Cranberry eggnog cupcakes have a little bit of Christmas magic in each bite! Topped with a light and fluffy spiced white chocolate buttercream, these cupcake perfect end to a holiday meal or party with all the best flavors of the season.

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Every season has its special scents and flavors.

One whiff or one taste and you’re immediately transported to a favorite memory.

That’s especially true at Christmas.

One taste of the comforting notes of warm, sweet eggnog and the occasional burst of tart cranberry and it’s instantly Christmas.

The warmth and coziness of these holiday flavors makes them perfect for baking into festive cranberry eggnog cupcakes.

These two flavors pair together perfectly and make the perfect winter treat.

Ingredients

Let’s break down the ingredients into a set for the cupcakes themselves and another set for the frosting.

For the cupcakes you’ll need:

White cake mix– A box of your favorite brand
Egg whites– Just the whites, no yolks!
Oil– Go for a mild oil like canola oil.
Eggnog– Either your favorite store bought brand or Homemade Eggnog
Cranberries– Roughly chopped fresh cranberries
Spices– Cinnamon and nutmeg

For the spiced white chocolate buttercream, you’ll need:

White chocolate– You can use white chocolate chips or wafers
Butter– Softened to room temperature
Cream cheese– Softened to room temperature
Powdered sugar
Vanilla– Real vanilla extract
Spice– Either cinnamon or nutmeg
Eggnog– In place of heavy cream
Cranberries– To decorate the icing

How to Make

Let’s break this down into two parts: making the cupcakes and making the icing.

To Make the Cupcakes

Line a cupcake pan with 24 cupcake liners.

The cranberry eggnog cupcakes are so easy to make!

To do it, stir together the cake mix, egg whites, canola oil, and eggnog in a large mixing bowl just until the mixture’s smooth.

Then gently fold in the chopped cranberries, cinnamon, and nutmeg again just until evenly combined.

Spoon the batter into the lined cavities and bake at 350 degrees for 18-22, minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely.

To Make the Icing

Once the cupcakes are cooled, it’s time to make the icing.

Melt the white chocolate chips or wafers either over a double boiler, stirring constantly just until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth, or in the microwave in 15 second increments stirring after each increment.

Remove the chocolate from heat and let it cool for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer, whip together the softened butter and the softened cream cheese until it is evenly combined and fluffy on medium to medium high speed.

Turn the speed down to low and slowly pour in the white chocolate.

Whip the mixture or another minute or so until the white chocolate gets evenly incorporated and the mixture gets fluffy.

Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, spices, and eggnog and beat it for 2 minutes.

Refrigerate the frosting for 1-2 minutes to ‘firm’ up.

Frost the cupcakes as desired.

Sprinkle with a little additional spice for garnish and top with a fresh cranberry for decoration if desired.

Enjoy!

Storing

Store cranberry eggnog cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Tips and Tricks

Make sure to use egg whites only in the cupcakes themselves. It helps the cake stay white and pretty plus there is enough fat in the cake from the eggnog and the oil.
When making the frosting, make sure to use room temperature butter and cream cheese so it is easier to cream.
Be careful not to overheat the white chocolate. Overheating it can cause it to scorch and seize.
Refrigerating the frosting for a minute or two helps it firm up enough to pipe onto the cupcakes nicely. Don’t skip this step!

Other Christmas Cupcakes

Cranberry eggnog cupcakes are the perfect finish to any holiday occasion!

Make them and celebrate!

Looking for other Christmas cupcake ideas?

Try these:

If you’ve tried these CRANBERRY EGGNOG CUPCAKES, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!