Go Back
–+ servings
recipe
4.17 from 6 votes
click the stars to rate!

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

Created by: Courtney
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Celebrate the magic of the season with these chocolate peppermint cupcakes. Tender chocolate-peppermint cake is swirled with fluffy peppermint buttercream and sprinkled with crushed candy canes and chocolate flakes for a frosty, festive finish. Cool, minty, and perfectly chocolatey, they’re the sweetest way to spread holiday cheer—one bite at a time.

Equipment

Ingredients 

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

  • ¼ cup (45 g) semisweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup (22 g) dark cocoa powder
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) boiling water
  • ¾ cup (94 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) baking soda
  • ¼ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
  • ⅓ cup (79 ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 (2) large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 tsp (1 tsp) vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp (1 tsp) peppermint extract

Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream
  • 1 tsp (1 tsp) peppermint extract
  • 1 tsp (1 tsp) vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt

Additional Ingredients

  • ¼ cup (57 g) crushed candy canes
  • 12 (12) candy cane sticks or mini candy canes

Instructions

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
  • In a small mixing bowl, stir together the semisweet chocolate chips, dark cocoa powder, and boiling water until the chocolate chips are melted. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour in the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until well combined. Add in the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, and whisk until the cupcake batter is well combined and smooth (the batter will be thin).
  • Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ full. Use a large liquid measuring cup or a bowl with a spout to easily fill the liners.
  • Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes bounce back slightly when gently touched. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy. 
  • Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and continue to mix on low speed until fully combined. 
  • Add in the heavy cream, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated.
  • Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix for several minutes to smooth out the buttercream.

Assembling the Cupcakes

  • Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip with the peppermint buttercream frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the cupcakes. Decorate the cupcakes with crushed candy canes and candy cane sticks or mini candy canes.

Notes

Storing & Serving:
  • Room temperature: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.
  • Refrigerator: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
  • Storage Note: The crushed candy canes will melt over time at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Frost and decorate the cupcakes before serving to ensure the crushed candy canes stay crunchy and do not melt into the frosting.
Baking Tools & Supplies (affiliate links): Cupcake pan | Cupcake liners | Cooling rack | Stand mixer or electric hand mixer | Piping bags | Wilton 1M piping tip
Recipe Tips: Scroll up the blog post to see expert cupcake baking tips and frequently asked questions to make the most out of this recipe.
Note: Metric conversions and nutritional information are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
Recipe Update: This recipe was updated in November 2025. Peppermint extract was added to the cupcake recipe and crushed candy canes were added as the decoration instead of peppermint sprinkles.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 207mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 551IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

Made This Recipe?

Please leave a comment with a star rating to let me know how you enjoyed the recipe!