Snowman Cupcakes

These Snowman Cupcakes are perfect for a winter-themed party, or just a fun way to celebrate the chilly season. You don’t need any fancy tools or techniques to make them- they’re simple enough that kids could even help out!

snowman cupcakes on a counter.

If you are looking for a fun snow day activity to do with your kids when school is out, this is the recipe for you. Pick up these supplies on your next trip to the store so that you have them on hand and ready to go for winter.

snowman cupcakes on a counter.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Fun and festive winter-themed cupcakes that will look great on your dessert table.
  • Easy enough for kids to help make, plus you don’t any special equipment.
  • Perfect for a snow day activity with the family to beat boredom.

🛒Ingredients

bowls of flour, sugar, sour cream, baking powder, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt on a counter.

You only need simple ingredients to help you make these fluffy cupcakes. Pick up these ingredients on the next trip to the grocery store so you make this festive treat for your family and friends.

Cupcakes:

  • unsalted butter
  • granulated sugar 
  • sour cream
  • eggs 
  • vanilla extract
  • baking powder
  • salt
  • all purpose flour

Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting:

  • unsalted butter
  • marshmallow fluff
  • powdered sugar
  • heavy cream 

Toppings:

See the recipe card below for quantities.

🔪 How to Make Snowman Cupcakes

Making these cupcakes takes a little effort, but they are so worth it. Plus, they will look amazing on your holiday dessert table this year.

Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare your pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add cupcake liners to the cupcake pan and set aside. 

sour cream, butter, eggs, and sour cream in a stand mixer.

Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients

In a large stand mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar on medium speed for about 30 seconds.  Add sour cream, vanilla, and eggs and continue to mix on medium speed until fully incorporated.

cupcake batter in a stand mixer.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Turn the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet until fully incorporated (careful not to overmix).

Step 4: Bake the cupcakes

Scoop 3 Tbsp of cupcake mixture into each liner and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick interested in the middle comes out clean.  Once baked, transfer the cupcakes to a rack and cool completely before frosting. 

Step 5: Cream the butter and sugar for the frosting

To make the frosting, add butter to a large stand mixing bowl and mix on high speed for 1 minute.  Turn the speed to low and slowly add powdered sugar until mostly incorporated. 

frosting being made in a stand mixer.

Step 6: Finish the frosting

Pause to scrape the sides of the bowl, add marshmallow fluff and heavy cream. Continue to mix on high speed for 1 – 2 minutes until a light and fluffy consistency has been achieved. Transfer frosting to a piping bag and set aside. 

marshmallows with snowman faces being drawn onto them.

Step 7: Decorate the marshmallows

To decorate the cupcakes, use a black edible marker to draw eyes and mouth on the marshmallows. Use orange food gel to create the nose. 

hats being cut of black fondant with the tip to a piping bag.

Step 8: Make the hat

To make a snowman hat, roll out the black fondant to a thin layer. Using the round end of a piping tip cut out small circles for the base. In your hand, roll a small amount into a ball and slightly press down to create the top of the hat. 

Step 9: Decorate the cupcakes

When the cupcakes have completely cooled, add frosting, marshmallows, and a hat.

📝Variations

Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!

  • Use different food colors and create a rainbow of snowmen cupcakes.
  • Add mini chocolate chips for the “coal” buttons on the snowman’s belly.
  • Swap out the marshmallow buttercream frosting for a cream cheese frosting.

If you are looking for another delicious snowman recipe to make this holiday season, then you may also enjoy this melted snowman bark recipe.

snowman cupcakes on a counter.

🥄 Equipment

  • Cupcake pan
  • Electric mixer
  • Mixing bowls
  • Piping bag

🥫 Storage

Store these cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to store them longer, freeze the cupcakes without frosting and add them on right before serving.

Serve With

These snowman cupcakes make a great addition to your holiday table. And, this Slow Cooker Hot Honey Ham and Spicy Green Beans are staples on our holiday dinner table.

💭 Tips

  • Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing. This helps with even mixing and a better end result.
  • Take the cupcakes out of the oven when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Overbaking will result in dry cupcakes.
  • If you want to make these cupcakes ahead of time, just wait to frost them until the day you plan on serving them.

⁉️ FAQ

Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.

How do you frost domed cupcakes?

To frost domed cupcakes, first trim off the domed top using a serrated knife. Then, add frosting to the cupcake and smooth it out with an offset spatula or a butter knife.

How long to cool cupcakes before frosting?

It is recommended to completely cool cupcakes before frosting them. This usually takes about an hour but can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the size of your cupcakes. To speed up the cooling process, you can place the cupcakes in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes.

Can I use store-bought frosting instead of making my own?

Yes, you can use store-bought frosting instead of making your own. Just make sure to choose a flavor that will complement the snowman theme, such as vanilla or cream cheese.

🍽 More Holiday Recipes

Do you enjoy holiday recipes? If so, try these delicious recipes:

🧾Recipe Card

Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.

snowman cupcakes on a counter.

Snowman Cupcakes

Snowman Cupcakes are fluffy vanilla cupcakes topped with marshmallow buttercream frosting and a festive marshmallow snowman.
No ratings yet
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cool Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 Cupcakes
Calories: 446kcal

Equipment

  • cupcake pan
  • Electric mixer
  • mixing bowls
  • Piping bag

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients:

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter room temp
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • ¾ cup sour cream full fat
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour

Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter room temp
  • 7 ounces marshmallow fluff
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Toppings

  • 12 marshmallow
  • Red cupcake liners
  • Black edible pen
  • Orange food gel
  • Black fondant

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add cupcake liners to cupcake pan and set aside.
  • In a large stand mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
  • Add sour cream, vanilla and eggs and continue to mix on medium speed until fully incorporated.
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
  • Turn mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet until fully incorporated (careful not to overmix).
  • Scoop 3 Tbsp of cupcake mixture into each liner and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick interested in the middle comes out clean.
  • Once baked, transfer cupcakes to a rack and cool completely before frosting.
  • To make the frosting, add butter to a large stand mixing bowl and mix on high speed for 1 minute.
  • Turn speed to low and slowly add powdered sugar until mostly incorporated.
  • Pause to scrape the sides of the bowl, add marshmallow fluff and heavy cream.
  • Continue to mix on high speed for 1 – 2 minutes until a light and fluffy consistency has been achieved. Transfer frosting to a piping bag and set aside.
  • To decorate the cupcakes, use a black edible marker to draw eyes and mouth. Use orange food gel to create the nose.
  • To make a snowman hat, roll out the black fondant to a thin layer. Using the round end of a piping tip cut out small circles for the base. In your hand, roll a small amount into a ball and slightly press down to create the top of the hat.
  • When cupcakes have completely cooled, add frosting, marshmallow and hat.

Notes

Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Cupcake | Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 675IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




2 Comments

  1. Indya | The Small Adventurer says:

    Snowmen are amongst some of my favourite “Christmas characters”, and these cupcakes are too cute! Bet they taste delicious too ๐Ÿ˜‹

    1. Aren’t they cute?! We love snowmen too!