regular cupcake to a Christmas one.

Christmas Wreath-Topped Cupcakes by British Bakels

You’ll need to set aside around ten minutes of preparation work plus 35 minutes of baking time, if you’re baking your own cupcakes and not buying them from the store, of course. If you already have those, you literally just need decoration time. Quick, simple, and super easy – that’s just what you’re looking for, right?

9: Chocolate Robin Cupcakes

By Waitrose

You’ll need around an hour of preparation and baking time to whip up these cute robin-themed Christmas cupcakes, plus setting time. If you ignore the setting time, the cupcakes will be too warm for the icing on top, and the icing will melt off in no time at all. So yeah, in short, make sure that you have enough time to create them if you commit to the recipe.

Chocolate Robin Cupcakes by Waitrose

If you run out of room to cool your cupcakes during a baking spree, I’ve got a great tip for you! Simply use your ironing board! Once you take the cover off, you’ll be met with what is essentially a large wire rack on an ironing board stand. It allows for great ventilation, offers more space when you run out of counter room, and can be used as a simple ironing board again once you’re done. Super smart, right?

10: Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

By Baking with Granny

I’m not personally a fan of Terrys Chocolate Orange, but I’m aware that I’m in the minority with that one. The rest of my household loves the stuff, so these Christmas cupcakes always go down a treat. With 20 minutes of baking time plus around 15 minutes of preparation time, they’re as quick as they are simple; and, once again, you could easily customise a simple cupcake recipe with the assistance of some festive-themed icing or decorations.

Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cupcakes by Baking with Granny

Here’s another baking tip you’ll love, too: always let your eggs and butter reach room temperature before attempting to work with them. If you’ve forgotten, you can place your eggs in a bowl or warm (not hot) water and leave your butter, cut into small cubes, on the countertop for 10 to 15 minutes. Virtually all baking recipes call for room temperature ingredients, so you can take that tip into the future and use it to your advantage.

11: Gluten-Free Christmas Tree Cupcakes

By Gluten Free Cuppa Tea

These Christmas cupcakes are coeliac-friendly, totally wheat-free, gluten-free, and perfect for beginners, which also makes them great for family festive events, particularly when children are invited. Moist and chocolatey, they can actually be decorated in any number of ways, but these ones stick with the traditional Christmas tree theme.

Gluten-Free Christmas Tree Cupcakes by Gluten Free Cuppa Tea

If you have dairy-free guests at your gathering or event, you can easily make these cupcakes vegan-friendly and dairy-free with a few simple tweaks and substitutions. The recipe creator recommends switching butter for hard margarine, such as Stork margarine. You can also easily find dairy-free chocolate treats (or other flavours) and dairy-free cocoa powder, too.

If you’re in the market for more vegan-friendly and dairy-free treats, I’d like to personally recommend these:

12: Peppermint Bark Cupcakes

By Laura Rege, Delish

The history of candy canes, peppermint sticks, and peppermint bark can actually be traced to as far back as 1670; but those versions were very different to the festive treats that we can see and enjoy today. Candy sticks were requested by the choirmaster from Cologne Cathedral in Germany, to ensure that the local children were quiet on Christmas Eve. They had, allegedly, caused quite the ruckus, but the candy kept the Living Creche portion of the festive tradition on track without noise or other hitches.

Peppermint Bark Cupcakes by Laura Rege, Delish

The candy sticks were given a crook, resembling that of a shepherd, to allow churchgoers to justify the sweet-giving tradition, rather than it just being a “treat.” They were white and candy cane-shaped at that point, with the white colour representative of the good life of Jesus and the lack of sins he committed. The red (or other colours) weren’t introduced until the 1830s and 40s, when confectionary was judged on a competitive level, according to reports.  

13: Rudolf and Reindeers Cupcakes

By Cassie Best, BBC Good Food

In terms of Christmas tradition, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a relatively new one, first coming about in a booklet created by American retailer, Robert L. May. So, technically, when you think about, Rudolph is a commercial entity through-and-through. (Isn’t everything these days, though.)

Rudolph and Reindeer Cupcakes by Cassie Best, BBC Good Food

These cute Christmas cupcakes incorporate Rudolph into the festive them perfectly, but you could include all of his rather mean reindeer buddies, too. Just don’t give those cupcakes the red nose; it’s as simple as that. You’ll get 12 cupcakes if you follow the recipe, and you’ll need to set aside 35 minutes of cooking and roughly the same of preparation time, too. Alternatively, just decorate ready-made cupcakes with reindeer decorations. I won’t tell anyone! My lips are sealed.

