Name: Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes Recipe
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unbleached cake flour; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2/3 cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder; 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed; 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 8 tablespoons cubed unsalted butter, room temperature; 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature; 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature; 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 1/4 cup room temperature coffee or hot water; 1 large egg, room temperature; 1 large egg yolk, room temperature; 1 teaspoon peppermint extract; 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature; 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar; 1 tablespoon heavy cream; 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract; Red gel food coloring; Peppermint baking chunks and candy canes for decorating

Chocolate and peppermint – a classic holiday duo that never fails to delight your taste buds! This Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes Recipe strikes the perfect balance between rich, fudgy chocolate and refreshing peppermint, all wrapped up in a moist cupcake topped with dreamy, swirled buttercream. Trust me, once you make these, they’ll quickly become a festive favorite.

A close-up view of dark chocolate cupcakes with two layers visible: the moist, dark brown cake base and a thick swirl of red and white striped frosting on top. One cupcake is cut in half, showing its soft interior, with one half still in the white cupcake liner and the other lying on the white marbled surface. Small red and white candy pieces are scattered around the cupcakes, and a small red-and-white striped candy cane sticks out from the frosting on the cut cupcake. The background is a soft white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes Recipe isn’t just about flavor—it’s about capturing that cozy, joyful feeling of the holidays in every bite. I've found that these cupcakes bring an instant smile and a little bubbling excitement every time I pull them out of the oven, and I’m confident you’ll feel the same.

Perfect Flavor Harmony: The blend of Dutch-processed cocoa and peppermint extract creates a rich yet refreshing taste that you won’t find in any ordinary cupcake.
Moist and Tender Texture: Thanks to the combination of sour cream, oil, and coffee, these cupcakes stay incredibly moist and tender, never dry.
Swirled Peppermint Buttercream: The red-and-white frosting swirl looks festive and tastes just as good, adding a fun visual and flavor punch that’s hard to resist.
Easy to Make Ahead: You can bake these cupcakes in advance and frost them later, making them a stress-free option for holiday parties or family gatherings.

The image shows several cupcakes with two layers of swirled frosting, one layer is bright red and the other is white, coiled on top of each cupcake. Each cupcake is decorated with small red and white candy pieces sprinkled over the frosting and topped with small red and white striped candy canes placed vertically near the side. The cupcakes are placed closely together on a dark surface with visible glossy highlights, creating a festive look. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

The recipe is thoughtfully balanced, blending ingredients that complement each other perfectly. The Dutch-processed cocoa powder brings that deep, mellow chocolate flavor while the espresso powder enhances it even more. Sour cream and oil keep things moist without weighing down the cupcakes, and the peppermint extract adds just the right hint of holiday cheer.

Flat lay of a small mound of unbleached cake flour, a heap of granulated sugar, a pile of unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder, a small mound of packed brown sugar, a few dark brown espresso beans, a small heap of baking powder, a pinch of baking soda crystals, a pinch of fine sea salt crystals, several cubes of unsalted butter, a dollop of sour cream, a small pool of whole milk in a white ceramic bowl, a small pool of vegetable oil in a white ceramic bowl, a small pool of room temperature coffee in a white ceramic bowl, one clean whole large egg with an uncracked shell, one clean whole large egg yolk with shell, a small white ceramic bowl filled with peppermint extract liquid, a block of unsalted butter, a small mound of powdered sugar, a small white ceramic bowl with heavy cream, a small white ceramic bowl with red gel food coloring, a few peppermint baking chunks and mini candy canes placed neatly, all arranged symmetrically with perfect proportions on simple white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Cake flour: It gives these cupcakes a tender crumb, lighter than all-purpose flour would.
Granulated sugar & Brown sugar: Both work together to add sweetness and a bit of moisture with the brown sugar’s molasses notes.
Unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder: For that rich chocolate color and deep flavor—plus it blends smoothly.
Espresso powder (optional): Just a teaspoon amps up the chocolate flavor even further; you won’t taste coffee.
Baking powder & Baking soda: These leavening agents help the cupcakes rise beautifully without a heavy texture.
Fine sea salt: Salt enhances all the sweet and chocolate notes, balancing the flavor.
Unsalted butter: Cubed and room temperature for even mixing and moisture.
Sour cream: This adds moisture and tenderness; it’s a key ingredient for soft cupcakes.
Whole milk: Adds creaminess and balances the batter consistency.
Vegetable oil: Keeps the cupcakes wonderfully moist and light.
Coffee or hot water: Coffee elevates the chocolate flavor subtly; if you skip the espresso powder, definitely include coffee or hot water.
Eggs: Provide structure and richness; room temperature is best for better mixing.
Peppermint extract: The star of the show, bringing that cool, minty warmth that's iconic for peppermint treats.
For the frosting: Unsalted butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, peppermint extract, and red gel food coloring create that luscious peppermint buttercream that’s perfect for piping.
Peppermint baking chunks and candy canes: Used to decorate and add delightful crunch and festive flair.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

One of my favorite things about this Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes Recipe is how easy it is to customize. Whether you’re tweaking the peppermint level or trying out different garnishes, there’s lots of room to make these truly yours.

Variation: I’ve added a pinch of cayenne pepper once for a little spicy kick under the cool peppermint — surprisingly addictive! You can also swap peppermint extract for vanilla extract if you prefer a classic chocolate cupcake.
Dietary tweaks: To make vegan, try substituting the butter and sour cream with plant-based alternatives and flax eggs for the eggs—though you might need to test your oven time a bit.
Seasonal flair: Around Christmas, I love garnishing them with crushed candy canes for that festive crunch and extra peppermint zing.
Frosting simplicity: If you want to skip piping, just spread the peppermint buttercream on generously—it’s just as delicious!

