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    Home » Holiday Inspired Recipes » Christmas Recipes

    Published: Nov 18, 2018 · Modified: Nov 12, 2022 by Renée · This post may contain affiliate links · 14 Comments

    Holly Berry Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

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    These festive and charming Holly Berry Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes are sure to be a hit with your family and friends this holiday season!

    Festive Holly Berry Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting - kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    Surprise!! Not only are these Holly Berry Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes delicious and easy to make, but they also have a surprise center (yes, you may call it a gift) that adds a fun and unexpected touch, that everyone will enjoy!

    Subscribe to my Kudos Kitchen channel on YouTube. See you there!!

    Jump to:
    • The ingredient list for the cupcakes:
    • The ingredient list for the peppermint buttercream frosting:
    • Other equipment you'll need:
    • Additional holiday recipes
    • Additional peppermint recipes
    • Printable Recipe Card
    These festive and charming Holly Berry Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes are sure to be a hit with your family and friends! - kudoskitchenbyrenee.com @kudoskitchen

    The ingredient list for the cupcakes:

    Or, feel free to use your favorite box mix...

    • all-purpose flour
    • granulated sugar
    • cocoa powder
    • baking powder
    • baking soda
    • salt
    • espresso powder
    • vegetable oil
    • egg
    • vanilla extract
    • hot coffee
    • crushed peppermint candy
    • cinnamon red-hot candy

    The ingredient list for the peppermint buttercream frosting:

    • butter
    • confectioners sugar
    • peppermint extract
    • milk
    • green gel food color

    Other equipment you'll need:

    • large piping bags (disposable or washable)
    • Wilton large leaf decorating tip #366
    • Wilton large star tip #1M
    • small melon baller or tiny spoon (for hollowing cupcakes)
    • large zip lock and rolling pin or hammer (for crushing candy)
    • cupcake tin
    • cupcake liners
    • baking spray
    • bowls of various sizes
    • stand mixer or hand mixer
    • measuring cups and spoons
    • wooden spoon and spatula
    Festive Holly Berry Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting - kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    Additional holiday recipes

    • Buttermilk Honey Santa Bread
    • Whole Wheat Rudolph the BREAD Nosed Reindeer
    • Christmas Morning Apple Croissant Breakfast Bake
    • Grinch Guacamole
    • Snow Covered Gingerbread Forest Cake
    Festive Holly Berry Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting - kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    Additional peppermint recipes

    These Peppermint Shortbread Cookies will be the star of any cookie platter. They're all dressed up and ready to party!

    This delicious Peppermint Schnapps Ice Cream is fast and easy to make. It's a no-churn recipe that's smooth, creamy, and loaded with big, bold, peppermint flavor.

    No-Bake Peppermint Buttercream Wafer Cookies are the perfect holiday cookie. Homemade peppermint buttercream is sandwiched between two crispy wafer sheets, sliced, and then dipped into white chocolate and festive sprinkles.

    ⭐If you've made this recipe, or are excited to make this recipe, I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to leave it a star rating on the recipe card, along with a comment if you're so inclined. Thank you. 🙂

    Oh, and since it's the holidays, calories don't count...so don't even look! LOL

    Printable Recipe Card

    Festive Holly Berry Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting - kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    Festive Holly Berry Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

    Renee Goerger
    Surprise!! Not only are these Holly Berry Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes delicious and easy to make, but they also have a surprise center (yes, you may call it a gift) that adds a fun and unexpected touch, that everyone will enjoy! 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save recipe Saved Recipe!
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Christmas dessert, Dessert, holiday cupcakes
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 522 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    To make the cupcakes;

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup cocoa powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
    • ½ cup milk
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • ½ cup hot brewed coffee
    • ¼ cup crushed peppermint candy
    • ¼ cup red-hot candy

    To make the peppermint buttercream frosting;

    • 1 cup butter softened
    • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
    • 4 cups confectioners sugar
    • 3 tablespoons milk more if needed
    • green gel food color

    Instructions
     

    To make the cupcakes;

    • Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
    • Prepare a cupcake tin with cupcake liners which have been lightly sprayed with baking spray. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder. Set aside.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, egg, and vanilla.
    • Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
    • Slowly add the hot coffee to the batter and blend until just combined.
    • Fill the prepared cupcake liners ½ full of batter and bake in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely.
    • Use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out a small well in the center of each baked cupcake. Fill each well with the crushed peppermint candy.

