Fun and delicious vanilla snowman cupcakes perfect for the winter season. They're topped with fluffy vanilla buttercream and a marshmallow snowman with fun candy features!
Snowman cupcakes are popular around the holidays or winter season. If you live in a state that gets snow, then these can be a fun winter themed cupcake to make during the first snow! Kids also love helping decorate the snowmen with fun candy accents, which truly brings these fun little snowman cupcakes come to life!
These vanilla snowman cupcakes are so fun to make and eat! If you don't believe me, you'll just have to see for yourself!
If you're like me and love making winter themed desserts around the holidays and throughout the winter season, be sure to check out all of these winter inspired recipes as well! These snowman cupcakes would be perfect for a Christmas Party!
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Ingredients for Snowman Cupcakes
The ingredients for snowman cupcakes are simple. You will need some fun candy pieces to decorate the snowman though and these decorative accents are essential to make our cupcakes look like snowmen!
For the Easy Vanilla Cupcakes
- butter (salted or unsalted works but omit the added salt if you use salted)
- sugar
- egg
- pure vanilla extract
- whole milk
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
For the Easy Vanilla Buttercream
- unsalted butter
- powdered sugar/confectioner's sugar
- heavy whipping cream or milk
- vanilla extract
- salt
For the Snowman Cupcake Decorating
- large marshmallows
- small pretzel rods
- mini Reese's peanut butter cups
- mini M&M's
- sanding sugar sprinkles
- edible glitter - The Sugar Art DiamonDust is my favorite edible glitter to use!
How to Make Easy Vanilla Snowman Cupcakes
To create snowman cupcakes, we start by making simple and deliciously moist vanilla cupcakes. Then the fluffy vanilla buttercream and finally the fun part - decorating the snowmen cupcakes!
To make the vanilla snowman cupcakes, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Then add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until completely combined. In a separate bowl whisk the dry ingredients together.
Then, add in the dry ingredients alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full and bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Make the cupcakes and let them cool completely before decorating.
Make the vanilla buttercream and follow the instructions to color it and place each color in the applicable piping bag.
How to Decorate Snowman Cupcakes
Follow the steps below to make your snowman cupcakes come to life!
Gather all your supplies and ensure everything you need is at reach. More details are available in the recipe card below explaining how to prep your ingredients to make decorating these cupcakes easy.
Pipe a large dollop of buttercream by holding the piping tip to the center of the cupcake and squeezing buttercream out for a few seconds and slowly lifting up.
Then dip the cupcake upside down onto a plate of sanding sugar sprinkles. Move the cupcake around gently to coat the buttercream completely in sprinkles.
Flip the cupcake right side up and now we have the base of the snowman body! You could also stop here and make these snowball cupcakes which are super cute to mix in!
Using the other bag with white buttercream, pipe a small dollop.
Place a marshmallow on top and secure it by pushing it into the buttercream a bit.
Place mini M&M's on the front of the belly of the snowman. These will be the buttons.
Using the red buttercream piping bag, pipe a scarf around the marshmallow and down onto the belly.
Using the black buttercream piping bag, dot 2 tiny eyes and 5 dots for a smile mouth on the marshmallow.
Dip the carrot nose in a tiny amount of white buttercream and stick it on the marshmallow.
Stick a pretzel stick into each side of the buttercream. The pretzels will serve as the snowman's arms.
Pipe a tiny amount of buttercream on the top of the mini Reese's cup and place it on top of the marshmallow if you want a hat.
Sprinkle edible glitter over top for some extra magic and there you have it - a super cute snowman cupcake!
Another Option for Decorating - Snowball Cupcakes
A fun option is to mix in some snowball cupcakes! These are so simple and basically you just pipe a big dollop of white buttercream on top of the cupcake, then dunk it in the sanding sugar sprinkles and cover it all over. Also add some edible glitter for additional sparkle! That's all - it's that simple!
Equipment Needed for Snowman Cupcakes
To make these easy snowman cupcakes, you'll need an electric mixer, whether it be a stand mixer or hand mixer - they both will work! Be sure to also have a couple beater blade attachments, one for the cupcake batter and one for the buttercream or you can wash the one attachment in between of course. I always find having multiples works best for me, but I am always baking.
You'll also need cupcake liners and a 12 cup muffin/cupcake pan, as well as an oven to bake the cupcakes in! To measure the ingredients, you'll want dry and liquid measuring cups and measuring spoons. I'd also recommend a storage container specific to cupcakes to make storing taller cupcakes easier.
