Christmas Tree Cupcakes

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This post is sponsored by the Holiday Baking promotion at Publix. The opinions and text are all mine.

Ready for some holiday baking? These Christmas Tree Cupcakes make the perfect dessert for the holidays. Made with cupcakes, ice cream cones, and a few other simple ingredients, they’re easy enough that the kids will love joining you in the kitchen to make their own fun treats!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s time to crank up the Christmas music, decorate the house with as many lights as I can and of course, do lots of holiday baking!

From holiday cupcakes to cookies, my girls and I can’t get enough, and we love sharing all our baked goodies with friends and neighbors. It’s the perfect way to spread a little Christmas cheer over the holiday season. Everybody loves being surprised with a festive holiday treat!

The best part is that with the Holiday Baking promotion at Publix, running from 12/4/21-12/17/21, I can save money too. Not only are there lots of baking products on sale, but you’ll also find great deals on the things you need to clean up the mess afterwards.

Holiday Baking Promotion At Publix

The girls and I planned to make some fun Christmas tree cupcakes, so I picked up Cabot Unsalted Butter (one pound), which is $1 off during the promotion. Since Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk is only $2.29 a can, I totally stocked up on that too. Not only is it just what I need to make frosting from scratch, but I can also use it in my other Christmas desserts, like this colorful Christmas Poke Cake.

I already had cupcake liners and sprinkles on hand, but if you buy Betty Crocker or Cake Mate Decorating Items, you can save $1 on any one item.

Since we always have plenty of dirty bowls and pans when we finish baking, I’d need Finish Quantum and Jet-Dry 3in1 Rinse Aid too. They make it easy to get everything spotless (until next time!) and since they’re part of the promotion too, I was able to use the MFR DIGITAL COUPON to save 1.50 on each.

You can also see the savings when you look for the at-shelf signs located throughout the store. Start shopping now because the promotion ends 12/17/21.

Once you’ve done your shopping, you’re ready to bake!

Ingredients

You’ll just need a few simple ingredients.

• 12 cupcakes (I used white cake mix)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) Cabot Unsalted Butter, room temperature
• 1 can (14 ounces) Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/4 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 12 sugar cones
• 1 (12 ounces) bag green candy melts
• Christmas themed sprinkles
• White sparkling sugar
• Yellow candy melts for star (optional)

How To Make Christmas Tree Cupcakes

Make your cupcakes according to the directions on the box. Set aside to cool.

For The Trees

Step 1: To get your tree shape just the right height, use a bread knife to cut about an inch off the open end of each sugar cone. It works best to score it first, then snap off the end.

Step 2: Place green chocolate melts in a large bowl.

Step 3: Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Continue to microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between, until completely melted and smooth. If the chocolate is too thick, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of shortening to get a thinner consistency for dipping.

Step 4: Dip a cone into the melted chocolate, rotating until the surface of the cone is completely covered.

Step 5: Place on a wire rack so that any excess chocolate drips down instead of collecting on the bottom. For easy cleanup, place a piece of parchment paper underneath or place the rack on a baking sheet to catch any dripping chocolate.

Step 6: Add sprinkles. You’ll want to do this after dipping each cone. The chocolate sets fairly quickly, so you have to add the sprinkles while it’s still soft, or they won’t stick. Continue with each cone, one at a time, until they’re all decorated.

For The Icing

Step 1: Place butter in a large mixing bowl and use the whisk attachment of a stand mixer to whip for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. For best results, you’ll want the butter to be at room temperature. If it’s still cold, you will probably need to whip it an extra minute or two.

Step 2: Add the vanilla, then pour in condensed milk a little bit at a time. Mix well. If the frosting isn’t thick enough, you can add confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until you have the right consistency.

Step 3: Fill an icing bag with the white frosting and pipe it onto cupcakes.

Step 4: Top with the white sugar sprinkles. This will give the icing the look of sparkling snow.

Assembling The Cupcakes

Step 1: Top the cupcake with your Christmas tree. Gently press it into the icing so it stays put.

Step 2: If you want your trees to have a tree topper, you can use a candy mold to make yellow stars.

If you don’t have a candy mold, you can easily skip this step. Your Christmas trees will look beautiful either way!

These adorable Christmas tree cupcakes will look so pretty on any holiday dessert table! If you’re having a holiday party for the kids, they’ll love making their very own tree to celebrate.

Of course, after making these, we had quite a few bowls to clean. Luckily, Publix had us covered with deals on ingredients AND the supplies to get our baking supplies spotless!

Can I Make These Christmas Tree Cupcakes In Advance?

You can make these in advance, but it’s best to make the individual components the day before. Then you can assemble them just before you’re ready to serve. The cupcakes can be covered and stored unrefrigerated overnight.

The frosting can also be made the day before and refrigerated in an airtight container. It will harden slightly, so you’ll have to let it soften at room temperature for about 15 minutes or whip with a stand mixer to soften to the desired consistency before piping.

For best results, decorate your ice cream cones on the same day you’re serving them. However, you can do it the day before…the cone just may lose a little of its crispness.

Tips And Suggestions

• Dipping the cones: If you don’t want to use your fingers, you can insert a toothpick into the top of the cone and use a second one to guide the cone through the melted chocolate.
• Green Candy Melts: If you can’t find green candy melts or prefer a brighter shade, you can substitute white candy melts and add green food coloring. You can also spread green frosting on the cones, though I prefer the smooth look of the candy melts.
• Icing Bag: If you don’t have an icing or piping bag on hand, you can use a gallon size storage bag instead. Just cut one corner off and insert a tip, then fill the bag with frosting and start decorating.
• Cupcake Flavor: I used a white cake mix for this Christmas cupcake recipe, but you can easily switch the cake mixes flavors to make chocolate cupcakes or any other flavor you want to try.
• Cupcake Alternative: Want to make this a fun activity for the kids but don’t have time to make cupcakes? Spread the frosting on a large sugar cookie instead, then let the kids make their own trees with the cookie as a base.

More Festive Desserts

These easy Christmas tree cupcakes were so much fun to make! If you’re looking for more awesome dessert ideas, you may want to check these out too…

• Santa Hat Christmas Cupcakes (also made with ice cream cones)
• Christmas Lasagna Dessert
• Christmas Tree Meringues