    To make the peppermint buttercream frosting;

    • In a large bowl, blend the softened butter, confectioners sugar, and peppermint extract on low. As needed add milk, a little at a time, until you achieve your desired consistency for piping. Soft, but still holds shape when piping.
    • Reserve approximately ½ cup of the peppermint buttercream frosting and color it green with a few drops of the gel food color.
    • Fit a large piping bag with the large star decorating tip and fill with the white peppermint buttercream. 
    • Starting in the center of each peppermint filled cupcake, pipe the frosting in a circular motion working outwards to cover the top of each cupcake.
    • Add the green peppermint buttercream to a small piping bag which has been fitted with the large leaf decorating tip. Pipe two leaves onto each frosted white cupcake and finish by adding 3 red-hot candies to complete the holly berry design.

    Notes

    Tools and equipment;
    cupcake tin, cupcake liners, baking spray, decorative piping tips, piping bags, assorted bowls, stand mixer or hand mixer, whisk, wooden spoons, spatula, measuring cups, measuring spoons, green gel food color, zip top bag, rolling pin or hammer

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Calories: 522kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 2gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 292mgPotassium: 136mgFiber: 1gSugar: 62gVitamin A: 505IUCalcium: 44mgIron: 1.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    I sincerely hope you've enjoyed today's recipe for Festive Holly Berry Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!

    Festive Holly Berry Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting - kudoskitchenbyrenee.com

    Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you'll come back and visit me often. There is always room for you around my table!

    Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen here on my blog, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. It is always my distinct pleasure to respond to you just as soon as I possibly can.

    Custom Renee Signature

    More Christmas Recipes

    • Rice Krispies Christmas Wreath
    • Kringle Kuchen
    • Peppermint White Hot Chocolate
    • Peppermint Schnapps Ice Cream

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lindsay Cotter says

      November 22, 2018 at 9:53 pm

      5 stars
      These cupcakes are so fun and festive for Christmas! Chocolate and mint are such a great flavor combination too!

      Reply
    2. Toni | Boulder Locavore says

      November 22, 2018 at 5:22 pm

      5 stars
      These are so fun for the holidays!! Love them!

      Reply
    3. Elizabeth says

      November 20, 2018 at 11:53 am

      Mint and chocolate is my favorite holiday baking combination! I can NOT wait to make these cupcakes. They look amazing!!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        November 20, 2018 at 3:15 pm

        Thank you, Elizabeth! I know you'll love these! Thanks for commenting!

        Reply
    4. Krissy Allori says

      November 19, 2018 at 8:08 am

      5 stars
      Chocolate peppermint cupcakes are the best! These are so festive and cute!!!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        November 20, 2018 at 7:34 am

        Thank you so much, Krissy!! I'm glad you think so 🙂

        Reply
    5. Sandra Shaffer says

      November 18, 2018 at 2:51 pm

      5 stars
      So pretty! These will be perfect for any holiday event and I love that nice surprise in the middle just waiting to be discovered. I'm with you....not looking at the calories! lol

      Reply
      • Renée says

        November 19, 2018 at 12:33 am

        Why ruin a good thing, right? LOL

        Reply
    6. sara says

      November 18, 2018 at 12:53 pm

      5 stars
      Not only are they adorable, but they are scrumptious. The peppermint buttercream is amazing!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        November 18, 2018 at 1:25 pm

        Thanks, Sara! So happy that you think so!!

        Reply
    7. Linda says

      November 18, 2018 at 9:58 am

      5 stars
      These are perfect for the holiday season and what kid (big or little) wouldn't love some peppermint candy in the center! They look so festive and pretty too!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        November 18, 2018 at 11:25 am

        Thank you so much, Linda!

        Reply
    8. Jessica says

      November 18, 2018 at 9:27 am

      5 stars
      These are so pretty and so simple. Even me, the worst cupcake decorator in the world, we able to make them look pretty!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        November 18, 2018 at 11:23 am

        You would knock them out of the park!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Renee! I've been a passionate home cook for over 40 years. I specialize in easy-to-make comfort food dishes from appetizers to desserts and everything in between.

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