These mini flourless chocolate peppermint cupcakes are rich, fudgy and a perfect Christmas dessert! Flourless chocolate cupcakes are topped with a peppermint ganache and stabilized whipped cream frosting.
These flourless chocolate peppermint cupcakes are a cross between a chocolate cake and a fudge brownie. It’s incredibly rich, ridiculously chocolatey, and not for the faint of heart.
In fact, it might be the best flourless chocolate cake I’ve ever had! 😉
I’m really not sure how we only have six days left until Christmas. I swear it was just yesterday I was breaking out the Christmas music on November 1st (yeah, I am one of those people) and kicking off the season with a little Miracle on 34th Street (and, of course, easy chocolate fudge).
Somehow—I really don’t know how—it’s nearing the end of December and my favorite time of the year is practically over.
There are so many things I haven’t done yet (or baked yet) and there are only a few days to squeeze everything in.
It’s so bittersweet, you know? If the season never ended, we’d never get to celebrate Christmas Day. At the same time, there are moments where I do wish the season could last just a bit longer.
Do you remember that incredibly cheesy Disney movie from the 90s with Erik von Detten, Christmas Every Day? Erik plays a boy who experiences the same Christmas morning every day until he learns the true meaning of Christmas, or something like that.
It was on a lot during the Christmas seasons of the late 90’s, so I’ve seen it more than I care to admit. As a kid, I never could quite figure out why Erik was so perturbed each day when he woke up and it was Christmas yet again. Considering it’s one of the greatest days of the year, who wouldn’t want to relive that again and again?!
There are moments where I definitely still feel that way; however, at the same time, Christmas might lose its magic and wonder if we experienced it over and over again, never having a chance to appreciate the day and anticipate the next one.
With all this in mind, I’m vowing to take the remaining days I have left and soak in as much Christmas as I possibly can.
And there isn’t anything much more Christmasy than peppermint.
I’ve been enjoying all the peppermint mochas my stomach can handle, coffeeshop bought and homemade (like this 5-minute peppermint mocha), eating those Dove peppermint chocolates like they’re going out of style, and baking peppermint-y things, like these Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes and these super adorable, mini Flourless Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes.
I love mini desserts, as they are not only entirely cute but also easy to pop in your mouth. Plus, being that these are flourless chocolate cupcakes, they are ultra rich and ultra chocolatey and a mini cupcake is the perfect amount.
Are flourless chocolate cupcakes gluten-free?
Yes!
One of the things I love most about this flourless chocolate cake recipe is that it is naturally gluten free, making a homemade gluten free dessert super easy to put together. BUT. This is a recipe everyone—gluten free or not—is sure to love. The lack of flour, while making this recipe gluten free, makes for extra rich and fudgy chocolate cake.
One other thing to note though is that if you are specifically making this as a gluten free dessert (if you have friends and family with allergies), double check that all your other ingredients (i.e., chocolate chips, cocoa powder, etc.) are gluten free. Most brands of cocoa powder and chocolate are, but it is always safe to double check.
Can I make this flourless chocolate cupcake recipe into large cupcakes or a cake?
Yes, you can!
The recipe makes about 30 mini cupcakes, thus you can make about 13-15 regular sized cupcakes or a single layer flourless chocolate cake (similar to this recipe here).
Tips & Tricks for these mini Flourless Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes:
- Be careful with peppermint extract. While extract is one of the best ways to infuse a particular flavor into a dessert, peppermint extract is very strong. A little goes a long way; too much and your dessert will taste too much like toothpaste.
- These cupcakes are topped with a stabilized whipped cream frosting. I like the light and airiness of this frosting in combination with the rich fudgy cupcakes. This whipped cream frosting is stabilized with instant pudding, and it will hold its shape for a few hours.
- Leftovers of these flourless chocolate cupcakes do need to be refrigerated due to the whipped cream frosting.
Between the peppermint chocolate cake, the peppermint chocolate ganache and the whipped cream frosting, these are the Mary Poppins of Christmas desserts! (Practically perfect in every way, in case you weren’t picking up what I was putting down. 😉)
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 12 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp espresso powder (optional, but it really adds flavor to the cake)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp brewed coffee (room temp; milk could be substituted)
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp peppermint extract (you can add more if you prefer; however, peppermint extract is strong. I’d suggest being conservative with the extract and adding extra peppermint flavor with your toppings)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/8 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp Jell-O White Chocolate Pudding Instant Mix
- Crushed peppermints
- Andes peppermint baking chips
- Peppermint Chocolates (like Dove)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and put mini cupcake liners in a mini muffin pan (I used a 24-count mini muffin pan). Set aside.
Melt the butter and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring after each hit in the microwave.
Once melted, stir in the sugar, salt, espresso powder, vanilla extract, peppermint extract and brewed coffee. Mix until combined.
Add the eggs and whisk until combined.
Add in the cocoa powder, and whisk until combined.
Pour the batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 3/4 of the way full (you can get about 30 cupcakes).
Bake for about 15-16 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Allow the cupcakes to cool for 5-10 minutes, then allow them to finish cooling on a wire rack.
Heat heavy cream in the microwave or on the stove, until just below a boil. Pour cream over chocolate chips, and allow the mixture to stand 5 minutes. Add in peppermint extract. Whisk the mixture until smooth. Spoon a little bit of ganache onto each cupcake; alternatively, you can dunk the top of each cupcake into the ganache. Allow the ganache to set, about 30 minutes to 1 hour, before piping on the frosting (you can refrigerate the cupcakes to speed up the process).
With a standing mixer or hand mixer, whip the heavy cream and White Chocolate Pudding Mix until soft peaks form. Add in powdered sugar, and whip until the consistency of whipped cream. With a piping bag and star tip, pipe whipped cream onto each cupcake, and sprinkle each with crushed peppermints or crushed peppermint chocolates, if desired.
Store leftovers in the fridge.
Enjoy!
*Adapted from King Arthur Flour
Here are some other peppermint recipes you might love:
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