Grinch Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
These fun and festive Grinch Cupcakes are made with a creamy Peppermint Frosting and topped with an adorable “Whoville” tree! They’re the perfect treat to enjoy during the holidays.
For more fun holiday dessert recipes, be sure to check out my Christmas Candy Cookie Bark, Cranberry Bliss Bars, and Polar Express Hot Chocolate!
This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you chose to make a purchase using my link.
Grinch Cupcakes – a whimsical Christmas dessert!
If you’re looking for ways to really get into the Christmas spirit, watching The Grinch and noshing on one of these super cute Grinch Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting or some delicious Grinch Cookies should help you do it!
We always watch The Grinch at least once during the holidays at my house, and when I was teaching we always had a themed “Grinch Day” at school, too. It’s a great story about a little girl named Cindy Lou Who, who helps the curmudgeonly Grinch have a change of heart about the Christmas season.
While the movie is always a fun and whimsical tradition, I’ve also come to appreciate that The Grinch’s story has an even deeper meaning. It’s a great example of how inclusion and simple kindness can go a long way in helping those who suffer from loneliness and isolation, just as the Grinch did.
It’s a great message for us all, especially during the holidays when many around us might be feeling more of the loneliness that comes with the holidays than the joy. Just my little message to remind you to reach out to those who could use some love, kindness, and companionship during the holidays. Bringing cupcakes and other holiday treats would be a great place to start!
Ingredients for Grinch Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- eggs
- white granulated sugar
- unsalted butter
- vanilla extract
- peppermint extract
- milk
- powdered sugar
- pretzel sticks
- green candy melts
- neon green food coloring, heart sprinkles, green sugar sprinkles
How to Make Grinch Cupcakes – Step by Step
Step 1: Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line your muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
Step 2: Whisk dry ingredients
To make the cupcakes, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Step 3: Mix wet ingredients
In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs and white granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in 2 sticks of softened butter, 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and mix well. Next add in the milk and mix until combined.
Step 4: Combine
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir by hand until just combined. Fill the muffin tins ½ to ¾ full with the batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the Grinch Cupcakes completely on a wire rack before adding the peppermint frosting.
Step 5: Make peppermint frosting
To make the peppermint frosting, beat the 4 sticks of softened butter over medium speed with an electric mixer until soft and creamy. Continue to beat over medium speed as you gradually add the powdered sugar. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed to fully incorporate all of the sugar.
Step 6: Add food coloring
Step 7: Pipe on the frosting
Add the frosting to a large ziplock bag or piping bag fitted with a round piping tip. If using a ziplock bag, cut off a small corner at the bottom. Pipe the Grinch cupcakes in an upwards swirl pattern. Dust with the green sugar sprinkles and heart sprinkles.
Step 8: Make tree toppers
To make your Whoville Tree toppers, 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 the green candy melts in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring after each interval.
Step 9: Decorate and serve
Fill a small ziploc bag with the melted green candy melts and snip off a very small corner. Pipe a tree across the pretzels by going in a back and forth motion and curving at the top. Place a heart sprinkle on the tip of each one and allow these to harden. You can also place them in the refrigerator to speed up the setting time. When completely hardened and ready to serve, stick your Whoville trees in the top of each Grinch cupcake. Enjoy!
Grinch Cupcakes – Tips and Notes
- To make your Grinch cupcakes more festive, add some red and green sprinkles to the cake batter!
- Peppermint Mocha coffee creamer is a delicious substitute for the heavy cream or milk in the frosting.
- The heart sprinkles can be purchased from Walmart, Micheael’s, Jo-Ann’s, or online from Amazon here.
How to Store Grinch Cupcakes
These frosted and decorated Grinch Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to two days. They can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days, though I don’t recommend this method as the cupcakes can dry out due to the refrigeration.
If you won’t be serving your Grinch Cupcakes the same day you prepare them, I also recommend waiting to add the Whoville trees on top. You can go ahead and prepare the trees in advance, just don’t place them on your cupcakes until right before you’re ready to serve them.
Can you freeze cupcakes?
Yes, you can definitely freeze these Grinch Cupcakes, frosted or unfrosted! To freeze unfrosted cupcakes, simply place the completely cooled cupcakes in a flat layer inside of a large ziplock bag. Freeze for up to three months.