Step-by-Step: How I Make Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes Recipe

Step 1: Prepping and Mixing the Dry Ingredients

First, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line your 12-cup cupcake pan with liners—that step always helps me avoid sticky messes later! In your stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cake flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, brown sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then, add the cubed room-temperature butter and mix on low for about 3 minutes until the texture resembles coarse sand. This technique traps air and helps make these cupcakes beautifully tender.

Step 2: Combine Wet Ingredients and Bring It All Together

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, vegetable oil, coffee (or hot water), egg, egg yolk, and peppermint extract. Pour this wet mixture into your dry ingredients bowl. Mix on low speed for a few seconds, stop and scrape down the bowl to avoid any hidden pockets of flour, and then mix a few seconds longer until everything is combined. Your batter may look a bit lumpy, but that’s totally normal—it bakes up just fine!

Step 3: Bake to Perfection

Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full to leave room for rising. Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking around 20 minutes with a toothpick inserted in the center—it should come out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Once done, cool the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. This step helps prevent your cupcakes from steaming and getting soggy.

Step 4: Whip Up the Peppermint Buttercream

While the cupcakes cool, get your frosting ready. Beat the room-temperature butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on medium speed until fluffy and light. Add the heavy cream and peppermint extract, then mix until fully incorporated. This frosting is rich but light enough to complement the cupcakes without overpowering them.

Step 5: Create the Festive Red and White Swirl

Scoop half the frosting into a piping bag, and leave it white. Add a few drops of red gel food coloring to the other half and mix until you get that perfect candy cane red. Place both bags inside a third large piping bag fitted with a star tip, cut the tips off the inner bags, and pull them through the outer tip. Pipe a few practice swirls on a plate until the two colors blend nicely. Then, pipe generous swirls onto each cooled cupcake, topping them with peppermint baking chunks and mini candy canes for that extra holiday wow.

Top Tip

I’ve tried a ton of peppermint dessert recipes over the years, and this one stands out because of how well the peppermint flavor shines without being too sharp. Here are the key tricks that gave me the best results every time I bake these cupcakes:

Proper flour measuring: I always fluff the cake flour first and then spoon it into my measuring cup instead of scooping. It makes a major difference in getting that soft, tender crumb.
Room temperature ingredients: Using room temp eggs, milk, butter, and sour cream helped the batter combine seamlessly and kept the cupcakes moist.
Triple piping bag trick: Piping with red and white frosting from separate bags placed together creates beautiful swirls that look hard to achieve but are actually easy with this setup.
Don’t overbake: Keep a close eye during the last few minutes of baking to avoid dry cupcakes—pull them out when a few moist crumbs cling to the toothpick.

How to Serve Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes Recipe

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

For garnish, I love to sprinkle crushed peppermint baking chunks or candy cane pieces for a little crunch. Mini candy canes add such a cute touch if you’re serving these at a holiday party! If you want to get fancy, a light dusting of edible glitter or silver pearls on top of the frosting adds a festive sparkle without changing the flavor.

Side Dishes

These cupcakes go beautifully with a warm cup of peppermint tea or a latte sprinkled with cinnamon. For a full holiday spread, serve alongside a fresh berry salad or lightly spiced mulled cider to balance the richness of the cupcakes.

Creative Ways to Present

One year, I arranged the cupcakes on a wooden cake stand with fresh pine sprigs and cranberries around the base for a charming winter centerpiece. Another time, I wrapped each cupcake in mini cellophane bags tied with red ribbon—perfect for grab-and-go gifts or party favors. Don’t be shy about experimenting with presentation: a little creativity goes a long way to impress your guests!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

If you have leftovers, store your cupcakes unfrosted at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. I usually keep the frosting separate because it stays freshest and fluffiest that way. If frosted, refrigerate them in a tightly sealed container to keep the buttercream from drying out.

Freezing

Freezing works well for this recipe! I freeze cupcakes without frosting, placed on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature and frost fresh. You can also freeze the buttercream separately in an airtight container, thaw overnight in the fridge, then re-whip before using.

Reheating

To enjoy day-old cupcakes, I gently warm them in the microwave for about 10 seconds—this refreshes their softness beautifully. Avoid reheating frosted cupcakes this way because the buttercream can melt; instead, let frosted ones come to room temperature naturally for the best texture.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour in this recipe?

Absolutely! You can substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour, but for every cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons and replace them with cornstarch to mimic cake flour’s softness. This tweak helps keep your cupcakes tender.

How important is the espresso powder in this recipe?

Espresso powder is optional but highly recommended because it intensifies the chocolate flavor without adding a coffee taste. If you don’t have it, regular hot coffee or water works well too to enhance the richness.

Can I make these cupcakes dairy-free or vegan?

Yes! To make dairy-free or vegan versions, swap the butter and sour cream with plant-based alternatives like vegan butter and coconut yogurt, and replace eggs with flax eggs. Keep in mind, texture may vary slightly, so it’s good to experiment a bit.

What’s the best way to get that festive red and white frosting swirl?

The triple piping bag method is your best bet. Fill two smaller piping bags—one with white frosting, one with red—and place them inside a larger bag fitted with a star tip. Pull the tips through and pipe your swirl. If you don’t have multiple bags, alternate spoonfuls of red and white frosting into one bag for a pretty marbled effect.

Final Thoughts

This Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes Recipe truly holds a special place in my kitchen, especially during the holidays. It brings together two standout flavors with textures and looks that impress every time. I promise, whether you’re baking for family, friends, or just to treat yourself, these cupcakes will brighten your day and fill your home with a sweet, minty warmth. Give it a go—you might just find a new favorite!