Fun & Adorable Rudolph Cupcakes for Holiday Parties
Looking for a holiday dessert that’s easy, simple, and delicious? Say hello to these Rudolph Reindeer Cupcakes! They start with chocolatey cake, get topped with creamy frosting, and are finished with the cutest candy noses, twinkly antlers, and big googly eyes.
The decorating is half the fun—you’ll be giving each reindeer its own personality, and no two will look alike. Since the recipe uses a cake mix and a few clever extras, you can whip up a whole batch without spending all day in the kitchen.
Kids will love helping with the candy antlers while adults sneak a taste of frosting. Sweet, silly, and festive, these cupcakes don’t just taste amazing—they’ll also steal the spotlight on any holiday dessert table.
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Equipment You Will Need
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Cupcake liners
- Mixing bowls (medium and large)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk or hand mixer
- Spatula or spoon
- Cooling rack
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Rudolph Reindeer Cupcakes
These Rudolph Reindeer Cupcakes are fun, festive treats made with rich chocolate cake, creamy frosting, candy eyes, and playful antler toppers. Perfect for holiday parties, they’re as adorable as they are delicious!
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12
Ingredients
1 (13.25 oz) box chocolate cake mix
1 (16 oz) can chocolate frosting
2 large eggs
1 stick melted salted butter
4 tablespoons water
24 Animal crackers
Black decorating gel icing
24 Candy eyes
12 Red candy melting wafers
12 miniature Reese’s cups
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 177°C. Add cupcake liners to a 12 serving cupcake pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix the eggs, water and melted butter together.
- Add the box of chocolate cake mix to the egg mixture and mix until just combined.
- Fill cupcake liners almost to the top and then bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until cupcakes are done in the center.
- Remove cupcakes from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- While cupcakes are cooling, assemble the animal crackers to form the antlers. On a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper, place two animal crackers together to look like a set of antlers. One of the animal crackers will need to be turned backwards.
- Make 3-4 lines diagonally across each animal cracker with the black gel icing. Add the Christmas light sprinkles onto the black icing and stagger them out. Complete this step until you have twelve sets of antlers, if you are making twelve cupcakes. Once sprinkles have been placed on all of the animal crackers, let them chill in the refrigerator until the black icing hardens.
- Once cupcakes are cooled, spread chocolate frosting evenly over the top of them with a spoon or spatula.
- Place one red chocolate melt candy on top of a Reese’s cup and then press the Reese’s cup down into the bottom of the cupcake to make the nose. Add two candy eyes just above the Reese’s cup and then place one decorated animal cracker on each side of the top of the cupcake as the antlers.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Sweet Treats
Step-By-Step Process
Serve and enjoy!
These Rudolph Reindeer Cupcakes are perfect for Christmas parties, cookie swaps, or even a holiday movie night at home. They’re playful, delicious, and bound to bring out plenty of giggles along with sweet tooth smiles. For even more festive fun, check out my other party food recipes packed with easy holiday ideas.
If Rudolph made you grin, you’ll have just as much fun with Reindeer Oreo Cookies and Christmas Tree Pretzel Cupcakes. Also check out this collection of Christmas Treats for Kids. They’re all colorful, and oh-so-sweet!
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