For frosted cupcakes (minus the Whoville tree toppers), first place the cupcakes in the refrigerator on a baking sheet for 1-2 hours to allow the frosting to set and harden. Remove from the refrigerator and wrap each one securely in plastic wrap before freezing. Freeze for up to three months.
Thaw Grinch cupcakes at room temperature for 1-2 hours before enjoying. After they have thawed completely, you can also add the Whoville Tree toppers!
More Cupcake Recipes You Might Enjoy!
- Cherry Coke Float Cupcakes
- Buttermilk Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Frosting
- Tres Leches Pina Colada Cupcakes
- Simple Vanilla Cupcakes
Recipe: Grinch Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks) softened
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 cup milk
For the Peppermint Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter, (4 sticks) softened
- 9 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon peppermint extract
- 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
For the Whoville trees
- 24 pretzel sticks
- 12 ounces green candy melts
- green sugar sprinkles and heart sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line your muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
- To make the cupcakes, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs and white granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in 2 sticks of softened butter, 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and mix well. Next add in the milk and mix until combined.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir by hand until just combined. Fill the muffin tins ½ to ¾ full with the batter.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the Grinch Cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting and decorating.
- To make the peppermint frosting, beat the 4 sticks of softened butter over medium speed with an electric mixer until soft and creamy. Continue to beat over medium speed as you gradually add the powdered sugar. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed to fully incorporate all of the sugar.
- Once the butter and sugar have come together, add the peppermint extract and vanilla extract. Beat in the heavy cream or milk, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Next add a few drops of the neon green food coloring and mix to combine. Add a little bit at a time until the right amount of Grinch green is achieved.
- Add the frosting to a large ziplock bag or piping bag fitted with a round piping tip. If using a ziplock bag, cut off a small corner at the bottom. Pipe the cupcakes in an upwards swirl pattern. Dust with the green sugar sprinkles and heart sprinkles.
- To make your Whoville Tree toppers, 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 the green candy melts in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring after each interval.
- Fill a small ziploc bag with the melted green candy melts and snip off a very small corner. Pipe a tree across the pretzels by going in a back and forth motion and curving at the top. Place a heart sprinkle on the tip of each one and allow these to harden. You can also place them in the refrigerator to speed up the setting time.
- When completely hardened and ready to serve, stick your Whoville trees in the top of each cupcake. Enjoy!
Notes
- To make your cupcakes more festive, add some red and green sprinkles to the cake batter!
- Peppermint Mocha coffee creamer is a delicious substitute for the heavy cream or milk in the frosting.
- The heart sprinkles can be purchased from Walmart, Micheael’s, Jo-Ann’s, or Amazon.
- Storing: these frosted and decorated Grinch Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to two days. They can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days, though I don’t recommend this method as the cupcakes can dry out due to the refrigeration. If you won’t be serving your Grinch Cupcakes the same day you prepare them, I also recommend waiting to add the Whoville trees on top. You can go ahead and prepare the trees in advance, just don’t place them on your cupcakes until right before you’re ready to serve them.
- Freezing: to freeze unfrosted cupcakes, simply place the completely cooled cupcakes in a flat layer inside of a large ziplock bag. Freeze for up to three months.For frosted cupcakes (minus the Whoville tree toppers), first place the cupcakes in the refrigerator on a baking sheet for 1-2 hours to allow the frosting to set and harden. Remove from the refrigerator and wrap each one securely in plastic wrap before freezing. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw cupcakes at room temperature for 1-2 hours before enjoying. After they have thawed completely, you can also add the Whoville Tree toppers!
This looks incredible! I will be trying it soon!
I absolutely love this Grinch cupcake idea. I am going to make these for my family so we can have a Grinch Christmas this year.
These are so cute without being too Kidsey which can happen with the grinch theme sometimes.
Detailed step by step instructions! Love it! Gotta try this soon with the kiddos!
These adorable cupcakes are going on the menu to make for family movie night. They are so cute!
What an awesome idea! These cupcakes look delicious. I can not wait to try them this holiday season. My family will love these.
OMG These are amazing, I love the grinch so i need to make them