These chocolate peppermint cupcakes are such a fun and festive holiday treat! They're super easy to make and there are endless possibilities when it comes to decorating.
There are many things I love about the holidays, but baking up (and sharing!) seasonal treats is definitely way up there on the list. Naturally, there's a lot of peppermint action going on in my kitchen this time of year.
Regular readers know I'm a big fan of the chocolate + peppermint combination, as evidenced by my peppermint mocha cookies and Andes mint chocolate cookies. So whipping up a batch of chocolate peppermint cupcakes, and then topping them off with peppermint buttercream frosting... total no brainer.
It took me a while to perfect my gluten free cupcake recipe, but once I got that perfect flavor and texture, you better believe I started adapting it and playing around with different variations.
The resulting cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and oh-so-irresistible. If you're hosting this holiday season, you NEED to include these cupcakes on the menu.
Why You'll Love These Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes...
- They're just festive! Feel free to get creative with this chocolate peppermint cupcake recipe. You can tint your buttercream using gel food coloring for a red and white swirl. You can top with sprinkles, crushed candy canes, or the peppermints I used (which are my absolute favorite).
- We're using a bit of peppermint extract in both the cupcake batter AND the frosting... just enough so that it's full of festive flavor yet not overpowering.
- It's such a fun recipe to make with the whole family. Get the kids involved in this one, they'll love it!
What You'll Need...
- GF flour blend
- Unless otherwise noted, I always use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Flour in my recipes.
- Cocoa powder
- Go with natural cocoa powder, not Dutch-process.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Fine sea salt
- Unsalted butter
- Vegetable or canola oil
- Granulated sugar
- Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
- Vanilla extract
- Peppermint extract
- Milk
- Powdered sugar
- Heavy cream
How To Make...
To make my chocolate peppermint cupcakes, we'll start by making the cupcake batter. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set that aside for now.
Grab your electric mixer and beat the butter, oil, and sugar together until smooth. Add in the egg replacer and both extracts.
Now we're going to add the dry ingredients, BUT we're going to alternate with the milk. Start with adding ⅓ of the dry mix, followed by ½ of the milk. Beat briefly just to incorporate. Add in another ⅓ of the dry mix, followed by the rest of the milk. Beat again, very briefly. Finally, add the rest of the dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and scoop the batter into each individual liner. Fill it up a little over halfway full. Bake on 350ºF for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the buttercream frosting. Beat the butter first until it's light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add in the powdered sugar and peppermint extract and continue beating.
Finally, add in the heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time. Mix until the frosting reaches piping consistency. Make sure the cupcakes have cooled completely before frosting.
Tips For Making The Best Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes...
- As always, my #1 baking tip is to weigh the flour using a kitchen scale rather than measuring cups. This is the best way to ensure accuracy, and too much (or even too little) flour will impact the texture of these cupcakes. We need 148 grams of flour for this recipe.
- When adding in the dry ingredients and alternating with the milk, you really just want to beat VERY briefly after each addition. No need to mix for very long.
- I like to use my large cookie scoop to fill the cupcake liners. This equates to about 3 tablespoons of batter per liner.
- I'm about to let you in on a little secret: I rarely sift powdered sugar when I make buttercream frosting. Unless your powdered sugar is extra clumpy, I really don't think there's any need for it! If sifting is absolutely necessary, I will always note that in my recipe. Otherwise, I don't bother.
Ingredient Substitutions...
- I'm unsure if these peppermint cupcakes can be made dairy-free. You would need to substitute non-dairy butter and milk in both the batter and the frosting. It could work, I just haven't tested it myself.
- If you're not looking to make eggless peppermint cupcakes, feel free to just use 1 egg instead of the egg replacer.
- While I recommend heavy cream for the frosting, if you only have milk on hand, that will work just as well.
Did you try my chocolate peppermint cupcakes? Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @justastastyblog and #justastastyblog! And don't forget to subscribe to get all of my new recipes delivered right to your inbox.
Just As Tasty: Gluten-Free & Eggless Baking Through the Seasons
Be sure to check out my cookbook for tons of festive and easy-to-make gluten-free treats! From Valentine's Day and Easter to the holiday season and every celebration in between, this book has got you covered.
For More Gluten Free Cupcake Recipes, Try My...
Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (148g) gluten free flour blend
- ½ cup (42g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable or canola oil
- ⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer mixed with 2 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk room temperature
For the buttercream frosting:
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and sugar until smooth. Add the prepared egg replacer, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract and beat to combine. Add in the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the milk and making sure to start and end with dry ingredients. Beat briefly between each addition to incorporate.
- Spoon batter into the cupcake liners, a little over halfway full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
- To make the buttercream frosting, use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the butter until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and peppermint extract and continue to mix until combined. Add the heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, while continuing to beat until the buttercream is the desired consistency. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
Notes
- Be sure to follow the instructions on the package of Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer. Once mixed with water, the egg replacer must sit for just a few minutes to thicken.
- If you are not looking to replace eggs, you should be able to use 1 egg instead of the egg replacer.
- You may not end up using all 4 tablespoons of heavy cream, but you will not need more than that.
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