The CUTEST Christmas Cupcakes! These Reindeer Cupcakes steal the show at every party and with a red nose they can be Rudolph Cupcakes!
Cute Christmas Cupcakes… Rudolph the red nosed cupcake!
You’ll notice I made my own candy eyes using M&M’s but you can always just buy candy eyes at the grocery store in the baking aisle! Back when I made these the first time, candy eyes were only sold at specialty stores like Michales and Hobby Lobby, but today candy eyes are in most grocery stores which is a BIG win! I love using them at Christmas and Halloween. These Rudolph Reindeer Cupcakes are always a huge hit with kids because they’re easy and fun to make AND best of all they turn out like the picture! I love using simple store-bought items to make my little desserts come alive because it sets you and your kids up for success. No pinterest fail memes for this recipe!
A decorating tip with kids: Put all the decorating ingredients like the vanilla wafers, red M&M, brown M&M’s, mini pretzels and candy eyes in a cupcake pan (muffin tin). Each ingredient can be in different “wells” so they stay separated. You could also place them in cupcake wrappers on a plate. When I do my kids decorating classes I try to keep everything as organized as possible because it seems to keep the kids a little more tidy too.
Look at the adorable Rudolph! You could make 12 Rudolphs of just one to lead the pack!
Cute Reindeer Cupcakes
You can use a scratch recipe for the cupcakes but I tend to leave the flour, sugar, and everything else in the pantry and just pull out a good-ole cake mix.
There are 16 days until Christmas! I wrapped a pile of presents and sent out family Christmas cards, now I just need a tree! I’ll confess I’ve been watching Christmas movies since mid November and still going strong every night with a cup of hot chocolate. Thanks to Netflix, the Lifetime and Hallmark channels I will never run out of cheesy Christmas romances full of mistletoe, perfect snow and flying reindeer.
These aren’t something new, there have been a lot of posts on blogs about these cute cakes. But I couldn’t seem to find a really good how-to post, so I thought I’d offer my take on them. Now, there are a few ways to do the pretzel antlers but I like this way because it’s the most simple and really easy to pack and deliver to friends and family.
I used Nilla Wafers (or store brand) for the muzzles, brown M&M’s for the noses, and white chocolate mint M&M’s for the eyes with a dot of melted chocolate.
I hope you love these cute Christmas cupcakes as much as my family does! Enjoy them at home and at your holiday party this year!
Reindeer Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 1 box devil's food cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 C. oil
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 C. milk or buttermilk
- 1/2 C. sour cream
Chocolate Frosting:
- 1 C. butter
- 1/3 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2-3 C. powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp. milk
Pretzles, for antlers
Nilla Wafers, for muzzles
Brown M&M's for noses (some red for Rudolph)
White Mint M&M's for eyes
Instructions
-
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.
-
2. Sift cake mix into a small bowl and set aside.
-
3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, vanilla extract, milk and sour cream until smooth.
-
4. Stir in cake mix.
-
5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 16-20 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
-
6. Let cool.
-
7. Chocolate frosting: Beat butter. Add cocoa powder, 2 C. powdered sugar and milk. Slowly add more powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.
-
8. Prep reindeer "faces" by using frosting to stick brown M&M's on Nilla Wafers (some red for Rudolphs if you want). Melt down a few chocolate chips, put in a small plastic bag, snip off the tip to make a mini piping bag and "dot" little eyeballs on the white M&M's to make eyes.
-
9. Frost cupcakes.
-
10. (See photos below) Place Nilla wafers with M&M's on cupcakes, then place pretzels above. Use a little frosting to stick on 2 eyes and there you go!
Rudolph!
These are seriously so cute and easy for anyone to make!
Lissa says
Adorable! I know what I will be making for my son’s class before winter break 🙂
Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking Queen says
So cute, I think I would want all rudolph lol
Lizzy Mae Early says
That actually makes it easier because you only need to buy one bag of M&M’s, the chocolate mint ones!
Donna says
So cute!!! You are always so creative!! I love how the recipe is simple but the results are spectacular!
Fallsview says
keep everything as organized as possible because it seems to keep the kids
Laura says
I love it!!! <3
Letty Chen says
This is something my 9 year old can do with me. I think I just found the cupcakes to make for this year!
Jackie Gibson says
So cute,clever, & creative!! Thank you for all your great stories &
lovely sweets & recipes!
Jackie
Bridget says
I will probably end up buying the candy eyes they sell at some stores for the eyes, so I could cut out one additional step. This might cause the reindeer to be “bug-eyed” though. They are so cute I now have (another) holiday treat that my girls will love to help me make
Lizzy Mae Early says
Oh good! Yes, there a bunch of ways to make the eyes, so do what’s easiest for you!
Sunny Smith says
Too cute.
