Grinch Cupcakes are soft and tender cupcakes that are swirled with a green peppermint buttercream frosting and then finished off with red heart sprinkles and Grinch Christmas tree pretzels.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Grinch cupcakes are fun and festive, perfect for your holiday parties and dessert tables. I promise they will be the talk of the party.
- Best of all, these Grinch cupcakes taste amazing. The peppermint buttercream frosting is swirled on the top of these tasty homemade cupcakes giving them a minty holiday flavor.
- If you are looking for a kid-friendly dessert for your holiday table, this is the recipe for you. Kids can't help but fall in love with these green Holiday cupcakes.
Ingredients
*Main ingredients, full list, and specific amounts in the recipe card below.
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- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- eggs
- granulated sugar
- unsalted butter, room temperature
- vanilla bean paste
- peppermint extract
- milk
Peppermint Buttercream
- powdered sugar
- butter, room temperature
- peppermint extract
- vanilla extract
- Milk or coffee creamer
- Neon green food coloring
- Heart Sprinkles
Pretzel Christmas Trees
- Green sugar sprinkles
- Pretzel sticks
- Green Candy Melts
Equipment
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- measuring cups and spoons
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- stand mixer
- muffin tin
- cupcake liners
- piping bag
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- microwave-safe bowl
Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2: In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Mix in the softened butter, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract and mix until just combined. Next mix in the milk.
Step 4: Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients. Add in red and green nonpareil sprinkles. Stir by hand until just combined.
Step 5: Fill each muffin tin ½ to ¾ full with the batter.
Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Peppermint Buttercream
Step 7: In a large mixing bowl, using a stand mixer using the whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer with beaters attached, whip all 6 sticks of butter. (3 cups of butter)
Step 8: Next, gradually add in the powdered sugar.
Step 9: Whip until the frosting becomes smooth, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Step 10: To the frosting, add peppermint extract and vanilla extract.
Step 11: Next, add in some milk, or what I like to do is add in Peppermint Mocha Coffee Creamer, the liquid stuff.
Step 12: Add a little at a time until you get a smooth frosting that is good piping consistency. You don't want it too thick or too thin. If it goes too far one way or the other you can always thicken it back up with more powdered sugar or thin it out with more milk or creamer.
Step 13: At this point, add the neon green food coloring, this gives the best grinch green, add a little at a time, until it is the right color.
Step 14: Fill the bag with the frosting, cut off the tip and pipe the frosting onto each cupcake in an upwards swirl.
Step 15: Sprinkle on the green sugar sprinkles and the heart sprinkles.
Whoville Trees
Step 16: Place a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet and place 24 pretzel sticks on it, spaced apart.
Step 17: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt green candy melts in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth.
Step 18: Fill a small bag with the melted green candy and snip off a small corner.
Step 19: Pipe a tree across the pretzels by going in a back and forth motion, curving at the top.
Step 20: Place a heart sprinkle on the tip of each one. Allow trees to harden.
Step 21: Stick your Whoville tree on the top of each cupcake.
Storage and Freezer Instructions
Place unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight, covered container and store them at room temperature for 3 days.
Freezing Instructions: Freeze cupcakes without frosting in an airtight covered, freezer-safe container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
To thaw remove the cupcake from the freezer and allow them to warm up on the counter for a couple of hours.
Once they are defrosted and at room temperature. Frost the grinch cupcakes with peppermint frosting and Christmas tree toppers.
Expert Tips
Expert Tip: For evenly sized cupcakes use a measuring cup to fill each cupcake liner with an equal amount of batter.
- Add the red and green nonpareil sprinkles are optional but highly recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vanilla bean paste adds a lovely texture resembling the flavor of a vanilla bean, which can be pricey.
If vanilla bean paste is not available, vanilla extract can be used. Please keep in mind there is a slight difference in texture, however, the cupcakes will still taste amazing!
If you overmix your cupcake batter, you can end up with gluten development.
If this happens your cupcakes may sink in the middle as they bake. To fix this overmixing issue try not to mix more than necessary.
These cupcakes usually stay fresh for 3 days at room temperature or in the fridge for 5 days, but can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
This recipe will make 24 cupcakes.
Variations
- Not a fan of peppermint flavored treats? Leave the peppermint out of this recipe and add vanilla extract and you will still have a delicious cupcake.
- Want to save a little time? You can skip making the Whoville trees and instead top the cupcakes with a mini candy cane or crushed peppermints.
- Add some festive flare by adding your favorite red and green holiday sprinkles.
Serving Suggestions
Similar recipes
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If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
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Grinch Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Line your muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside.
- To mix the dry ingredients, in a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer with beaters attached, beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add in softened butter, vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Mix until just combined.
- Next mix in the milk until just combined.
- Pour the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir by hand until just combined.
- Fill the prepared muffin tins ½ to ¾ full with the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
- Let cool completely on a cooling rack.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with beaters attached or a large bowl using an electric hand mixer with beaters attached whip the butter until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
- Gradually add the confectioners' sugar to the butter mixture.
- Whip until the frosting becomes smooth, another 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the peppermint and vanilla bean paste or vaniila extract.
- Add in 1-2 Tablespoons of milk. Add a little at a time until you get a smooth frosting that has a good piping consistency. You don't want it too thick and you definitely don't want it too thin. If it goes too far one way or the other you can always thicken it back up with more confectioners' sugar. Or thin it out with more milk.
- Add the neon green food coloring, this gives the best grinch green, add a little at a time until it is the right color.
- To make frosting easy, pipe frosting using a large plastic bag. Fill the plastic bag with the frosting and cut off the tip and pipe the frosting onto your cupcake in an upwards swirl.
- Sprinkle on the green sugar sprinkles and the heart sprinkles.
- Lay out a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet and place 24 pretzel sticks on it, spaced apart.
- In a microwave-safe bowl melt your green candy melts in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth.
- Fill a small plastic bag with the melted green candy. Snip off a small corner of the plastic bag so you can pipe the frosting in the shape of a tree.
- Pipe a tree across the pretzels by going in a back and forth motion, curving at the top.
- Place a heart sprinkle on the tip of each one.
- Leave the trees out to harden or speed things up by placing them in the refrigerator.
- Stick your Whoville tree on the top of each frosted cupcake.
- Serve and enjoy!
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