14: Vegan Christmas Santa Legs Cupcakes

By British Bakels

Figures and characters ca be quite difficult when you’re working with smaller, fiddly cupcakes. Instead of stressing out about how you’re going to make Santa’s big, grey, bushy beard look good, why not just create a little set of legs instead? Alternatively, have a few Santa body ones plus a few with Santa’s legs. Christmas doesn’t need to be anywhere near as difficult as you think you’re going to make it, I promise you!

Vegan Christmas Santa Legs Cupcakes by British Bakels

These Christmas cupcakes need between 20 and 25 minutes in the oven, plus around 7 or 8 minutes of preparation work. You’ll need a little more than that if you’re planning on making your own edible decorations instead of buying them. This recipe yields 37 smaller cupcakes that are perfectly portioned for snack season.

15: Santa Buttercream Cupcakes

By Preppy Kitchen

This is a great example of using your imagination when it comes to decorating (and serving) your Christmas cupcakes, and it goes to show just how easy it can be to make ANY kind of cupcake festively themed. The bright red nose is easily achieved with a red M&M or Smartie, and chocolate chips make for great eyes. A sprinkling of sugar is the perfect thing for a touch of frost on top of the buttercream hat and beard. You don’t even need a piping bag to create these little festive masterpieces.

Santa Buttercream Cupcakes by Preppy Kitchen

Courtney over at Cake Me Home Tonight recommends bringing butter to room temperature before attempting to work with it, especially if you want nicely whipped, light and fluffy buttercream. Ideally, you’ll want to leave the butter out for at least 30 minutes to one hour, but as long as possible if you can’t leave things that long. Another great tip that she offers is to use a gel-based food colouring product to change the colour of buttercream rather than any other type. It is, reportedly, easier to mix and much more highly concentrated, which means that you’ll use a lot less of it.

16: Candy Cane Cupcakes

By Jane’s Patisserie

While we’re on the subject of Christmas cupcake baking tips, here’s another one that you’ll definitely appreciate: it is better to underbake than to overbake. You can always cook the cupcakes a little longer, if necessary, but you can’t undo the burning of cupcakes if they’ve already burned. If the recipe calls for 20 minutes of baking, which these Christmas cupcakes do, set a timer for 17 minutes, then check them. Do the same after 18 minutes, then 19, then 20, and your cupcakes won’t ever get the opportunity to burn.

Candy Cane Cupcakes by Jane's Patisserie

These candy cane cupcakes are packed with peppermint flavours, all perfectly decorated with a literal piece of festive candy cane. The cupcakes themselves are chocolate and mint flavoured, and the buttercream frosting is also flavoured with mint. Essentially, this one is a peppermint lover’s dream!

17: Mincemeat Cupcakes with Whipped Mascarpone Frosting

By Supergolden Bakes

If you want something a little more grownup and a little less decorated, these mincemeat cupcakes fit the role really well. Filled with all the flavours of Christmas, such as cloves, ginger, cinnamon, orange zest, and mincemeat, you can omit the light-but-luxurious mascarpone cheese frosting and call them a muffin if you’re in the mood to be a bit healthier. In fact, I’d call these the perfect thing to use up all the leftover Christmas ingredients in a healthy and fun way.

Mincemeat Cupcakes with Whipped Mascarpone Frosting by Supergolden Bakes

One thing you should definitely ensure before decorating your festive cupcakes with things like buttercream or mascarpone frosting, is that the cakes are completely cooled down first. If you don’t, the decoration is going to melt and fall down all over the place, making a mess and ruining your aesthetics. Ideally, you will let the cakes cool for at least an hour on a wire rack, but a minimum of around 30 minutes will suffice.

Why not check out How to Cool Cupcakes Quickly while you’re here?

18: Brandy-Soaked Christmas Cupcakes

By Food Network UK

Brandy-soaked cranberries bring the grownup theme to these Christmas cupcakes, and the icing is just as boozy, too. You’ll need 50 minutes to make them, alongside some cooling time, so make sure that you give yourself enough time. The recipe is classed as medium difficulty, so you might want to try a practice try before making the festive treats to serve. You’ll get 12 adult-friendly cupcakes out of the recipe, and I bet all of your guests will love them!