You'll also need several mixing bowls in varying sizes (with lids is best so you can keep the buttercream protected from air and prevent it from drying out/crusting), spoons or silicone spatulas (preferred) for mixing buttercream colors, piping bags, couplers, and several piping tips. You will also need food coloring. I prefer gel food coloring and I used black and red for these cupcakes. Feel free to use any colors you'd like and make your snowmen unique to you! I also love adding some edible glitter (my favorite is The Sugar Art DiamonDust) for some extra snow sparkle and/or Christmas magic!
Piping Tip Recommendations for Snowman Cupcakes
You'll need 3-4 different piping tips to create these snowman cupcakes. Technically you only need 3 tips. The fourth piping tip is a small open circle tip that I use to hold extra white buttercream to pipe the "glue" on to the Reese's cup and attach it to the snowman, as well as secure the marshmallow on to the buttercream snowman body. However, you could easily just snip the tip of a filled buttercream bag and avoid this fourth piping tip or even use an offset spatula or butter knife.
So, for the 3 required piping tips, you'll need a tiny writer tip such as a Wilton #3, small ribbon or basketweave or petal tip like a Wilton #101, and a really big open circle tip such as a Ateco #808. You do not need these exact piping tips. Any similar piping tips will do!
How to Store Vanilla Snowman Cupcakes
Decorated snowman cupcakes are best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because these snowman cupcakes are taller than traditional cupcakes due to the snowman décor, use a container specifically for storing cupcakes like this that accommodates for the extra height to make storing cupcakes easier.
If you choose to bake the cupcakes ahead of time and decorate them the following day, the baked cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
Be sure to store any leftover buttercream in an airtight container in the refrigerator as well.
Craving More? Check out our other seasonally inspired winter recipes if you loved these Snowman Cupcakes! These Snowflake Sugar Cookies would also be perfect to make on a snowy winter day!
If you made this recipe, BE SURE TO tag me on Instagram @bakingguilty AND please leave a comment OR star rating below! We so greatly appreciate it and hope you love this recipe!
Vanilla Snowman Cupcakes
Equipment
- electric mixer with paddle attachment(s)
- 12 cup muffin/cupcake pan
- cupcake liners
- piping bags
- piping tips (large open circle like an Ateco #808, tiny circle writer tip like a Wilton #3, and small ribbon or basketweave or petal tip like a Wilton #101. Any similar sized and shaped piping tips will also work just fine!)
- couplers (to secure the small piping tips)
- food coloring
- mixing bowls (with lids or plastic wrap to cover the buttercream to prevent it from drying out/crusting)
- oven
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- ½ cup butter (1 stick, softened at room temperature)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt (omit if you use salted butter)
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1½ cups unsalted butter (3 sticks, softened at room temperature)
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream or milk (as needed to thin buttercream)
- pinch of salt (omit if using salted butter)
Snowman Supplies
- 12 large marshmallows (snowmen head)
- 24 small pretzel sticks (snowmen arms)
- 36 mini M&M's (snowmen buttons)
- 1 small carrot (snowmen nose)
- 12 mini Reese's cups (snowmen hat; I like to do some with and some without, so you may not need all 12 depending on how you want to use them.)
- ⅓ cup white or clear sanding sugar sprinkles (to represent the sparkly snow)
- ¼ teaspoon edible glitter (snowmen glitter magic! This is not an exact measurement. I usually just sprinkle it over top. A little goes along way!)
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time until combined, mixing well in between. Mix in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Slowly mix in a third of the dry ingredient mixture, then half of the milk. Add in a third more of the dry ingredients and then finish off the milk. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients and only mix until combined. Basically you're alternating the dry and wet ingredients, starting and ending with the dry.
- Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ full. Bake for 16-18 minutes until fully baked. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the baked cupcake.
- Let cool completely before decorating. Cupcakes should be cool to the touch before you decorate.
Vanilla American Buttercream
- While the cupcakes are baking, with an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the softened room temperature butter (and a tiny pinch of salt if using unsalted butter) until it turns super light in color and fluffs up, around 2 minutes.
- Scrape down the bowl and slowly add in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time until it is all added in. Add the vanilla extract after the 3rd cup of powdered sugar. This will help the buttercream mix easier as it starts to thicken. Use 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream or milk as needed to thin the buttercream out a little and make it easier to whip up. Sometimes you will need only 1 tablespoon and sometimes you will need more, upwards of 3 tablespoons. It really depends on the temperature of your environment and ingredients. Start slow and only add what you need. Keep in mind that the buttercream should still be thick, but smooth and easy to pipe out of a piping bag.
