Looking for an easy homemade Grinch-inspired cupcake recipe? Check out our recipe for Grinch cupcakes that you can make in a flash! Perfect for movie night or a Christmas party!
Easy Grinch Cupcakes
The Grinch is a classic holiday story, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas is one of our favorite movies to watch during the holiday season. Actually, we love all versions of the story and have seen all the movies!
During the holiday season, we watch Christmas themed movies nearly every night. On Grinch night, these cute Grinch Cupcakes are the perfect companion! They’re easier than you’d think to make and so much fun to eat!
This festive holiday dessert is perfect for Grinch movie nights, holiday parties, or anytime you want a little grinch treat. It’s sure to make anyone smile!
Ingredients
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- 2 dozen cupcakes — You can use your favorite recipe, a boxed mix, or even pre- made cupcakes to save time! We used vanilla flavored.
- White buttercream frosting
- Red candy melts — Or white chocolate melting wafers mixed with red food coloring
- Lime green food coloring — Or yellow and green food coloring, mixed
- Frosting piping bags — You can also use decorating tips with your piping bags, or simply cut the end of the bag to size. I recommend either a large star tip or a large round tip (what was used in the photos here).
Kitchen Tools Used
- Muffin Tin or Cupcake Pan
- Lime Green Cupcake Liners
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheet
- Electric Mixer (if making cupcakes from scratch)
How to Make Grinch Cupcakes
Prep by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.
To Make the Cupcakes
You can either use:
- Premade vanilla cupcakes
- White cake mix
- Your favorite cupcake recipe (If you want a gluten free option, try the cupcakes we used to make these Cherry Jelly Donut Cupcakes!)
If making from scratch or cake mix, prep your muffin pan by filling each cup with a cupcake liner. Fill each liner with batter, leaving just a little room on top. When the cupcakes bake, and the cake batter expands, this will give you space for plenty of frosting.
Bake according to your recipe or directions on the box of cake mix. Allow to cool.
To Make the Candy Hearts
Place red candy melts into a disposable plastic piping bag and heat in 20 second increments until melted.
Snip off the end of the piping bag, so that the opening is about the size of a dull pencil lead. Use the piping bag to draw hearts on your parchment paper, about 1″ tall. Once you’ve drawn the outline, make squiggly lines to fill in the hearts.
Place the baking sheet into the freezer to harden the candy hearts while you make and frost the cupcakes.
To Decorate the Cupcakes
Bake cupcakes, remove from oven, and allow to cool to room temperature while you make the frosting.
To create the green frosting, stir a few drops of lime green food coloring into white frosting. Add more coloring until you reach your desired shade of green.
You can also use a combination of green and yellow food coloring mixed into white front. If using a green/yellow mix, add in a ratio of 2:1 yellow to green. A good starting point would be 2 cups of frosting with 8 drops of yellow food coloring and 4 drops of green food coloring.
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe the frosting on top. Start in the center of the cupcake, move towards the edge in a spiral pattern, until you reach the edge. Work your way back towards the middle, so that you have a peak in the middle of the cupcake.
Remove your red hearts from the freezer and press one into the top of each cupcake.
More of our Favorite Grinch Inspired Recipes
- Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs
- Grinch Christmas Jello Shots (Grown-Ups Only)
- Grinch Snowball Cookies
- Homemade Grinch Marshmallows
Grinch Cupcakes Recipe (Printable Copy)
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Easy Grinch Cupcakes
Equipment
- Frosting piping bags
- Wilton 1A and Wilton 2 icing/frosting tips
Ingredients
- 24 cupcakes use your favorite recipe, boxed mix, or premade cupcakes
- 2-3 cups white frosting
- 3 oz red candy melts
- lime green food coloring
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat candy melts according to package directions. Scoop into a frosting decorating bag with a fine tip.
- Draw hearts on parchment paper with melted red candy, about 1-inch in size. Fill in the middle of the hearts so that they will stay together. Place in freezer to set.
- Mix food coloring with white frosting until you have your desired shade of green. Pipe onto the top of cooled cupcakes.
- When hearts have hardened, place one on top of each cupcake.
Notes
Nutrition
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