5 Simple Holiday Cupcake Decorating Ideas

Use our five simple recipes to easily get cupcakes into the holiday spirit.

By Rachel Faucett

Here's a collection of holiday cupcake decorations even the novice baker can pull off with ease. These toppers are a great way to get the kids involved and boost their holiday spirit, plus they taste as good as they look!

1. Chocolate Peanut Butter Acorns

Ingredients
Peanut butter
Mini vanilla wafers
Milk chocolate drop candies
Peanut butter chips
Cupcakes

Instructions

1. Place a dab of peanut butter on a mini vanilla wafer and use it as glue to attach a chocolate drop
2. Place another dab of peanut butter on the other side of the mini vanilla wafer and attach a peanut butter chip
3. Place one to three acorns on top of each cupcake

2. Holly Cupcake Decorations

Ingredients
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar, divided
Fresh sage leaves
Cranberries
Cupcakes

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. In a small heavy saucepan, combine water and 1/2 cup sugar and stir until sugar dissolves
3. Simmer for 2 minutes to create a syrup
4. Pour remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl
5. Lightly brush both sides of sage leaves with the syrup, and then dip in sugar
6. Transfer leaves to prepared baking sheet and let dry 2-3 hours
7. To bend the leaves into shapes, drape them over an oiled chopstick
8. Put 1-2 sugared sage leaves and 1-3 fresh cranberries on each cupcake

3. Peppermint Bark

Ingredients
1/2 cup peppermints or 5 candy canes
1 bag (16 ounces) white chocolate chips
Cupcakes

Instructions

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1. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper
2. Place peppermints in a plastic bag and crush with a pan or hammer
3. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate on 50% power for 1 minute
4. Continue to heat in 15-second intervals, stirring each time, until smooth and melted
5. Pour chocolate into prepared pan and spread in an even layer (it will only cover about half the pan)
6. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint and let cool until set
7. Break into pieces and stick one piece on each cupcake

4. Holiday Ornament Cupcakes

Ingredients
Colored sugar in an assortment of holiday colors
Cupcakes
White frosting
Red licorice laces
Gumdrops

Instructions

1. Pour colored sugars into separate small bowls
2. Frost cupcakes with white frosting, making a slight mound with the frosting
3. Dip and roll the top of the cupcake in one of the bowls of colored sugar until completely covered
4. Cut a 1 1/2" piece of red licorice lace
5. Poke holes on both ends of the top of the gumdrop using a toothpick
6. Bend the piece of licorice in half and insert the ends into the holes in the gumdrop —now you have a hook for your cupcake ornament
7. Place the gumdrop and licorice hook on top of the cupcake

5. Snowman Cupcakes

Ingredients
Cupcakes
White frosting
Marshmallows
Chocolate sprinkles
Orange icing

Instructions

1. Frost cupcake with white frosting
2. Place one marshmallow in the middle of the frosted cupcake
3. Cut another marshmallow in half crosswise to make it smaller and stick on top of the other marshmallow with a dab of frosting
4. Poke two holes in the top marshmallow using a toothpick and insert two chocolate sprinkles for eyes
5. Create a nose for your snowman using a dab of orange icing

Tip: For a quick cupcake topper, sprinkle white frosting with nonpareils to mimic the look of freshly fallen snow.



Rachel Faucett is the author of the well-loved design and DIY crafts blog Handmade Charlotte. She lives on a farm with her adorable husband and their five children.