Brandy-Soaked Christmas Cupcakes by Food Network UK

If you suffer from dry cupcakes, Pies and Tacos has a few super helpful tips to fix the problem. A few things mentioned include not correctly measuring ingredients, overcooking the cupcakes, a too hot oven, not whipping the butter enough, too much flour, and more. I definitely recommend checking out the site for more baking tips, tricks, and hacks!

19: Holly Christmas Cupcakes

By Oh My Veggies

These festive cupcakes, decorated with green holly leaves will take you 15 minutes of preparation time, 25 minutes of baking/cooking time, and 20 minutes of decoration time – but you will need to leave 30 to 60 minutes of cooling time, if you can manage it. Hot cupcakes make cool icing melt, so your holly leaves won’t stay looking like holly leaves for long.

Holly Christmas Cupcakes by Oh My Veggies

Registered dietician, Sheena Chihak spoke to expert bakers for Better Homes & Gardens, and they suggested freezing undecorated cupcakes after you’ve baked them, enabling you to make them in advance and save yourself some time on the big day. There’s no shame in being prepared, making things in advance, and giving yourself less stress. Christmas is hard enough already; don’t make it any worse for yourself.

20: Christmas Cake Cupcakes

By Sara Buenfeld, BBC Good Food

Have you ever asked yourself: what’s the difference between a cupcake and a muffin? Well, I’ve got the answer for you, if you have. Muffins are, according to the experts, denser than their cupcake counterparts, which are usually much lighter and airier. There’s also quite a bit more sugar in a cupcake than a muffin, so they tend to be sweeter and more suited to a sweet treat or dessert. Muffins, on the other hand, can be savoury and suitable for breakfast or brunch.

Christmas Cake Cupcakes By Sara Buenfeld, BBC Good Food

Muffins are actually a much newer invention than cupcakes, but the two terms are often used interchangeably in this day and age. You can get dense cupcakes and lighter muffins, plus savoury versions of each. I’m more of a cupcake person, in all honesty, but I don’t mind the odd breakfast muffin here and there. I’m also a big fan of the chocolate muffins you can get from McDonalds, but I’m sure they’re packed with calories.

21: Christmas Cupcake Wreath

By Dr Oetker IE

This festive treat is described as a “Christmas showstopper,” and it’s not very hard to see why. A dessert, centrepiece, and festive decoration in one, this wreath made up of Christmas cupcakes will take you 60 minutes of preparation and baking time alongside between 30 and 60 minutes of cooling time before you decorate them. You’ll get 24 delightful cupcakes that sit well with the festive theme.

Christmas Cupcake Wreath By Dr Oetker IE

According to an interview with professional bakers at Flower Aura, a proper oven thermometer is essentially for properly baked cakes and cupcakes. The experts say that not all ovens are equal, and the temperature you set might not be the actual temperature it is. For that reason, a decent, oven-proof thermometer is vital, and it will ensure that your cakes aren’t under-or overbaked.

22: Coconut and Raspberry Christmas Cupcakes

By Love Fresh Berries

If you’re not really into the thick, dense, and quite stodgy festive puddings and fruity cakes, these light, fruity, and nutty ones might just do the trick instead. They’re much lighter than their denser festive counterparts, and they’re perfect for every occasion throughout the year, too. The raspberry and coconut flavours work just as well in the summer as they do over winter.

Coconut and Raspberry Christmas Cupcakes By Love Fresh Berries

You’ll get 12 cupcakes if you follow the recipe, and they’ll take you 35 minutes of preparation and decoration time plus 15 to 18 minutes of baking time, and you can’t forget about the 45 to 60 minutes (ideally) of cooling time. You can easily customise them to suit any kind of occasion or event, too, such as Valentine’s Day, Halloween, birthdays, and more! Tweak a few colours or add specific decorations and these cupcakes are suitable for pretty much everything.

23: Christmas Robin Cupcakes

By Only Crumbs Remain

If you’re on the hunt for Christmas cupcakes that the kids can help bake and decorate, look no further, because this one is perfect for it! The cupcakes themselves are super simple to bake, and there’s nothing to stop you from buying ready-made cupcakes and just decorating them at home. You’ll need around one hour to prepare, decorate, and/or chill the cupcakes alongside 20 minutes of baking time. There will be 10 perfect cupcakes at the end, though, and they’re all perfectly decorated for the festive period.

