Chocolate Snowman Cupcakes (Vegan Gluten-Free)
These Chocolate Snowman Cupcakes are rich and chocolatey, fluffy and moist and topped with vanilla buttercream and snowmen marshmallow heads. They are naturally egg-free, vegan and easily gluten-free.
I love making festive treats and these chocolate cupcakes are taken to the next level with marshmallow snowman faces, pretzel arms and sprinkle buttons. They are naturally egg-free, vegan and dairy-free and are easily gluten-free, so they are the perfect bake for the holidays. They look really impressive too, and they are super chocolatey, which is great for chocolate lovers.
Why will I love these cupcakes?
These are so great:
- Rich, chocolatey and moist
- Fluffy, spongey and tender
- Made with healthier ingredients
- Topped with luscious vanilla buttercream
- Made to look like snowmen with real food ingredients
- Naturally egg-free, dairy-free and vegan
- Easily gluten-free and nut-free
- Great to make for Christmas
- Delicious all year round (skip the snowmen faces on top)
- Made in one bowl
- Fun to make with little ones
- Impressive with minimal effort
- With chunks of chocolate inside the cupcakes
If you already love the sound of these cupcakes, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card and see my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the cupcakes:
- Plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar: and dairy-free milk is great like oat, almond, soya or coconut (from the carton) and when mixed with vinegar, the mix will curdle, making vegan buttermilk. This acts as an naturally egg replacer.
- Sugar: this recipe uses light brown and caster sugar, which is a great balance of rich flavour and lightness.
- Light olive oil: to add moisture and fat to the sponges.
- Dairy-free yoghurt: I use Cocos Organic coconut yoghurt or NUSH almond milk yoghurt which are both thick and creamy. This also acts as a natural binder and egg replacement.
- Vanilla extract: for flavour.
- Plain or GF plain flour: to make the cupcakes moist and light. If making them gluten-free, use a GF flour blend with xanthan gum or add ½ tsp of your own to the mix.
- Cocoa powder: for chocolatey richness. Make sure it’s 100% cocoa without added sugars.
- Raising agents: baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
- Salt: for flavour.
- Hot coffee: this allows the cocoa powder to bloom while in the mixing bowl and makes it really delicious and light. You can use decaf coffee, too. Alternatively, swap the amount of coffee for more plant-based milk and add as above (they may not be quite as rich).
- Dark chocolate: I use the Divine Dark Hazelnut chocolate for inside, but you can use any other bar, dairy-free milk or use buttons or chocolate chips.
And to make the frosting:
- Vegan butter: this is the block-style butter and it is best to leave it at room temperature for a bit to soften.
- Icing sugar: for sweetness and deliciousness.
Finally for the snowmen:
- Vegan marshmallows: there are a few brands, I like Dandies in the UK.
- Pretzels: to make the arms.
- Sprinkles: for the buttons, ideally choose round sprinkles.
- Dark chocolate: or you can use an edible food pen to make the eyes and mouth on the faces.
Are these gluten-free and nut-free?
These are easily gluten-free, as long as you use GF flour and add ½ tsp of xanthan gum if your mix doesn’t contain it already. Check your milk, yoghurt and butter for nuts, if needed, and use a plain not hazelnut chocolate.
How do I make them?
These are ready to go in a few steps:
- Mix the milk and vinegar: and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.
- Whisk in the other wet ingredients: and combine.
- Sift in the dry ingredients: and start to mix.
- Pour in the hot coffee: and whisk completely.
- Fold in the chocolate: and scoop into cupcake cases.
- Bake for 23 minutes: until light and fluffy and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack: fully.
- Beat the butter and icing sugar together: until really fluffy with the milk and vanilla using a freestanding mixer.
- Pipe the frosting on: using a round-tipped nozzle, or other shape.
- Add eyes, nose and a mouth to the marshmallows: for the snowmen.
- Top the frosting with a marshmallow head: and add the arms and sprinkle buttons.
How long will they last?
These will keep for 3-5 days in a sealed container at room temperature, but in the fridge overnight. You can freeze the unfrosted cakes for 1 month, wrapped well.
What other recipes can I try?
For more ideas:
- Double Chocolate Advent Cupcakes
- Gingerbread Caramel Cake
- Strawberry Champagne Cake
- Mince Pie Cinnamon Rolls
- Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies
Chocolate Snowman Cupcakes (Vegan Gluten-Free)
These Chocolate Snowman Cupcakes are rich and chocolatey, fluffy and moist and topped with vanilla buttercream and snowmen marshmallow heads. They are naturally egg-free, vegan and easily gluten-free.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 120ml plant-based milk + ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 100g granulated sugar
- 100g light brown sugar
- 120ml light olive oil
- 30g (2 tbsp) thick dairy-free yoghurt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 160g plain or GF plain flour
- 50g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 100ml hot coffee (1 tsp espresso in 100ml hot water)
- 60g dark chocolate, chopped small
For the Frosting:
- 80g vegan butter, softened
- 240g icing sugar, plus extra to dust
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp plant-based milk
For the Snowmen:
- 10 large vegan marshmallows
- 40g melted dark chocolate (or a food-safe pen)
- Round sprinkles
- 5 pretzels, in half
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC and line 10 cupcake holes with cases.
- Combine the milk and vinegar in a jug and leave to curdle for 5 minutes.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add both sugars, the olive oil, yoghurt, vanilla and the milk mix. Whisk to combine.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and add the salt. Begin to whisk the mix and pour in the hot coffee. Continue to whisk until smooth with no specks of flour (the mix is quite runny).
- Pour in the chopped chocolate and fold to combine. Scoop the batter into the cupcake cases, filling 2/3 to ¾ full.
- Bake in the oven for 23-25 minutes, until well-risen, springy to touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Remove from the tray straight away and cool fully on a wire rack.
- For the buttercream, add the butter to the mixing bowl with a freestanding electric mixer or handheld mixer. Beat until smooth and gradually add in the icing sugar, vanilla and milk and continue to beat until really fluffy (1-2 minutes). Spoon into a pipe bag with a round nozzle (or other shape).
- Decorate the marshmallows with faces using the melted dark chocolate and a toothpick (or with a food-safe pen).
- Pipe the frosting on the cupcakes and place a marshmallow head on top. Add in two pretzel arms and add three round sprinkles for the buttons. Dust with icing sugar for snow.
- Enjoy straight away or keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Chocolate Snowman Cupcakes so please do let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With snowman love x
p.s. this recipe was first made with Divine Chocolate, but all opinions are my own and this blog post is not sponsored.
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