Hot Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe tastes like a cozy mug of cocoa with a fluffy crumb, melty chocolate bits, and marshmallow-kissed frosting. It suits bake-sale stars, holiday dessert spreads, and weeknight sweet tooth attacks, and the total time runs about 1 hour including a cool-down to frost. I baked a test batch for my block and only crumbs survived.
Easy Hot Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
This Hot Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe leans on pantry basics and a hot cocoa mix shortcut for big flavor with minimal fuss. You whisk, pour, and bake without fancy techniques. Hot coffee or hot water wakes up the cocoa, so the cupcakes taste richer than the work suggests.
You can mix by hand or use a basic hand mixer. Oil keeps the cake tender even if you bake a minute long. The frosting uses marshmallow creme, which beats up fast and pipes like a dream.
Ingredients You Need
- All-purpose flour, 1 cup or 120 g
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 cup, natural or Dutch, both work
- Hot cocoa mix, 1/2 cup, not sugar-free, pantry shortcut for classic cocoa flavor
- Granulated sugar, 1 cup or 200 g
- Baking powder, 1 teaspoon
- Baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon
- Fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon
- Large eggs, 2, room temp
- Whole milk, 1/2 cup, or use buttermilk for extra tang
- Neutral oil, 1/3 cup, canola or vegetable, or use melted butter for more flavor and a slightly denser crumb
- Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
- Hot coffee or hot water, 1/2 cup, coffee boosts chocolate without a coffee taste
- Mini chocolate chips, 1/2 cup, optional but fun
- Mini marshmallows, 1 cup, optional for centers or topping
Frosting, marshmallow cocoa buttercream:
- Unsalted butter, 1 cup, softened
- Powdered sugar, 2 to 2.5 cups, sift if lumpy
- Marshmallow creme or fluff, 1 cup
- Cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons, or use 4 tablespoons hot cocoa mix for a lighter cocoa note
- Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
- Fine sea salt, a pinch
- Heavy cream or milk, 1 to 3 tablespoons, to loosen
Optional toppers:
- Extra mini marshmallows, chocolate curls, crushed candy canes, or mini gingerbread men if you feel festive
Equipment:
- 12-cup muffin pan and paper liners
- Two mixing bowls, whisk, and rubber spatula
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Cookie scoop for even batter portioning
- Wire rack
- Piping bag and star tip, or use an offset spatula
How to Make Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Cook: 18 to 20 minutes
- Total: about 1 hour including a partial cool for frosting
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, hot cocoa mix, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until no streaks remain.
- In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir with a spatula until you see only a few flour streaks.
- Pour in hot coffee or hot water and whisk until the batter turns glossy and smooth. It will look thin and that works.
- Fold in mini chocolate chips if using.
- Portion the batter into liners, filling each about two thirds full. Use a scoop for even cupcakes.
- Bake 18 to 20 minutes. Pull the cupcakes when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Warm cupcakes melt frosting, so give them time.
- Make the frosting: Beat butter until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder or hot cocoa mix, vanilla, and salt, then beat until fluffy.
- Beat in marshmallow creme. Add cream a little at a time until the frosting holds soft peaks that still pipe cleanly.
- Pipe or spread frosting on the cooled cupcakes. Finish with mini marshmallows, chocolate curls, or candy cane dust.
Optional melty center:
- Press 2 to 3 mini marshmallows into the center of each cupcake right after they come out of the oven. They sink slightly and turn gooey as the cupcakes cool.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- Use room temp eggs and milk so the batter blends smoothly. Cold dairy can cause tunneling.
- Measure flour by weight or spoon and level. Packed flour dries out cupcakes.
- Do not overmix once you add dry to wet. Stir just until combined for a tender crumb.
- Hot liquid boosts cocoa flavor. Use coffee for depth, or hot water for a pure chocolate profile.
- Fill liners two thirds full. Overfilling leads to muffin tops that stick to the pan.
- Rotate the pan at 12 minutes if your oven bakes unevenly. An oven thermometer helps keep temps honest.
- Cool fully before frosting. Warm cake will slip under a butter-based frosting.
- Taste the frosting and adjust salt. A tiny pinch sharpens chocolate flavor.
- If the frosting feels loose, chill it 10 minutes, then whip again.
Variations I’ve Tried
- Peppermint hot chocolate: Add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract to the batter and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top.
- Mexican hot chocolate: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne to the dry mix.
- S’mores cupcakes: Press a spoonful of graham crumbs mixed with melted butter into liners, bake 5 minutes, then add batter and bake.
- Double chocolate ganache core: Pipe a bit of ganache into the center after baking, then frost.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend and add 1 extra tablespoon milk if the batter looks thick.
- Dairy-free: Use oat milk and a good dairy-free butter, and skip the marshmallow creme in the frosting. Beat cocoa, powdered sugar, vanilla, and dairy-free butter with a splash of plant milk.
How to Serve Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
Serve these cupcakes slightly warm with frosting piled high and a few mini marshmallows on top. Torch the marshmallows for 2 to 3 seconds if you own a kitchen torch, party guests love the toasty vibe. Pair with hot cocoa for theme points or with cold milk if you run warm. A pinch of flaky salt or a dusting of cocoa adds a bakery finish.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at cool room temp for 1 day, then move to the fridge for up to 3 more days. Unfrosted cupcakes keep well in the freezer for up to 2 months, wrapped tight. Thaw at room temp, then frost. For a just-baked feel, warm an unfrosted cupcake in the microwave for 8 to 10 seconds before serving.
Nutrition Information
Approximate per cupcake with frosting, based on 12 cupcakes:
- Calories: 360
- Carbs: 47 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Sugar: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
Numbers vary by brand, cocoa mix sweetness, and frosting amount.
Hot Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
- Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined.
- Stir in the milk. Gradually add the hot water and mix until smooth.
- Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and continue beating until combined.
- Add marshmallow creme and vanilla extract, mix until smooth.
- Add whole milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired frosting consistency is reached.
- Pipe or spread marshmallow frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
- Top with mini marshmallows and dust lightly with cocoa powder if desired.