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Grinch Cupcakes makes a fun dessert for kids and adults during the holiday season. Made with pudding stuffed red velvet cupcakes, green frosting and topped with heart sprinkles. They are easy to make and can be made ahead of time.

PIN these cute Grinch Cupcakes to try later!

Other Christmas cupcakes to try are my Santa Hat Cupcakes and Melted Snowman Cupcakes.

grinch cupcakes

These adorable Grinch Cupcakes are so much fun and make a fun addition to the holiday season. Made with homemade red velvet cupcakes and filled with a green pudding and topped with green buttercream and sprinkles that represent the Grinch’s heart.

I love making fun and festive treats especially during the Christmas season..it just get us all in the spirit! Kids can help decorate these cute cupcakes and they make the perfect treat for holiday parties, kid’s classrooms, Christmas dessert tables, or a Grinch Movie night.

Other Grinch treats to try are my Grinch Cake Mix Cookies and Grinch Cake Pops! These desserts are all so perfect for a Grinch movie night 🙂

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy recipe: We use an easy butter cream frosting and red velvet cupcake recipe made with simple ingredients.

Let the kids help: Looking to get your kids in the kitchen? This will be so fun for kiddos to decorate or help prepare the cupcakes.

Christmas cheer: These cupcakes will get anyone in the Christmas spirit!

Portable: These festive Grinch Cupcakes can easily be transferred if you are bringing them to a Christmas party, classroom parties, work or any other occasion. Place cupcakes in an airtight container or cupcake carrying tray to bring them anywhere.

Red velvet grinch cupcakes with heart sprinkles.

key ingredients

Flour: All-purpose flour is what we use. Spoon and level the flour when measuring it. Be sure not to scoop it out of the bag using the measuring cup. This way, you won’t accidentally measure out too much.
Sugar: Granulated sugar to add sweetness.
Vanilla extract: Enhances all of the flavors. Pure vanilla extract is always recommended when baking.
Egg: You’ll need one large egg to adds richness and helps bind the ingredients together.
Frosting: We make our own homemade white buttercream frosting but you could definitely used canned frosting as well. Vanilla frosting, cream cheese frosting, or Swiss meringue frosting make great options.
Cocoa powder: Adds the chocolate red velvet flavor.
Pudding: Use your favorite store-bought pudding to fill these cupcakes to make it easy or make your own from scratch.
Red heart sprinkles: This will symbolize the Grinch’s small heart. You can usually find heart sprinkles during Valentine’s Day but Amazon usually has them year round. Other alternatives to use are red M&Ms, jumbo heart sprinkles (sometimes these are easier to find), red candy hearts, any red sprinkles, and chocolate hearts.

how to make grinch cupcakes

Cream butter and sugar: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the large egg to the mixture and beat until creamy.

Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.

Add sour cream: Alternately, add the sour cream and the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until smooth.

Bake cupcakes: Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full with the red velvet cupcake batter. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Make green pudding: While the cupcakes are cooling, add the vanilla pudding to a small bowl and add green food coloring gel until desired color is achieved.

Fill cupcakes: Core the center of each cupcake with a small knife or apple corer and fill with a generous spoonful of the green vanilla pudding.

Make buttercream: In a medium bowl beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until creamy. Add green gel food coloring to achieve a Grinch-like green color.

Decorate and enjoy: Add green frosting to a piping bag and swirl on top of each cupcake. I like to add a star frosting tip to make the frosting extra pretty. Top with heart sprinkles, serve and enjoy.

tips & variations

Prevent dry cupcakes: Check for doneness a few minutes before the minimum baking time stated in the recipe.
Make cupcakes ahead of time: Bake according to the recipe and let cool completely on wire rack. Place them in an airtight container or large heavy-duty ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. You could also refrigerate for up to 5 days. Fill, frost and decorate cupcakes when ready to serve for best results.
Super easy Grinch cupcakes: If you want to make these even easier, use your favorite red velvet cake mix, chocolate cake mix, or white cake mix, and frosting.
Mini Cupcakes: Make these into miniature cupcakes by baking them in a mini cupcake pan. Adjust the baking time to 11-13 minutes.
Gluten-free cupcakes: Swap the all-purpose flour for gluten-free flour.
Cupcake filling: You can use different fillings such as cream cheese frosting or a different flavored pudding, or leave the filling out.

Red velvet cupcakes with green frosting and heart sprinkles.

leftovers & storage

To-store: Since these cupcakes contain pudding, store in an airtight container or wrap the dish/platter with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To-freeze: You can freeze baked cupcakes that haven’t been decorated for up to 3 months. Place cooled unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container or heavy-duty ziplock bags. When ready to frost, you can frost them frozen or you can let them thaw. Just be sure they are completely thawed before decorating.