Homemade Chocolate Snowman Cupcakes
These delicious chocolate snowman cupcakes are as festive as they are delicious. Tender, moist chocolate cupcakes are topped with sweet buttercream frosting and decorated with marshmallows, pretzel sticks, and M&Ms to look just like snowmen!
When I need to bring something delicious and fun to a holiday party, I always think of these cupcakes first. They're also my go-to when I have to bring a treat to a kids' Christmas party. They're just adorable and so delicious, they make perfect sense.
I love to make both these cupcakes and my super fun Christmas tree cake whenever I get the chance during the holiday season. They both really capture the feel of the holiday season, and they're always a hit. After all, who doesn't love sweets?
Chocolate Snowman Cupcakes
Like any good cupcake, these start with a moist, tender cake base. That's the foundation for everything else that goes into them. Without a tasty cake, none of the rest of it matters, and believe me, these cupcakes are DEE-licious.
And if you love making Christmas treats, then be sure to check out my German Christmas sugar cookies and easy Christmas punch. Both of them are always a great addition to any holiday feast!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The chocolate cupcake base is moist, tender, and so rich.
- Sweet buttercream frosting makes the perfect accompaniment to the chocolate cupcake.
- They're super festive and look just like snowmen.
- Everyone loves cupcakes!
Ingredients
Don't let the ingredient list for this recipe fool you into thinking it's difficult to make. This is a basic homemade cupcake and frosting recipe, and it only takes a few minutes to make.
- Cocoa powder: Makes for a rich, chocolaty flavor.
- Oil, milk, and boiling water: Work together to create a rich, moist batter.
- Softened butter and powdered sugar: Make a rich, sweet buttercream frosting.
- Red and green M&Ms: Make the snowman's buttons.
- Large marshmallows: Create the head.
- Orange sprinkles: Make the snowman nose.
- Pretzel sticks: Make the arms.
- Black edible pen: For drawing on the eyes and mouth.
You'll find the full ingredient list along with quantities in the recipe card at the end of the post.
How to Make Chocolate Snowman Cupcakes
It's incredibly easy to make this recipe. It only takes a few simple steps. I'm hitting the highlights here, but you'll find the complete recipe with full instructions in the recipe card below.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk them together. Then, add the wet ingredients and blend together.
2. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full of batter.
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Then, remove the cupcakes and allow them to cool completely.
4. Beat the butter and powdered sugar together until smooth. Then, add the milk and vanilla and beat again. Thin the frosting with milk if needed or thicken it with more powdered sugar.
5. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.
6. Decorate the marshmallow by securing an orange sprinkle to the center with a dab of frosting and using the black edible pen to draw on the eyes and mouth.
7. Add the marshmallow face, M&Ms, and pretzel sticks to make your snowman cupcakes!
Substitutions and Variations
- Semi-Homemade: Use cake mix and premade frosting to make these cupcakes even faster.
- Favorite cake and frosting: Make your favorite cake and frosting flavors for this recipe.
What to Serve with Snowman Cupcakes
These delicious cupcakes make the perfect snack or dessert for any holiday gathering. Serve them alongside all your favorite holiday meals like roast turkey, ham, or prime rib. It's the perfect sweet ending to any holiday meal.
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Spoon
- Mixing bowls
- Cupcake tin
- Cupcake liner
- Ziploc bag or piping bag
Storage
On the counter: Store these cupcakes in a covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
In the refrigerator: For longer storage, refrigerate these cupcakes in an air-tight container for up to a week.
Tips:
- Cool your cupcakes completely or the frosting will just slide right off of them.
- Don't overfill your cupcake tin. You want the cupcakes to rise and form a bit of a dome, not look like muffins.
- A Ziploc bag with a snipped corner makes a great pastry bag.
FAQ
Although it's made with milk and butter, this frosting doesn't need to be refrigerated.
The large amount of sugar used in the frosting renders the small amount of butter and milk used in the frosting stable for a few days.
It helps make it easier to mix the ingredients, delivers a deeper chocolate flavor, and makes a moister cake.
More Cupcake Recipes You'll Love
Ready to cook this (recipe name or keyword) then print the recipe card below.
Homemade Chocolate Snowman Cupcakes
These delicious snowman cupcakes feature chocolate cupcakes topped with buttercream frosting and decorations making them look like snowmen.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- ½ cup oil
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water, boiling
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2-3 tbsp milk
- 24 stick pretzels, broken in half
- 48 green and red M&Ms
- 24 large marshmallows
- 24 small orange sprinkles
- black edible pen
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well-blended.
- Add eggs, vanilla, oil, and milk. Beat until smooth and uniform.
- Add boiling water. Beat again.
- Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full with batter.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
- To prepare frosting, in a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar together. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and vanilla. Beat well.
- If it is too thick, add more milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Transfer frosting to a ziplock bag and cut the corner off.
- Using the edible pen, draw eyes and mouths on marshmallows.
- Using a small amount of frosting, secure orange sprinkles on marshmallows for the noses.
- Pipe frosting onto cupcakes.
- Add pretzels, M&Ms, and decorated marshmallows.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 456Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 27mgSodium 610mgCarbohydrates 86gFiber 4gSugar 50gProtein 6g
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