30 Festive Christmas Cupcakes

What better way to kick off the holiday season than with some festive Christmas cupcakes?

This collection of cupcake recipes includes everyone’s favorite holiday flavors, such as gingerbread, eggnog, cinnamon, and peppermint.

If you’re looking for fun ways to decorate cupcakes for Christmas, there’s no shortage of ideas. You’ll love decorating cupcakes to look like Christmas lights, Santas, Christmas trees, reindeer, and more cute ideas.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

These pretty gingerbread cupcakes will be the star of any Christmas dessert table. The homemade maple cream cheese frosting gets a 10 out of 10!

Adding a homemade or store-bought gingerbread cookie on top is the perfect finishing touch.

Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Cupcakes

Christmas Wreath Cupcakes

Everyone will love these vanilla cupcakes decorated with a pretty wreath made of green icing. They are almost too adorable to eat.

Get the Recipe: Christmas Wreath Cupcakes

Peppermint Bark Cupcakes

Peppermint bark fans are in for a treat with this cupcake recipe. The white chocolate peppermint frosting is divine.

Get the Recipe: Peppermint Bark Cupcakes

Santa Cupcakes

These Santa cupcakes, made with a boxed cake mix, are so easy to make that even the kids can help. The marshmallow beard is a fun idea!

Get the Recipe: Santa Cupcakes

Eggnog Cupcakes

Bourbon is an optional ingredient you can leave out if you’re making these for kids or want to make them alcohol-free. Adding a snowflake cookie on top is a pretty way to decorate them.

Get the Recipe: Bourbon Eggnog Cupcakes

Christmas Tree Cupcakes

These Christmas tree toppers made with Pocky Sticks are about the cutest thing ever. Thanks to the step-by-step directions, they’re also quite easy to make.

They’re made with a chocolate box cake mix, a time-saving shortcut that’ll give you plenty of time for decorating.

Get the Recipe: Christmas Tree Cupcakes

Reindeer Cupcakes

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, has a bright red M&M nose and pretzel antlers. These cupcakes are made with a boxed cake mix and a handful of other ingredients.

Get the Recipe: Reindeer Cupcakes

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

These homemade Snickerdoodle cupcakes might be even better than the cookie! They’re a yummy, make-ahead dessert for your Christmas party.

Get the Recipe: Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Santa Belt Cupcakes

Spread some cheer to friends and family with these Santa belt cupcakes. The belt buckle is made of yellow fondant.

Get the Recipe: Santa Belt Cupcakes

White Chocolate Cranberry Cupcakes

Topped with sugared cranberries, these pretty cupcakes have a white chocolate buttercream frosting and cranberry filling.

Get the Recipe: White Chocolate Cranberry Cupcakes

Grinch Cupcakes

Even the Grinch would love these cupcakes! These will be a hit at your Grinch party or holiday potluck. Don’t forget the red heart sprinkles.

Get the Recipe: Grinch Cupcakes

Polar Bear Cupcakes

These polar bear cupcakes will be popular with both kids and adults. The homemade vanilla buttercream frosting is so yummy.

Get the Recipe: Polar Bear Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red velvet cupcakes are always a crowd-pleaser at Christmas parties and potlucks. Top with red velvet crumbs or some festive holiday sprinkles.

Get the Recipe: Red Velvet Cupcakes

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

For all you hot chocolate lovers, these decadent cupcakes will automatically become your new favorite. The marshmallow buttercream will be your new obsession.

Get the Recipe: Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

North Pole Cupcakes

These show-stopping cupcakes will have everyone saying “wow”. The darling North Pole signs are made out of fondant.

Get the Recipe: North Pole Cupcakes

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

These cupcakes, filled with rich chocolate, coffee, and peppermint flavors, will steal the show. Finishing them off with peppermint candies or mini candy canes is a nice touch.

Get the Recipe: Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Christmas Lights Cupcakes

Made with devil’s food cake mix, these chocolatey cupcakes couldn’t be easier to make. We love the M&M Christmas lights!

Get the Recipe: Christmas Lights Cupcakes

Gingerbread Cupcakes

You can’t help but smile when looking at these gingerbread man cupcakes. Since the frosting is flattened, it makes it easier to transport and package if you’re gifting them.

The cupcakes have a decadent coffee flavor and vanilla buttercream frosting.

Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Cupcakes

Christmas Tree and Presents Cupcakes

While you may have seen other cupcakes with frosted green trees, the presents make this cupcake decorating idea so unique. Can you guess which candy the presents are made out of?

Get the Recipe: Christmas Tree and Presents Cupcakes

Gingerbread and Eggnog Cupcakes

Everyone will love these insanely good gingerbread cupcakes with eggnog frosting. If you can’t decide between eggnog and gingerbread cupcakes, you don’t have to choose; just make this recipe.

Get the Recipe: Gingerbread and Eggnog Cupcakes

Melting Snowman Cupcakes

These melting snowman cupcakes are perfect for a Christmas gathering and are a wonderful, kid-friendly option. The carrot nose is super easy to make out of fondant.

Get the Recipe: Melting Snowman Cupcakes

Santa Hat Cupcakes

Get creative decorating box cake mix cupcakes with this fun Santa hat decorating idea. Mini marshmallows make the perfect Santa hat trim.

Get the Recipe: Santa Hat Cupcakes

Ugly Sweater Cupcakes

Santa would totally approve of these cupcakes decorated to look like ugly Christmas sweaters. These cupcakes ooze holiday cheer, and we love the candy ribbons.

Get the Recipe: Ugly Sweater Cupcakes

Cinnamon Cupcakes

You’ll love this cupcake recipe, which tastes like soft cinnamon rolls. The homemade cinnamon cream cheese frosting is so good that you’ll be licking the spoon.

Get the Recipe: Cinnamon Cupcakes

Chocolate Christmas Cupcakes

If you’re looking for a simple yet elegant dessert, you’ll want to make these chocolate cupcakes with piped rosettes. The step-by-step tutorial will have you piping perfect rosettes in no time.

Get the Recipe: Chocolate Christmas Cupcakes

Reindeer Cupcakes

These reindeer cupcakes are so easy to decorate that even the kids can help. Using pretzels for antlers is so clever.

Get the Recipe: Reindeer Cupcakes

Christmas Tree Cupcake Cake

If you’re looking for a Christmas cupcake idea that’s a little different, why not make a pull-apart cake out of cupcakes? Shaped like a Christmas tree, this cupcake cake will be the star of your dessert table.

Get the Recipe: Christmas Tree Cupcake Cake

Oreo Red Velvet Cupcakes

The Oreos bring these red velvet cupcakes to the next level. Crushed Oreo cookies are mixed into the cupcake batter and the frosting.

Get the Recipe: Oreo Red Velvet Cupcakes

Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes

Aren’t these gingerbread latte cupcakes the cutest? Adding Christmas sprinkles to the mugs makes the cupcakes even more festive.

Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes

Easy Christmas Tree Cupcakes

Using ice cream cones to look like Christmas trees is a creative cupcake decorating idea. You’ll have so much fun making these; there are so many ways to decorate them.

Get the Recipe: Easy Christmas Tree Cupcakes