Carissa says
Just finished making a little over 50 of these with my 4 year old for my students and for her class! They are so cute, but man that was a lot of little reindeers! lol
Lizzy Mae Early says
Oh that’s adorable! You made a whole herd of reindeer!
Tara says
Do you use regular sized Nilla wafers or the mini ones? We are making these tonite–so cute!
Lizzy Mae Early says
I used regular sized ones (I just got the store’s generic brand to save a little money)
Dianne says
Thanks for sharing such creative idea!! My family and friends love them 🙂
Jacqui says
How many cupcakes does this recipe make?
Lizzy Mae Early says
20-24!
Jacqui says
Thank you!! I am making these for Christmas – very excited!
July says
You are so creative… *.*
Janna says
Love your cupcakes. Should I bake at a lower temperature or shorter time when using dark muffin tins? I’ve burned many cupcakes.
Lizzy Mae Early says
My tins are dark! I bake mine for only 13 minutes, but I’m also in Utah where the altitude changes how long things bake for!
Melanie says
Oh my goodness, thank you so much for this! I have seen this many places, but you laid it out so well that even I can make them!
Dee says
These are adorable. What size M&M’s did you use?
create a wristband says
If you would like to grow your knowledge simply keep visiting this web page and be updated with the most up-to-date
information posted here.
birds says
Wonderful beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your website,
how could i subscribe for a blog website? The
account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear concept
bike says
Grеat weblog here! Aⅼso your website lots up fast!
What web hoѕt are you the սse of? Cаn I get your affiliate hyperlink оn yoᥙr host?
I wisһ my web sitе loaded uρ as quickly as yours lol
investigationstoronto.com says
I enjoyed going to your webiste. I leave comments rarely,
but
you definately deserve a thumbs up!
Kim says
What can I use instead of M &M’s?
Susanne says
Looks like such a cute cupcake. I want to make these for my Grandson’s birthday. Can you make these in advance without the pretzels and wafers going soft sitting in the icing?
phrazle says
It’s beautiful and delicious. I have followed your page and applied the cake recipes with great success. Simple re-implementation. I don’t think I can make cakes. Thank you for sharing the article.
Laura says
Love the idea. Would be helpful to have a yield so the reader knows how many cupcakes to expect.
Samantha says
Hi! I’m trying to make these and I’m having trouble getting the white m&M’s to stay. Any tips?
bitlife says
The candies are so pretty.
sanaptel.com says
These reindeer cupcakes are absolutely adorable! I can’t wait to make them for my kid’s Christmas party at school. The step-by-step instructions and helpful tips make it seem so easy to create these little cuties. I love that they use simple store-bought items, making it a fun and stress-free activity for both kids and adults. Thank you for sharing this creative and festive recipe!
Posted By: Sanapatel.com
Neha Malik says
So cute!!! You are always so creative!!
Osh University says
Choose Osh University for a premium education among private medical colleges . With a focus on innovation and personalized mentorship, Osh empowers students to excel in their medical journey and emerge as competent and compassionate healthcare professionals.
Jewel Galore says
Elevate your style with the ease of online jewellery shopping in Pakistan at Jewelgalore. Discover a wide range of beautifully crafted pieces, reflecting your unique fashion sense with grace and elegance, all available for you to explore and purchase online.
celebrityplaygirls says
Thanks for sharing these insights. Very informative!Mumbai celebrity escorts
Shalamar Hospital says
Shalamar Hospital is not just a healthcare provider; it’s your trusted eye hospital in Lahore . Experience expert eye care in a state-of-the-art medical facility.
Shalamar Hospital says
Shalamar Hospital’s dedicated eye specialist are committed to preserving your vision. Trust us for top-quality eye care services in a trusted medical environment.
FEMINA says
BEING HUMAN
KIYARA says
BE A GOOD LISTNER IT ALWAYS HELPS
Eugenia says
Hi, I am Eugenia a high profile independent Russian girl currently working and living in Delhi. Please call me if you want to meet me. As a professional independent Russian girl based in Delhi, I prioritize providing high-quality services to my clients. With a strong work ethic and dedication to my craft, I strive to ensure that each encounter is tailored to meet the unique needs and desires of my clients. My commitment to professionalism and discretion ensures a safe and enjoyable experience for all parties involved. If you are seeking the company of a sophisticated and independent Russian girl in Delhi, I invite you to contact me to arrange a meeting. Your satisfaction is my top priority, and I look forward to the opportunity to exceed your expectations.
https://renasingh.com
Solar Distributor says
Thank you for acknowledging the effort put into this article. I’m delighted to hear that you found it beneficial and informative. Your support is much appreciated. Solar Module Distributor
Solar Inverter says
It’s wonderful to hear that you discovered valuable information in the article. I’m grateful for your positive feedback and for taking the time to read the article. solplanet inverter distributor
William Thompson says
I am deeply thankful for your commitment to Slope Run research and providing well-crafted content