Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

A chocolate cupcake with mint frosting on a white background.

Print Recipe

These moist and tender Mint Chocolate Cupcakes are studded with mint cookies and topped with a creamy mint buttercream.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Cool Time30

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate cake, cupcakes, mint chocolate

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 395kcal

Author: Kelsey Byrnes

Equipment

muffin tin

Ingredients

Cupcakes*

24 thin chocolate mint cookies divided
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa powder sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup hot coffee

Mint Buttercream and Garnishes

1 cup salted butter room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring
Additional cookies for garnish if desired

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare cupcake tin with liners.
Add a cookie to the bottom of each of the 16 cupcake liners.
24 thin chocolate mint cookies
Place the remaining cookies into a bag and crush them into pea-sized crumbs. Set aside.
Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda to your mixing bowl (I use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment). Stir until combined.
1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda
In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, egg and vanilla. Once combined, add in the coffee slowly so you don't cook the eggs.
1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup hot coffee
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir slowly until combined. Then mix on high for two minutes, scraping the sides halfway through. Stir in the cookie crumbs.
Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for 14-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (A few crumbs sticking to the toothpick is fine, but you don't want it gooey).
Cool in the pan for a few minutes then remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter for a minute or until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, milk, extract and coloring. Beat on high for 2 minutes. If the frosting is too thin, add additional powdered sugar (1/4 c at a time). If it's too thick, add additional milk (1 tsp at a time). You can also add additional mint extract and/or coloring if you'd like.
1 cup salted butter, 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, 2 drops green food coloring
Use a knife or a piping bag to top the cooled cupcakes with frosting and garnish with additional cookies.
Additional cookies for garnish

Notes

You can opt to use a box mix for the cake portion if you prefer. However, please note that it will make a few more cupcakes than the recipe I have written out in the recipe card.

Nutrition