Grinch cupcakes are decorated with creamy buttercream, resulting in an adorable holiday treat that’s perfect for any Christmas party or Grinch movie night!
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These cute Grinch cupcakes turned out so cute and were so much fun to make! They were the hit of our Christmas party!
- Lindsay H.
The first time I made these Grinch cupcakes, I had six families squeezed into my kitchen for a holiday-themed Nailed It! night (yes, the Netflix show). I handed everyone a picture of these cupcakes and let them loose to see who could recreate them best. Let’s just say, while some Grinches looked spot-on, others… well, they had a unique charm. But honestly? That was the best part. The kids had a blast, the adults were cracking up, and everyone took home a full plate of Grinch themed cupcakes.
After that wild night, I knew I had to write a tutorial so anyone could make these adorable Grinch cupcakes with a little less guesswork. They do take a bit of trial and error, but I’ve got step-by-step photos, clear instructions, and all my favorite tips to make sure you nail it—no Netflix cameras required. Whether it’s for a Christmas party or just some holiday baking fun, these cupcakes are such a joy to make (and eat!) this holiday season.
-Bailey
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes – Start with 8 prepared vanilla cupcakes, either homemade (my favorite recipe) or store-bought.
Yellow M&M’s – Use 16 regular-sized yellow M&M’s (not mini) to create the Grinch’s eyes.
Buttercream – You’ll need 6 cups of prepared buttercream frosting. This is my go-to homemade buttercream recipe.
Red, Lime Green Food Coloring - Gel food coloring is recommended for achieving vibrant brighter color without thinning the frosting.
Store Bought Black Icing - alternatively you could use prepared buttercream dyed with black food coloring and loaded into a piping bag. This method is more work, but in my opinion is the better way to ensure perfect eyebrows.
Black Confetti Sprinkles – 16 sprinkles are perfect for the pupils in the Grinch’s eyes.
Equipment
Piping Bags – For applying frosting in multiple colors.
Wilton 1A Tip – A large round tip for the green frosting base.
Wilton 2A Tip – A medium round tip for the red Santa hat.
Ateco Star Tip #21 – For the fluffy white hat trim.
Small Bowls – For mixing colored frosting.
Tweezers (optional) – For placing sprinkles.
Instructions
- Color the Frosting: Divide buttercream into three portions and color them green, red and white. Add colored buttercream to piping bags with tips.
- Pipe the Grinch’s Head: Once cupcakes are completely cool, pipe a tall swirl of green frosting onto each cupcake to create the Grinch’s head.
- Add the Santa Hat: Continue the green swirl with red frosting to form the Santa hat.
- Add Hat Trim: Pipe white frosting along the base and tip of the red swirl to create the fluffy trim.
- Place the Eyes: Use a sharp knife to trim the top off each M and M. Use a bit of buttercream and a toothpick to attach a black confetti sprinkle for the Grinch's pupil. Add the "eyes" to the Grinch's face.
- Add the Eyebrows: Use store-bought black icing to pipe two small lines above the eyes, giving the Grinch his signature arched eyebrows. Tip: If you’re using black buttercream, transfer it to a piping bag and snip a small opening at the tip.
Top Tip
Practice Piping – Test your frosting tips on parchment paper before decorating to get a feel for the design. Embrace mistakes - if a Grinch face turns out a little "unique," no big deal, it's all part of the fun!
Substitutions
Vanilla Cupcakes – Substitute with chocolate cupcakes, red velvet cupcakes, or store-bought unfrosted cupcakes for convenience.
Yellow M&M’s – Use yellow candy-coated chocolates, like Reese’s Pieces, or pipe yellow frosting circles for the eyes.
Vanilla Buttercream – Swap with cream cheese frosting for a tangy twist or use store-bought frosting.
Food Coloring (Red, Lime Green) – If you don’t have food coloring, purchase pre-colored vanilla frosting or buttercream.
Store Bought Black Icing - Black food coloring mixed with buttercream can be substituted.
Black Confetti Sprinkles – Use a small dot of black icing as a replacement for the pupils.
Storage
Room Temperature: Store decorated cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Keep in a cool, dry place.
Refrigerator: Refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before serving.
FAQ: Grinch Cupcakes
Pre-color the frosting and set up each color in its own piping bag. Simplify the design by focusing on the face and skipping detailed eyebrows for younger decorators.
Work very slowly with steady pressure while piping the swirls and other details. Practicing on parchment paper beforehand can also help you perfect your technique.
Use a high-quality gel food coloring brand, such as Wilton or AmeriColor, for bold, vibrant colors without thinning the buttercream. Mix thoroughly in small portions, adding color gradually to achieve the perfect shade.
Recipe
How To Make Grinch Cupcakes (Step-by-Step Tutorial)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 cupcakes 1x
Description
Fluffy vanilla cupcakes are decorated with creamy buttercream, resulting in an adorable holiday treat that’s perfect for any Christmas party or Grinch movie night!
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 8 prepared vanilla cupcakes
- 16 yellow M&M’s (regular size, not mini)
- 6 cups buttercream (you may have a little extra, but it's better than running out!)
- Red, Lime Green, and Black Gel Food Coloring
- 16 black confetti sprinkles
Equipment
- Piping bags
- Wilton 1A tip (green frosting)
- Wilton 2A tip (red frosting)
- Wilton #21 tip (white frosting)
- Small bowls for mixing frosting
- Tweezers (optional, for placing sprinkles)
Instructions
- Prepare the frosting. Divide the buttercream into four portions: the largest for green frosting, smaller portions for red and white frosting, and a small amount for black frosting (if not using a store-bought tube). Use gel food coloring to achieve vibrant colors. Transfer each color into a piping bag fitted with the appropriate tip: Wilton 1A for green, Wilton 2A for red, and Wilton #21 for white. For the black, add it to a piping bag and snip a small amount from the tip - there is no piping bag required.
- Pipe the Grinch’s face. Using the green frosting and the Wilton 1A tip, pipe a tall swirl onto each cupcake to create the Grinch’s face.
- Add the Santa hat. Continue the swirl on top of the green frosting using the red frosting and the Wilton 2A tip to form the Santa hat. Add fluffy trim to the base and tip of the hat using the white frosting and the Wilton #21 tip.
- Place the eyes. Position two yellow M&M’s near the center of each cupcake to form the eyes.
- Add the pupils. Dab a small dot of frosting onto each yellow M&M, then press a black confetti sprinkle onto the frosting to create the pupils. Using tweezers for precision can make this step easier.
- Add the eyebrows. Pipe two small black lines above the eyes to create the Grinch’s signature arched eyebrows.
- Serve and enjoy. Once decorated, your Grinch cupcakes are ready to serve. Store them in an airtight container until it’s time to enjoy them at your Christmas party or Grinch movie night!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Decorating
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 233
- Sugar: 56 g
- Sodium: 1.5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 57.1 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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