Christmas Robin Cupcakes by Only Crumbs Remain

The cupcake recipe shows you how to make cute, festive themed robin cupcakes, but you could go wild with them, really. Reindeers, Santa Claus, fabulously-wrapped gifts… you name it, you could create it – and there are plenty of tutorials out there on the internet showing you just how to do it.

In fact, if you’re in the market for more winter-themed sweet treats, I’ve got a few more for you to look at right here:

24: Mini Christmas Pudding Cupcakes with Custard Icing

By Sweet 2 Eat Baking

Nothing says festive more than mini-Christmas pudding cupcakes topped with a delicious custard-flavoured icing. These are, technically, puddings rather than cupcakes, but I felt that they deserved a moment of your consideration regardless. They only take 15 minutes of actual cooking or baking time, with one and a half hours of preparation, decoration, and cooling time. You’ll get 16 mini chocolate puddings or cupcakes out of it, topped with sour cherries, a sprig of edible holly, and that luscious custard icing I mentioned a moment ago.

Mini Christmas Pudding Cupcakes by Sweet 2 Eat Baking

Here’s a tip for all of you baking experts-to-be out there: always have a read through the recipe before you make a final decision. Let’s just imagine for a moment that you’re in the kitchen on Christmas morning, attempting to make these pudding cupcakes for the guests you’re planning on entertaining later on that day. You’ve all of a sudden realised that you don’t know what half of the words in the recipe mean, and that it’s far too advanced for your baking skills. There’s nothing wrong with being a beginner, but don’t force yourself to jump in at the deep end if you don’t have to. I’ve been there, scratching my head and wondering what to do, so don’t make the same mistakes that I have.

25: Chocolate and Peppermint Cupcakes

By Baking Mad

If you’ve got 25 minutes of preparation time plus 20 minutes of baking time (and cooling time, of course,) then you’ve got enough time to whip up these delicious chocolate and peppermint Christmas cupcakes that are also suitable for a whole other range of events and occasions. These include Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays, and more. If you know someone who likes peppermint and chocolate together, you’ve got the perfect treat for them.

Chocolate and Peppermint Cupcakes by Baking Mad

The cupcakes themselves are chocolate-flavoured, with a cream cheese and minty frosting. They’re plain enough to pass off for any event, but you could add candy cane, other edible festive decorations, sprinkled sherbet or sugar, or anything else you like, really. If you’re looking for some inspiration, I recommend having a peek here.

26: Raspberry and Mint Mistletoe Cupcakes

By British Bakels

These deliciously fruity cupcakes have a secret fruity centre if you follow the recipe, so you get two loads of raspberry goodness in one. A couple of fresh raspberries with a couple of springs of mint turn these regular cupcakes into festive ones, especially if you place them so they look like holly leaves and berries.

Raspberry and Mint Mistletoe Cupcakes by British Bakels

The actual cupcake part is vanilla/plain-flavoured with the exception of the fruit or jam centre, but there’s nothing to stop you from turning them into chocolate ones, fruity-flavoured ones, or anything else you fancy. Throw your favourite flavours of Christmas in there and see what happens. That’s pretty much how I cook all the time. Without the Christmas adornments, though, these sweet treats are essentially perfect for any time of year, including summer!

If you’re in the market for more summer-themed cupcakes, why not check out these:

  • 21 Cupcakes for Summer

27: Cranberry Cupcakes

By Miranda Gore Browne, Love Food

Pretty, festive, and perfect for entertaining are how these cranberry and white chocolate Christmas cupcakes are described, and especially when you consider that they are classed as easy to make, require 10 minutes of decoration and preparation time plus 20 minutes of cooking time, and gives you a whopping batch of 24 delicious cupcakes. What’s not to love about this recipe?

Cranberry Cupcakes by Miranda Gore Browne, Love Food

The cupcakes are infused with orange zest and cranberries, and also orange soak, all topped off with vanilla and white chocolate frosting, fresh cranberries, and holly leaves made from icing, if you’re in the mood to get a little bit artistic. If you’re a brand newbie to the world of cupcake and cake baking, I’d recommend sticking with the recipe to start with. You can experimental all you like once you’ve mastered the basics, you know? Walking before you can run and all that.

