Festive Christmas Cupcakes with Easy Holiday Buttercream (Full Recipe & Guide)

There’s something truly magical about Christmas baking — the comforting aromas, the sparkle of colorful sprinkles, and the joy of sharing homemade treats with friends and family. If you’re looking for a show-stopping holiday dessert that’s simple enough for any home baker yet stunning enough to impress at parties, these Festive Christmas Cupcakes with Easy Holiday Buttercream are your perfect holiday baking project.

This recipe delivers soft, moist vanilla cupcakes topped with a smooth, fluffy, holiday-themed buttercream that pipes beautifully and holds its shape for hours. Whether you’re preparing treats for a classroom party, a cookie exchange, a holiday dessert table, or simple Christmas Eve family fun, these cupcakes bring festive cheer with every bite.

What makes this recipe especially appealing is how beginner-friendly it is. The batter comes together quickly with simple pantry ingredients, and the buttercream is a classic American frosting that takes just a few minutes to whip up. You can decorate your cupcakes with candy canes, crushed peppermint, edible glitter, colored sanding sugar, mini ornaments, or keep them classic with red and green sprinkles.

In this detailed guide, we’ll walk you through every step — ingredients, instructions, pro-level decorating tips, troubleshooting, variations, storage advice, and more — so you can bake picture-perfect holiday cupcakes every time.

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Why These Christmas Cupcakes Are the Ultimate Holiday Treat

Christmas cupcakes are more than just dessert — they’re a celebration in edible form. Here’s why this recipe stands out:

1. Easy for beginners, impressive for pros

No complicated techniques or specialty tools needed. Even kids can help with stirring, scooping, and decorating.

2. Moist and fluffy cupcakes

Thanks to milk, butter, and the perfect ratio of dry and wet ingredients, these cupcakes stay soft for days.

3. Versatile holiday buttercream

Use one batch of buttercream to create three colors: red, white, and green. Pipe swirls, rosettes, or striped candy-cane frosting.

4. Perfect for parties

These cupcakes hold up beautifully on dessert tables and can be made ahead.

5. Completely customizable

Peppermint? Gingerbread? Chocolate? Eggnog? You can transform the base cupcake with simple flavor swaps.

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Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tbsp sour cream (keeps cupcakes extra moist)

Easy Holiday Buttercream

• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 2–3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Red and green gel food coloring
• Holiday sprinkles, edible glitter, crushed candy canes, or decorations of choice

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Instructions

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with Christmas-themed liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy — about 2–3 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in vanilla extract.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two parts, alternating with milk. Mix until just combined.
6. Fold in sour cream to create a smooth, silky batter.
7. Fill cupcake liners 2⁄3 full.
8. Bake for 16–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Holiday Buttercream

1. Beat softened butter on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until pale and creamy.
2. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing on low.
3. Add heavy cream and vanilla. Beat for 2–3 minutes until fluffy.
4. Divide frosting into 2 or 3 bowls:
   • Keep one white
   • Tint one red
   • Tint one green
5. Place into separate piping bags or swirl the colors together for a multicolor effect.
6. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Finish with sprinkles or candy decorations.

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Expert Tips for Perfect Christmas Cupcakes

1. Use room-temperature ingredients

Butter, eggs, and milk blend more smoothly when they’re not cold.

2. Don’t overmix the batter

Overmixing creates dense cupcakes. Mix only until ingredients are combined.

3. Invest in good gel food coloring

Liquid colors dilute the buttercream. Gel ensures bright, vibrant Christmas colors.

4. Try a triple-swirl piping bag

Place red, white, and green icing side-by-side in one bag for a striped candy cane swirl.

5. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting

Warm cupcakes melt buttercream — patience is key!

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Decorating Ideas for a Show-Stopping Display

Classic Christmas Swirl

Red, green, and white frosting piped in tall swirls with gold or silver sprinkles.

Peppermint Wonderland

White frosting + crushed candy canes.

Christmas Tree Cupcakes

Green frosting piped like a tree + star sprinkle on top.

Snowflake Cupcakes

White frosting + blue sanding sugar + snowflake sprinkles.

Santa Hat Cupcakes

Red frosting swirl + mini marshmallow on top.

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Recipe Variations

Chocolate Christmas Cupcakes

Replace ¼ cup flour with cocoa powder.

Eggnog Cupcakes

Replace milk with eggnog + add ½ tsp nutmeg.

Peppermint Cupcakes

Add ½ tsp peppermint extract to the batter.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Add 1 ½ tsp cinnamon + 1 tsp ginger + ¼ tsp cloves.

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How to Store Your Cupcakes

Room Temperature:

Airtight container, up to 3 days.

Refrigerator:

Up to 5 days, but always serve at room temperature.

Freezer:

Freeze undecorated cupcakes for up to 2 months.
Buttercream can be frozen separately for 3 months.

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Serving Suggestions

• Pair with hot cocoa, Christmas coffee, or spiced cider.
• Serve on a tiered dessert stand with mini gingerbread men and cookies.
• Box the cupcakes in festive containers as edible Christmas gifts.

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Fun Facts

• Cupcakes were originally called “number cakes” because early recipes were remembered by number.
• American buttercream is the easiest frosting to tint — perfect for bright holiday colors.
• Christmas-themed cupcakes are now one of the most pinned holiday desserts on Pinterest