Reindeer Cupcakes

Name: Reindeer Cupcakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups (175g) All-purpose flour; ½ cup (50g) Cocoa powder; 1½ teaspoons Baking powder; 1 tablespoon Instant Coffee Powder; ¼ cup (60ml) Oil ((canola or any other flavorless oil)); 1 cup (200g) Granulated sugar; 1 Egg (large); 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla extract; ½ cup (125ml) Milk; 1 cup (226g) Unsalted Butter (at room temperature); 2½ cups (300g) Powdered Sugar; Fresh cream if required; 12-14 Oreo Cookies; 8-10 Pretzels; 1½ cups Melted Dark chocolate; Red-colored M&M's or skittles

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Get ready to make your holiday celebrations extra special this year with these adorable chocolate Reindeer Cupcakes! Perfectly moist and topped with a fun Oreo reindeer, these cupcakes will be a Christmas favorite!

Suitable for vegetarian diets.

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Planning a fun Christmas party in all its festive glory?? Then these cute and festive reindeer cupcakes made mostly with store cupboard ingredients are just what you need. Yep, no grocery store trip is required!

I remember the first time I made these reindeer cupcakes with my kids. Their eyes lit up with excitement as we assembled the Oreo reindeer. It was a great way to spend quality time with them before we got into the festive season chaos. Check out these Reindeer cupcakes as well as these Reindeer treats.

Holiday Cupcakes

We enjoy getting creative in the kitchen. And, we love how simple these cupcakes are to make with what we have in the pantry. Yet with such simplicity, they add such a magical touch to our celebrations.

And friends, I know this is silly season, so feel free to get store-bought cupcakes, or if you are short on time, a ready-made mix is a great option too. It’s about decorating and Christmas fun.

They also make great edible gifts so package them up. These Christmas Oreos Pops and these Candy Cane Cupcakes are great gifting options, too.

Ingredient Notes

Cupcakes

All-purpose flour – Provides structure to the cupcakes.
Cocoa powder – Gives the cupcakes their rich chocolate flavor.
Baking powder – Helps them to rise.
Salt – Enhances the overall flavor.
Instant coffee powder – Intensifies the chocolate flavor.
Oil – Keeps the cupcakes moist. Use canola or any other flavorless oil.
Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness and helps with the structure.
Egg – Binds the ingredients together.
Vanilla extract – Use good quality extract as it makes it taste good.
Milk – Adds moisture and helps to combine the dry ingredients.

Frosting

Unsalted Butter – Creates a creamy, rich base for the frosting.
Powdered Sugar – Sweetens the frosting and provides structure.
Fresh cream – Helps you to thin out the frosting if it’s too thick.

Decor

Oreo Cookies – This is the base of the reindeer decoration.
Pretzels – Used for the reindeer antlers.
Melted Dark Chocolate – Coats the Oreo cookies and holds the pretzels in place. Use your favorite melting chocolate.
Red-colored M&M’s or Skittles – Used for the reindeer noses.

Ingredients to make reindeer deco for cupcakes.

Handy Tip: Use Good Kitchen Tools!

For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon.

How To Make These

Get complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card further below.

Make The Cupcakes

Step 1. Preheat the oven. Line your cupcake tray with liners. Add the egg and vanilla extract to a bowl, and beat until well combined.

Step 2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and instant coffee powder. In another bowl, mix the oil and sugar.

Step 3. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Mix gently until just combined.

Step 4. Using an ice cream scoop, fill each liner to ¾ full. Bake for 16-22 minutes. Remove from the tray and cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.

Assemble The Cupcakes

Ingredients and how to make the reindeer oreos.

Step 1. Make the frosting. Break the pretzels in half to use for reindeer antlers. Open the Oreos and dip the broken pretzels in melted chocolate, then place them on the cream side of the Oreos. Place the other half of the Oreo on top.

Three reindeers made with oreos on a white plate.

Step 2. Dip the Oreo (with pretzel horns) in melted chocolate until evenly coated, scrape off excess, and transfer to a parchment paper-lined tray. Let the chocolate harden. Attach a red M&M or Skittle with melted chocolate for the nose and use buttercream or candy eyes for the eyes.

Cupcakes some with frosting and others dipped in chocolate.

Step 3. Pipe frosting on the cooled cupcakes. Dunk the frosted cupcakes in melted chocolate and immediately place an Oreo reindeer on top before the chocolate hardens.

Cupcakes in the shape of a reindeer showing the forsting and moist cupcake.

Step 4. Wait until the chocolate hardens, then use the leftover buttercream to pipe the scarf. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Bintu’s Tips

For the best results don’t over-mix the batter or you will end up with dense Christmas cupcakes.
Measure your flour correctly. Use the cup and spoon method so you don’t put in too much flour. Better yet, if you have a kitchen scale we’ve included the measurements, so it will be super accurate.
Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before using them.
If you prefer, you can start with a boxed cake mix or buy ready-made cupcakes. At this time of year, you need to work smarter, not harder!
Use a small ice cream scoop to easily and evenly fill the paper liners.
A cooling rack ensures your cupcakes cool evenly and at the same rate.
Let your cupcakes cool completely before icing them to avoid runny icing – no one wants that!
If your frosting is too thick, beat in an extra tablespoon or two of fresh cream.

Multiple cupcakes that are decorated like a reindeer.

Storage

These cupcakes will stay fresh for 1-2 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
You can also store the extra frosting in the fridge for 4-5 days. Allow it to come to room temperature before using it again.

A cupcake with Christmas decorations around it.

FAQs

Can I Make These With Store-Bought Cupcakes?

You certainly can if you’re short on time or don’t feel like baking. Pick up some ready-made cupcake cakes and frosting, and then have fun getting into the festive spirit decorating with the kids.

How do you keep cupcakes moist and fluffy?

To keep cupcakes moist and fluffy, use oil or room-temperature butter. Mix the batter just until combined to avoid dense cupcakes. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Store cupcakes in an airtight container, adding a piece of bread to keep them moist.

More Christmas Dessert Recipes

Festive Reindeer Brownies.
These fun Christmas tree cupcakes.
Melted snowmen chocolate bark.
Easy melted snowman cookies.
Best Grinch popcorn for Christmas movie nights.
Easy Grinch kabobs for great snacks.
This no-bake funfetti cake batter dip is topped with Christmas sprinkles.
Reindeer cupcakes are loved by everyone.
Christmas Oreos pops are fun and colorful.
Easy Christmas light cookies.
Grinch cookies.
Gingerbread Cheesecake dip.

And, be sure to check out my big old list of Christmas Cookies for even more festive holiday cookie fun!

Serving Suggestions

We have so many Christmas Grinch treats to choose from.
These adorable Christmas Oreo Pops will make Christmas extra special.
And if you want some other holiday cupcakes these two-tone Candy Cane Cupcakes are so fun to make.

Recommended Tools

Measuring cups and spoons so you get the correct amounts.
A stand mixer or electric hand mixer to help combine the ingredients.
Good quality vanilla extract so your cupcakes taste great.
For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon.

Thank you for reading my Reindeer cupcakes recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

Reindeer Cupcakes

Holiday Cupcakes