28: Pretzel Reindeer Cupcakes

By My Kids Lick the Bowl

This recipe is another of those ones that would work well when getting the whole family, including kids, involved. You’ll end up with 12 cupcakes by following the recipe, each of which contains approx. 250 calories each. And it just goes to show how easy it is to turn any kind of treat into a festive one, just with the assistance of things like Jaffa Cakes, orange sweets, white and milk chocolate buttons, buttercream, and pretzels. And yes, that’s literally all it takes.

Pretzel Reindeer Cupcakes by My Kids Lick the Bowl

Do you know that there is actually a difference between using light and dark-coloured baking pans or trays when creating cakes, cupcakes, bread, and other baked goods? The darker colours tend to hold and conduct heat more than their lighter counterparts, in much the same way as dark-coloured clothing on a very hot day. So, if your cupcakes tend to cook too quickly, look too dark, or end up too dry, you might want to switch to a lighter-coloured baking pan or tray. It’s odd, right? I thought it was odd.

29: Simple Mistletoe Iced Cupcakes

By Anna Berrill, Red Online

Chocolate chip and vanilla cupcakes are adorned with white icing with iced mistletoe in this festive recipe, and they only take 12 to 15 minutes of baking time along with around 10 or 15 minutes of preparation time beforehand. You will need to leave the cupcakes to cool down properly before working with icing; otherwise, it will melt and drip right off the cakes and ruin the aesthetic completely. Trust me. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way on more than one occasion.

Simple Iced Mistletoe Cupcakes by Anna Berrill, Red Online

In case you were wondering, the experts actually recommend using butter that is unsalted for your baking creations. According to co-author of Easy to Bake Unicorn Cookbook and entrepreneur, Luke Stoffel, speaking to Business Insider, the chemistry of your cakes can be altered entirely with the addition of salted butter, and it could also change the way that the entire treat tastes. The moral of the story: use unsalted butter when baking things like cakes or cupcakes.

30: Mince Pie Cupcakes with Brandy Buttercream

By Movers and Bakers

These Christmas cupcakes are booze-infused, so are better suited to the grownup events rather than the all-family ones. Vanilla cupcakes are hollowed out and filled with a generous helping of mincemeat to bring the brandy buttercream treats into the festive theme, and the sparkle sprinkles are optional. You could use edible glitter, festive edible decorations, or whatever you liked, in reality. As I’ve said previously, get experimental!

Mince Pie Cupcakes with Brandy Buttercream by Movers and Bakers

These cupcakes will last for around two to three days if kept in an airtight container in the cupboard. They shouldn’t go in the fridge. Cakes should be kept frozen (pre-decorating) or at room temperature. The airtight container part is non-negotiable, though. The same applies to most cupcakes, in reality; they should be either frozen before they are decorated or kept in an airtight container at room temperature if they already have been decorated.

31: Christmas Ornament Cupcakes

By Preppy Kitchen

How do you feel about Christmas cupcakes that look like Christmas tree ornaments? I’m not going to lie… I kinda love them. It would be a shame to eat them because they look so flipping good, but I’m sure I’d get over it. This recipe makes 15 cupcakes in total, so you could probably get away with eating a few before you serve them up. You’ll need around 30 minutes of preparation and decoration time, 20-25 minutes of baking time, and enough time for the cupcakes to cool enough to decorate them.

Christmas Ornament Cupcakes by Preppy Kitchen

Again, if you follow the recipe, each of these cupcakes will contain around 320 calories, but it must be noted that the creator uses a sugar substitute (Stevia) rather than regular sugar. That’s an important thing to know.

As we wrap up our exploration of 31 Christmas cupcakes, we hope you’ve been inspired to infuse your holiday season with a bit of sweetness and creativity. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, these festive treats offer a delicious way to celebrate the magic of Christmas.

From traditional flavours like gingerbread and peppermint to whimsical designs that capture the spirit of the season, there’s no limit to the ways you can delight your friends and family with these homemade delights. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and get ready to spread joy one cupcake at a time this holiday season. After all, there’s nothing quite like the warmth and happiness that comes from sharing homemade treats with the ones you love.

Merry Christmas and happy baking!

If you’re in the market for more festive inspiration, I think you’re going to find these super useful:

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    By Amber R

    Baking fanatic. Gin drinker. Impressed by pretty cupcakes.