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These white chocolate cranberry cupcakes are a festive treat that taste as good as they look. With a vanilla cupcake base, tangy cranberry filling and rich white chocolate buttercream, each bite is a mix of sweet, tart and creamy, to tantalize your taste buds. Sugared cranberries and fresh rosemary give them a stunning seasonal finish. They’re such a beautiful way to bring holiday flavors together.
These white chocolate cranberry cupcakes have a tangy cranberry filling and creamy white chocolate frosting. They are festive, flavorful and perfect for the holidays.
For cupcake lovers, check out lemon stuffed cupcakes, carrot cake cupcakes or even these chocolate peanut butter kitchen sink cupcakes for a twist!
Why You’ll Love It
Easy: There are easy cupcake batter recipes and complicated ones, and this one definitely falls into the easy camp. Even newbies to home baking should find the recipe straightforward.
Festive: These would be great for Thanksgiving or Christmas. They’d also be a nice treat if someone has a birthday during the holidays.
Delicious: The combination of tart yet sweet sugared cranberries, frosting and fluffy cake makes these cranberry vanilla cupcakes seriously mouthwatering.
White Chocolate Cranberry Cupcake Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Unsalted butter: Used in both the cupcake base and frosting for moisture and richness.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cupcakes, cranberry filling and sugared topping.
Eggs: Provide structure and lift to the cupcakes.
Oil: Adds moisture to keep the cupcakes soft.
Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth to the batter and frosting.
Milk: Helps create a smooth batter with a tender crumb.
Baking powder: Leavens the cupcakes to keep them light.
All purpose flour: Forms the base of the cupcake batter.
Cranberries: Used fresh in both the filling and sugared garnish for tart flavor and color.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens and smooths the frosting.
White chocolate chips: Melted into the frosting for a creamy finish.
Heavy cream: Helps create a silky ganache to blend into the buttercream.
Fresh rosemary: Optional garnish that adds a seasonal look and subtle herbal aroma.
How to Make Cranberry Cupcakes
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Make the cupcake batter: Cream the butter and sugar together with a stand mixer, then add the eggs, oil and vanilla extract. Next add the milk, then the flour, salt and baking powder.
Bake the cupcakes: Transfer the batter into a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and cook for about 15 minutes in a preheated oven or until the edges are golden.
Make the cranberry cupcakes filling: Heat the fresh cranberries and sugar in a saucepan until you have a thick sauce, and then let it cool completely.
Prepare the frosting: Mix the unsalted butter, salt and powdered sugar, and then mix in the vanilla extract.
Make the white chocolate cream: Melt the white chocolate with the cream in the microwave.
Make the sugared cranberries: Toss rinsed cranberries with the sugar and let them dry.
Finish the frosting: Pour the white chocolate mixture over the vanilla frosting and mix it in, then transfer it into a frosting bag.
Fill the cupcakes: Remove a piece from the middle of each cupcake, then pipe some frosting into each one and replace the cutout pieces.
Decorate them: Now frost the tops and add sugared cranberries and a sprig of rosemary before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
Use raspberry jam: Swap cranberry filling for raspberry if preferred.
Try a different frosting: Cream cheese frosting also works well.
Make it gluten free: Use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend in place of all purpose flour.
Add orange zest: For a citrus twist, mix zest into the batter or frosting.
Serving Suggestions
With a drink: Mulled wine fireball jello shots, Santa’s hat cocktails and white Christmas punch are all good pairing options.
With snacks: If you’re looking for more festive snack ideas to match with your cupcakes, you might like frosted cranberry cookies, a Christmas tree charcuterie board or cheese stuffed pumpkin bites.
How to Store Cranberry Cupcakes
Store: Although you can’t beat cranberry cupcakes served fresh, they will keep for a day or 2 in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Don’t decorate them until just before serving though.
Freeze: You can freeze the undecorated cupcakes if you want but don’t freeze them after frosting and decorating.
Top Tips
Cool everything completely: Warm cupcakes or ganache can melt the frosting.
Don’t skip the cupcake plug: Replacing it keeps the filling from leaking out.