- With a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, mix the buttercream by hand for a few minutes to get any air bubbles out. Now we are ready to prepare out piping bags.
- Put around ¼ cup of the buttercream in a bowl and mix in the color of whatever you want the scarf to be. I used red for mine. Placed the colored buttercream in a small piping bag fitted with a coupler and small piping tip (such as a small petal tip like a Wilton #101). Any super small petal tip, ribbon tip, or basketweave tip will work!
- Put 2 tablespoons of buttercream in a small bowl and color it brown or black for the eyes and mouth of the snowman. You can also use any color you'd like! Place the colored buttercream in a small piping bag fitted with a coupler and tiny writing open circle tip (such as a Wilton #3 tip).
- Place 2 cups of white buttercream in a large 18 inch piping bag fitted with a large open circle piping tip (such as an Ateco #808). This is the buttercream we will use for the snowman's body. I also like to fill another small piping bag with a little bit of white frosting that will act as the "glue" to hold the marshmallow in place and the Reese's cup hat in place. You could also just use a small offset spatula or butter knife to spread a small amount of buttercream on, but I find the piping bag to be the easiest and quickest, neatest solution for "glue". This bag does not need a tip, but you can place a small open circle tip on it if you'd like.
- Now that all of your piping bags are prepped, you're ready to get the rest of your decorating supplies in order. Be sure to twist or tie off the ends of the piping bags to protect the frosting from air exposure. Store any leftover buttercream in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Gather Decorating Supplies
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare all of the decorating supplies. To do this I like to keep all of the items I'll be using within reach in small bowls.
- Buttons: Place mini M&M's in a small bowl to easily grab. You'll need 36 to be exact. It's up to you if you want them to match in color. We use 3 for each snowman cupcake to represent the buttons.Hats: Unwrap mini Reese's cups if needed and set them in a bowl. The snowman are adorable with or without a hat. It's completely up to you if you want to use the mini Reese's as a hat or not.Arms: Place small pretzel rods in a bowl or keep the bag near you. You'll need 24, 2 for each snowman. The pretzels are the arms.Noses: Cut the small carrot into super tiny triangles. .These do not need to be perfect. Just be sure to make them super small! These carrot pieces will be the nose.Heads: Count out 12 large marshmallows and set in a bowl.Additionally, prep a small plate with sanding sugar sprinkles to make it easy to dunk the frosted cupcakes in.
How to Decorate Snowman Cupcakes
- Pipe a large dollop of buttercream by holding the piping tip to the center of the cupcake and squeezing buttercream out for a few seconds and slowly lifting the bag upwards.
- Then dip the cupcake upside down into the sanding sugar sprinkles. Move the cupcake around gently to coat the buttercream completely in sanding sugar sprinkles. Flip the cupcake right side up and now we have the base of the snowman body! You could also stop here and make these snowball cupcakes which are super cute to mix in!
- Using the other white buttercream bag with the end snipped or fitted with a small open circle piping tip, pipe a small circle of buttercream directly on top. Place a marshmallow on top and secure it by pushing it into the buttercream a little bit.
- Place mini M&M's on the front of the belly of the snowman. Push them into the buttercream a little to secure them. These will be the buttons.
- Using the red buttercream bag fitted with a small petal or ribbon tip, pipe a scarf around the marshmallow and down onto the belly. I like to start in the front on the belly which would be one end of the scarf. Hold the piping bag on an angle and pipe up diagonally and around the back of the snowman and then back down to the front again, ending on an angle for the other end of the scarf. Using a basketweave tip will also give your scarf some texture, but you can also mimic texture by moving the piping tip very gently up and down as you pipe the scarf. Get creative and don't worry about it being perfect!
- Using the piping back with the black buttercream fitted with a tiny writer tip, dot tiny eyes and a mouth on the marshmallow creating the snowman's face.
- Dip the carrot nose in a super tiny amount of white buttercream and stick it on the marshmallow in between the eyes and mouth. This is the nose!
- Next, stick one pretzel stick into each side of the buttercream. The pretzels will serve as the snowman's arms.
- Pipe a tiny amount of buttercream on the top of the mini Reese's cup and place it on top of the marshmallow. This will be the hat. I like to do some with a hat and some without!
- Lastly, if desired, sprinkle edible glitter over top for some extra magic and there you have it - a super cute snowman cupcake! Repeat until all of the cupcakes are decorated and enjoy your delicious and beautiful snowman army!
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Linda
These are so adorable!