Use a piping bag: It makes filling and decorating much easier.
Taste the frosting: Adjust salt or vanilla to balance the sweetness.
Cupcakes with Candied Cranberries FAQs
Although thawed or even dried cranberries can be used in the filling and frosting, since they’re combined with other ingredients, you will want to use fresh ones on top because they’re so much prettier than thawed ones.
Don’t fill the cupcake liners more than 2/3-full because the cupcakes will rise during baking. If you want to make mini cupcakes, the same 2/3-full guideline applies: use four pans instead of two and trim a few minutes off the baking time. Once a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. I love these Wilton cupcake pans (here).
Cranberry Cupcakes Recipe
White Chocolate Cranberry Cupcakes
Equipment
- Pastry Bag with Large Star Tip
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- ½ Cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ Cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ Cup oil
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ Cup milk
- 1 ½ Teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ Cups all purpose flour
For the Cranberry Filling
- 2 Cups cranberries, fresh
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
For the Frosting
- ½ Cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 Cups powdered sugar
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Cups white chocolate chips
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 Cup cranberries, fresh
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- rosemary, fresh, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the cupcake pan(s) with liners and set aside.
Make the Cupcake Batter
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar. Cream until smooth.
- Add in the eggs, oil and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
- Add in the milk and mix to combine. The mixture will look curdled – that’s normal.
- Add in the flour, salt and baking powder. Mix thoroughly.
Bake the Cupcakes
- Divide the cake batter between each of the liners, filling until they’re about one half to ⅔ full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 14 to 16 minutes, or until edges are just slightly golden brown. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
Make the Filling
- While the cupcakes bake, make the filling. In a small saucepan, combine the fresh cranberries and the granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will begin to thicken so keep the mixture moving to prevent it from scorching.
- Allow to cool while making the frosting.
Make the Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, salt and powdered sugar. Mix until smooth. Add in the vanilla and mix to combine. Set aside.
- In a microwaveable safe bowl, combine the white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Heat for one minute and stir well. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
Frost and Decorate Them
- Meanwhile, rinse the fresh cranberries – do not dry. Toss in a bowl with the additional sugar. Spread on a plate to allow the sugar to dry.
- Once the ganache has cooled slightly, pour the ganache over the frosting and mix well. If the ganache is too warm, it will melt the buttercream.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Once the cranberry filling is cool enough to touch, transfer it to a piping bag.
- Use a teaspoon to scoop out the center of each cupcake. Retain the cupcake piece, do not discard.
- Cut the end off the cranberry piping bag and pipe a dollop into the center of each cupcake. Replace the cupcake piece on top.
- Pipe a dollop of frosting on each cupcake, using a spiral motion to create a mound.
- Top with a couple sugared cranberries and a sprig of rosemary.
Notes
Don’t skip the cupcake plug: Replacing it keeps the filling from leaking out.
Use a piping bag: It makes filling and decorating much easier.
Taste the frosting: Adjust salt or vanilla to balance the sweetness.
Nutrition
White chocolate cranberry cupcakes are a seasonal showstopper, perfect for parties, dessert trays or simply treating yourself to a wintry bake. The contrast of tart cranberry filling and sweet white chocolate frosting makes each bite satisfying and balanced. They’re beautiful with simple garnishes and taste even better than they look. If you’re craving a holiday dessert that feels festive but still approachable, these cupcakes are the perfect pick. Cranberry Christmas cupcakes bring flavor, texture and color all in one tidy package.
Other Recipes to Try
- Craft adorable Easy Reindeer Cupcakes this holiday season.
- Spread some cheer with Santa Cupcakes at your next celebration.
- This delicious Eggnog Cheesecake will steal the show!
- Create colorful treats with these Funfetti Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes.
- Bake up a batch of Sparkling Frosted Cranberry Cookies for an easy dessert.
- Or what about reindeer Rice Krispie treats or gingerbread sandwich cookies for a festive feast?
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
This is one of my go-to recipes of yours. Thank you!! 🙂
OMG! This cupcake is the best bite I’ve had in years. So delicate and the cranberry pairs beautifully with the white chocolate.